The loads keep on spinning in the Consumer Reports washing-machine lab

The folks who test and rate washing machines for Consumer Reports have been doing a ton of laundry. Make that almost two tons over the past five months, as they measure the cleaning performance, water and energy efficiency, and other criteria of the machines in our continuously updated ratings of front-loaders and top-loaders (available to subscribers).

Among the washing machines we've recently covered for our Inside Consumer Tests Labs posts are the:

• Maytag MVWC6ES, which determines how much water is needed for a load;

• Estate ETW4400W, Whirlpool Cabrio WTW6500W, and Whirlpool Duet Sport WFW8400T, all of which proved tough on laundry;

• LG WM2010C[W], a real mover and shaker;

• Frigidaire FTW3014K[W], which automatically advances a load from the soak or prewash cycle to the wash and extra rinse cycles;

• LG SteamWasher WM2801H[W]A, which can hold a whopping 21 pounds of laundry; and

• Whirlpool Duet Steam WFW9750W[W] and Duet Sport WFW9150W[W] and Maytag Performance Series MHWE950W[W], which are designed to prevent laundry from developing an odor in case you've left it sitting in the washer.

As the testing continues for our February 2010 report on washing machines, we'd like you to tell us what you love and hate about your washer, speak about the features that matter most to you or seem superfluous, inform us of which cycles and detergent you use, and describe your dream machine. Leave your detailed comments below.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our free buyer's guides to washing machines and dryers and find the best laundry detergent. If you're in the market for new laundry appliances, learn about the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, aka cash for clunkers for appliances.

Inside Consumer Reports Tests Labs: New front-loading washing machines from Whirlpool and Maytag

Reviews of the Whirlpool Duet Steam WFW9750W[W] and Duet Sport WFW9150W[W] and Maytag Performance Series MHWE950W[W]

What's the biggest laundry-related gripe Americans have? The musty smell that befouls clothes left to sit in the washing machine after washing is the top "unmet consumer concern in the laundry room," according to a Whirlpool Corporation survey.

To address the odor problem, Whirlpool has equipped some of its front-loaders with low-energy fans to circulate air and also programmed the machines to tumble periodically. As part of the testing for our continuously updated ratings of front-loading and top-loading washing machines (available to subscribers), we recently reviewed three washing machines* with these odor-fighting features.

Note that none of the loads we washed in any machine had an odor, either when the cycle ended or even after the load sat for hours. Further, there were no odors evident for these tested models regardless of whether the odor-fighting feature was turned on or off, so we cannot report on the claimed odor-preventing ability of these machines. Whirlpool is careful to indicate that these features do not remove an odor but can help prevent one from forming. Our experts suggest that some odors could be from residual soil and bacteria in the clothing or the machine that under the right temperature and moisture conditions are able to propagate.

The Whirlpool Duet Steam WFW9750W[W], $1,300 (shown), has what the manufacturer calls FanFresh, which is designed to prevent odors by circulating air with a fan and tumbling wet laundry every 15 minutes for up to 10 hours. This front-loader did an excellent job overall in our tests. It proved very good at our washing, gentleness, vibration, and water-extraction tests. The WFW9750W[W] also aced our energy- and water-efficiency tests, has a large, 21-pound capacity and was relatively quiet over its 65-minute normal cycle. Its NightQuiet option reduces noise by using a lower spin speed, though this mode also slightly reduces the amount of water extracted from loads.

The Whirlpool Duet Sport WFW9150W[W], $700, has an option, called TumbleFresh, that circulates clothes every 15 minutes for up to six hours. This front-loader, with a sizable, 18-pound capacity, performed very good overall. It aced our gentleness, energy- and water-efficiency tests and was very good at extracting water and in the vibration tests but was only mediocre in our washing tests. It also proved relatively noisy over its 55-minute normal cycle.

