Go Green: Stores to Shop to Find Energy Star Appliances

Energy Star appliances can use up to 50% less energy and water than standard models, and that equates to some major moolah! When upgrading you appliances or simply replacing an old model that no longer works, Energy Star is the way to go. Not only will you save money, you will help the environment at the same time. Here are six stores that carry the Energy Star line and can work as a starting point when you decide to make your kitchen green!

Best Buy
This is a great place to look for anything and everything Energy Star certified. Best Buy offers a wide range of refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines to help get you on the green track. One of the best things about Best Buy is the rewards program. It is free to sign up and you get rewards simply for letting them scan your card before your purchase, you can even enroll as you are checking out! My husband loves this because when we make a big purchase, he gets a certificate that usually equals a free DVD. Best Buy offers a store credit card or Best Buy MasterCard that will allow you to finance your purchases, but you will want to check out rates before you do this. Usually they will offer 0% for so long. Also Best Buy is known for great sales, if you watch their online ads before you buy, you can usually get a great deal. Also, you can order online and pick up at a store. They do offer delivery, but only to a limited area surrounding the store. With Best Buy you can expect to pay comparable prices starting around $500 for a fridge and $350 for a dishwasher. Also be sure to check out the Outlet Center on the website for even more deals.

Home Depot
This is probably one of the first places people think of when they are contemplating home improvements. It is no wonder with the wide variety of brands and Energy Star appliances that are offered. Being one of the largest players in the Energy Star market, it is not surprising that many appliances for your kitchen are marked 20% during sales. Like the others, in house financing is offered as well as incentives to purchase all your appliances at once. Most times, Home Depot offers a percentage off for buying like brands for your dishwasher, fridge, and oven. Doing this can save you plenty, on top of what you will save with Energy Star. With many fridges starting out around $550 and dishwashers around $200, it is no wonder that Home Depot is many remodelers go to store for Energy Star appliances.

Lowes
Another popular pick for going green is Lowes. With prices on dishwashers starting around $200 and fridges starting around $500, they are competition for the others. Lowes also offers incentives for purchasing multiple products. Many times this is a percentage off the price or a Visa Gift card that can be used for anything anywhere Visa is accepted. Other promotions include mail-in rebates and in house financing.

Sears
While the other stores usually carry the same brands, Sears mainly features the Kenmore brand. This line is more expensive, but is worth it for some shoppers. My grandpa swears by it. Most of the warranties are unbeatable, and smaller communities have a Sears which makes it easier to shop. Sears offers free delivery and haul away of your old appliances, but before you do this check to see if your community supports Recycle My Old Fridge, a program that offers incentives for allowing city pick up of old fridges, pays you for them, and gives you rebates toward your new Energy Star fridge. This program is not available in all areas, and most commonly areas only offer rebates. But be sure to check with your City Offices to see if any local companies will pay you to recycle your old fridge.

Wal Mart
One place you may not think of looking for appliances is Wal Mart, but surprisingly it turns out that Wal Mart sells just about everything. Many of the appliances are carried in larger stores, but you can shop online and have the item shipped to your local store for free! No keep in mind, Wal Mart carries off-brands, you probably won't find LG or GE, but by looking through consumer reviews you may find a dishwasher that is LG equivalent for a Wal Mart price! Wal Mart still offers the store credit card or a Discover card for payments, but with online purchases you are not able to do layaway. Also, the most expensive unit at walmart.com was around $400, which beats any price if you are not looking for top of the line.

Sutherlands
If you live in the western United States, make sure you check out Sutherlands. The prices here are comparable to those at Lowes and Home Depot, but at most stores Tuesday is Senior Day which means if you are over 65 or can have Grandpa go with you to make your purchase, you may be able to save up to 20% off your bill! Sutherlands offers in house financing with a reward of 3% in incentives on your purchases and 10% off your first purchase (up to $50). I am not sure if you can combine this with the senior discount, but it is worth a shot! Sutherlands shows some of the products offered on the website, but each store carries brands and models based on local demographics, so you have to go look and see what they have.

When it comes down to it, all the stores that offer Energy Star offer rewards and incentives for financing though them and each brand is basically the same due to Energy Star qualifications. So check out consumer reviews and see if it is worth it to you to by top of the line from Lowes or if the dishwasher from Wal Mart will work just as well. When it comes to going green, it really matters that you are making an effort not how much you spend in the process.