The Maytag Performance Series MHWE950W[W], $1,300, is made by Whirlpool and is basically the same machine as the Whirlpool Duet Steam WFW9750W[W], with a similar 21-pound capacity. Its Fresh Hold option tumbles wet laundry every 15 minutes for up to 10 hours and uses a fan to circulate air. The MHWE950W[W] was top-notch overall and excelled in our tests for energy and water efficiency and extracting water. It earned very good scores for washing, gentleness, and vibration. This model operates relatively quietly over its 65-minute normal cycle; its "quiet" option slows the spin speed to dampen noise, though this mode slightly reduces the water extracted from clothes.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential reading: If you need new laundry equipment, check out our free buyer's guide to washers and buying advice for dryers. If you're in the market for new appliances, stay up on the news related to the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, also known as cash for clunkers for appliances.

*We purchased these appliances from the manufacturer before they were available in stores; we will confirm the test results below on versions that we buy at retail.

What's new in Consumer Reports: Home content from the December 2009 issue

The December 2009 issue of Consumer Reports is loaded with coverage of items that will make practical gifts or spectacular additions to any household. (Some items below are available only to subscribers.)

Low-cost, high-performing coffeemakers. We found excellent coffeemakers that cost $20, $40, and $70; the top-rated model topped out at $100. And for $80, you can buy an excellent brew-station type that lets you fill cups directly from the machine.

Lack of versatility dogs pet-hair vacuums. Many vacuums are specifically marketed as the solution to pet-hair problems, but we found none provided a universal panacea. Instead, two mainstream Hoover models stood out for being excellent against pet hair, very good on bare floors, and excellent at cleaning carpets and limiting emissions.

Microwaves that do more. Want convection and speed cook modes? Countertop models from Kenmore and newcomer-to-the-field Cuisinart and an over- the-range model from Samsung offer both; the Cusinart and Samsung also offer grill modes for a taste of summer during the cold months. We also took a look at the innovative Sharp SuperSteam Oven AX-1200[K].

Ranges that make the grade. Induction models are hot, but our tested ones remain pricey at $3,000. Instead, we found four under-$800 ranges from Kenmore and GE that outscored pricier ranges from Dacor and Viking. Move up to the $1,500-to-$2,000 price point, and you'll get a range with a second oven or cooking drawer.

Paper towels in store. Our tests confirmed a similar trend among foods, where store brands outperformed national brands. So you might want to pick some up when you're buying wrapping paper. We also found something for greens to celebrate: One brand of recycled paper performed very well overall. Watch the video on how we test paper towels (above).

Light's (you should toss) out. Discard holiday lights after three seasons. Here's a checklist of things to look for and safe practices to follow when hanging holiday lights.

Want to start a debate? Bring up the subject of drying laundry on clotheslines

Health-care reform is an important and hotly debated national issue these days. While certainly not as pressing as health care, the subject of hanging laundry out to dry is something many people seem just as passionate about.

Consider the comments to our June 2009 post "Are Clotheslines Making a Comeback? 'Right-to-Dry Movement' Promotes Their Use" and those in response to The New York Times' recent engaging online debate "Rethinking Laundry in the 21st Century."

Right-to-dry-ers tout clotheslines and the like as tried-and-true energy savers that leave laundry smelling great. Some folks are skeptical about the practice, wondering whether line drying will leave their clothes feeling crunchy and questioning the added time it might take to dry their laundry. Those opposed to clotheslines feel they muck up their neighborhoods.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average American household uses about 11,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, with the typical electric clothes dryer consuming about 900 kWh—around what the average washing machine uses and slightly less than a typical refrigerator does.

If you're not ready to dry your laundry on a clothesline or on racks, follow these steps to cut back on dryer-related energy use:
• Use an automatic cycle for drying. This cycle will call on the dryer's moisture sensor, which automatically turns off the machine when the laundry is done. The sensor will work even if you select the less or more dry option.
• Remove the lint from the filter after every load. Built-up lint can reduce air circulation and make your dryer run longer. What's more, lint can clog the dryer vent, where it poses a significant fire hazard.
• Dry lightweight laundry in one load and heavier items, like towels and jeans, in another.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Give us your thoughts on clotheslines and line drying by posting a comment below. And if you're in the market for new laundry or other appliances, read about the U.S. Department of Energy's $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, otherwise known as cash for clunkers for appliances.

Cash for clunkers could help appliance industry . . . but companies might have to wait to see benefits

Year-over-year shipments of major appliances dipped 6.7 percent in September, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. This decline keeps the recession-ravaged industry in the red for the year compared with 2008, but following steeper drops in shipments the two previous months—9.4 percent in August; 19.1 percent in July—the outlook for appliance makers might be improving.

The Consumer Reports Index for September showed a similar uptick in "majaps," industry lingo for major appliances like refrigerators, dishwasher, ranges, washers, and dryers.

Amid the industry's cautious optimism over the upswing is concern that the nascent recovery could be squashed by the U.S. Department of Energy's $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, otherwise known as cash for clunkers for appliances. That's because many states won't roll out the rebate program until early 2010, keeping prospective buyers on the sidelines.

The appliance industry yesterday held what it labeled the "Federal Appliance Rebate Media Briefing." During the teleconference, one reporter asked representatives from Bosch and Sears whether they're concerned that sales will be hurt by the delay in launching cash for clunkers for appliances. "Half of appliance purchases are based on upgrades or people moving into new homes. Those sales might be delayed. But you really can't delay a broken washer or a refrigerator that's not working," responded Doug Moore, president of home appliances for Sears.

John Farley, senior brand and environmental-marketing manager for Bosch Home Appliances, conceded that promotion of cash for clunkers for appliances might be a bit premature. But he added that it "has driven a lot of conversation in the press to raising awareness of the benefits of high-efficiency appliances. As awareness is raised, consumers go online and find out that there are [other] rebates available right now." Farley plugged the Bosch Rebate Resource Center, which includes special offers from Bosch alongside details about individual state incentives. One example: Bosch is offering a $100 to $200 rebate (in the form of a prepaid Visa card) on the purchase of any eligible Vision series washer. (We're expecting  manufacturers and retailers to introduce pages on their sites where you can find information on rebates related to cash for clunkers.)

Whether you're going to buy new appliances now or wait for the cash for clunkers kickoff, we recommend you consider not only how efficient a product is but also its performance, reliability, and cost.

For example, the Bosch Vision 500 Series WFVC5440UC front-loader, earned an excellent score for energy and water efficiency. But the $1,100 front-loader's washing performance was just middling—most front-loaders deliver much better washing performance. What's more, based on its vibration and noise test results, you might not want to install this model near main living spaces or on a second story with standard wood-suspended floors.

As always, we'll keep you up to date on the new models we've tested in our Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs posts and the latest news surrounding cash for clunkers for appliances.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Lean about the best places to buy appliances and visit our appliance-reviews page to find links to free buying guides for appliances large and small.

Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: Latest washing-machine reviews

Tests of the Frigidaire Affinity FAFW3511K[W] and LG SteamWasher WM2801H[W]A front-loaders and GE Profile WPRE8150K[WT] and Speed Queen AWN542 top-loaders

Four washers, four price tags, and a mountain of laundry. Our experts washed 265 pounds of laundry to find out just how well the Frigidaire Affinity FAFW3511K[W], LG SteamWasher WM2801H[W]A, GE Profile WPRE8150K[WT] HE, Speed Queen AWN542 perform. Once again, they found that spending more doesn't guarantee you'll get a better washer. Here are the details:

At $700, the Frigidaire Affinity FAFW3511K[W] is one of the lower-priced front-loaders in our continuously updated ratings of front-loading and top-loading washing machines (available to subscribers). But unlike most front-loaders we test, which are very good or excellent at washing, this Frigidaire was mediocre. It does have a short cycle time, 50 minutes compared with 65 to 105 minutes for other front-loaders.

This washer scored a very good overall, as it aced our energy- and water-efficiency tests, excelled in extracting water, and notched a very good score for gentleness. The stainless-steel tub holds 17 pounds of laundry, earning it an excellent in capacity. While the FAFW3511K[W] earned a very good in our vibration tests, you might not want this machine adjacent to main living areas, as it's relatively noisy.

LG touts that its $1,200 LG SteamWasher WM2801H[W]A front-loader (shown) offers "ultra capacity." Indeed, the stainless-steel tub on this front-loader holds 21 pounds, giving it an excellent score for capacity. Overall, it's a very good washer, performing very good in our washing and vibration tests and excelling in our extraction and energy- and water-efficiency tests. Cycle time is 100 minutes, and while that longer cycle time could lead to frayed fabrics, this LG scored very good in gentleness. It is a relatively noisy appliance, however. Features include a steam function designed to refresh garments and reduce wrinkles.

You won't find an agitator in the $650 GE Profile WPRE8150K[WT] high-efficiency top-loader, which allows this washer to hold 16 pounds of laundry, more than most conventional top-loaders. The WPRE8150K[WT] was very good overall and provides very good washing. Typical of HE washers, it uses less water over its 50-minute cycle because it fills only partly. It aced our water-efficiency tests but was mediocre in our tests for gentleness, noise, energy efficiency, and extraction. Features include a stainless-steel tub, a sensor that determines how much water is needed, and second-rinse and extended-spin cycles.

Conventional top-loaders, in which a tall center post like an agitator swirls the laundry, are the least expensive type of washing machine but tend to perform less impressively as a group. The Speed Queen AWN542 costs $800, more than twice the price of some conventional top-loaders, and was just good overall, ranking near the bottom of our ratings. The AWN542 was mediocre in washing, energy and water efficiency, extraction, and noise, though it did excel in our vibration test. Its stainless-steel tub holds 12 pounds of laundry, earning it only a fair in capacity.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential reading: Check out or free buyer’s guides to washers and dryers and find the best laundry detergent to use. If you're in the market for new, more-efficient appliances, read our FAQ on the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, aka cash for clunkers for appliances.

By the Numbers: DOE Inspector General audit IDs Energy Star issues

90 percent

Approximate percentage of compact fluorescent lightbulbs that qualify for the federal government's Energy Star, according to the recently released "The Department's Management of the Energy Star Program," an audit by the U.S. Department of Energy's Inspector General.

Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was launched in 1992 to help you identify the most energy-efficient options across dozens of product categories. The program has succeeded in saving consumers money and in raising public awareness of energy-efficiency matters; what's more, 70 percent of U.S. consumers recognize the Energy Star logo. But for many product categories, Energy Star hasn't been fast enough to update testing procedures or qualifying standards or implemented independent, third-party verification of energy use.

Consumer Reports has called for changes to the program for years, including in our October 2008 investigation "Energy Star Has Lost Some Luster," and the Inspector General's audit makes some of the same points.

Energy Star's guidelines indicated that about 25 percent of products in a category should qualify for an Energy Star. The fact that 90 percent of CFLs currently make the grade shows that the standards aren't tough enough, a point made in the Inspector General's audit: "One of the underlying principles of the Energy Star Program is to help consumers differentiate the most energy-efficient products within a given category. When 90 percent of the [products qualify], the consumer cannot easily judge the relative efficiencies of CFL products." (Note that using CFLs in the right applications can save you real money, and we recommend you buy Energy Star-qualified CFLs. As stated in our October 2009 report on CFLs, most non-Energy Star CFLs we tested had lower overall scores than Energy Star-qualified bulbs. Check our CFL ratings, available to subscribers, to find the top performers.)

This "overqualification" has not been limited to lighting. As we reported last fall, at one point half of all dishwashers qualified for an Energy Star, as did 67 percent of residential-use oil-fired boilers and 60 percent of dehumidifiers.

Less than three weeks after he took office, President Barack Obama issued a memorandum that called on the U.S. Department of Energy to update it efficiency standards for many household appliances. In that memorandum, the president requested that "the DOE take all necessary steps . . . to finalize legally required efficiency standards as expeditiously as possible and consistent with all applicable judicial and statutory deadlines."

Even when qualification standards are rigorous, the Energy Star program too often relies on self-regulated compliance from manufacturers. At best, this policy results in honest mistakes. At worst, it appears to open the door for obfuscation aimed at gaming the system. In our October 2008 report, we identified one refrigerator that used more than twice as much energy as claimed by the manufacturer. Citing that finding, the Inspector General called Energy Star's "lack of oversight and control in the area of product testing and certification" its most significant shortcoming.

"Third-party certification of compliance conducted by independent, accredited testing laboratories combined with DOE spot checking of Energy Star and energy-usage claims by manufacturers . . . is an important first step in ensuring Energy Star labeling is meaningful and helpful to consumers," wrote Shannon Baker-Branstetter, policy analyst for Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports and the Home & Garden blog, in an October 16, 2009, letter to Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

The DOE has made some recent moves to strengthen its enforcement of energy-efficiency standards. Last week, the agency announced that it had established an enforcement team within the Office of the General Counsel and will set up a program to randomly review compliance with DOE certification requirements by manufacturers, and further detailed its enforcement of energy-efficiency regulations.

"For the sake of our environment and our economy, it's critical that we enforce our energy-efficiency regulations," said Scott Blake Harris, general counsel of the DOE, in an October 13 release. "Strong enforcement of the rules will encourage compliance and keep manufacturers who break the law from having a competitive advantage over manufacturers who play by the rules."

We'll continue to follow the news surrounding Energy Star.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're in the market for new, more-efficient appliances, read our FAQ on the $300 million cash for clunkers for appliances rebate program.

New agreement sets regional standards for heating and cooling appliances, could save consumers billions

The Pledge of Allegiance describes the United States as "one nation . . . indivisible." But a new agreement among manufacturers of heating and cooling equipment and energy-efficiency advocates divides the country in three.

The voluntary "Agreement on Legislative and Regulatory Strategy for Amending Federal Energy Efficiency Standards, Test Procedures, Metrics and Building Code Provisions for Residential Central Air Conditioners, Heat Pumps, Weatherized and Non-Weatherized Furnaces And Related Matters" splits the country into north, south, and southwest regions (shown) and mandates new, tougher efficiency standards for that heating and cooling equipment. The agreement raises the minimum efficiency of residential central-air-conditioning systems by about 8 percent and furnaces by about 13 percent.

The agreement was signed by the Alliance to Save Energy, the Appliance Standards Awareness Project; the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute; the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy; the California Energy Commission; the Natural Resources Defense Council; Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships; and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. Among the manufacturers who inked the agreement are Bard Manufacturing, Carrier Corporation, Goodman Manufacturing, Johnson Controls/York, Lennox International, Mitsubishi Electric and Electronics USA, National Comfort Products, Nordyne, Rheem Manufacturing, and Trane/Ingersoll Rand.

The new standards will go into effect in 2013, and by 2030 they could save consumers $13 billion, an average annual savings of $100 per household. Over that time, the more-efficient equipment will use 3.7 quadrillion Btu less energy, equivalent to that used by about 18 million households in a year, and in 2030 reduce annual greenhouse-gas emissions by 23 million metric tons, equal to what equal to 4 million cars produce every year.

Manufacturers should benefit from not having to deal with multiple state standards. "Massachusetts, for example, applied for a waiver from federal furnace standards they felt were too weak, so there was a lot of uncertainty among manufacturers of what the requirements they were going to be," notes Lowell Ungar, director of policy for the Alliance to Save Energy.

Tougher standards might also prompt manufacturers to try to exceed them. "It depends on the circumstances, but air conditioners in general have gotten much more efficient. The shift from the SEER-10 to SEER-13 minimum standard was a 30 percent improvement, and the market also shifted, so you could find SEER-14 and -15 models, and if the standard were to go higher, manufacturers will come out with SEER-17 and -18 models," says Ungar.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our free buyer's guides to furnaces and air conditioners and refer to our brand repair history for gas furnaces and central-air-conditioning systems (available to subscribers). See our Energy Saving & Green Living guide for more details on ways to cut your utility bills and improve your home and stay on top of the news related to the cash for clunkers for appliances rebate program.

Image courtesy of Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, Alliance to Save Energy, and American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Buzzword: Clunkernomics

What it means? This mashup of clunker and economics is inspired by the 2005 book Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, by Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. The most notable example of clunkernomics is the Car Allowance Rebate Program, or cash for clunkers, which spurred car sales over its run last summer.

Why the buzz? Cash for clunkers has plenty of imitators in programs whose model consists of consumers trading in an old product for a new, presumably more-efficient, one. One next-gen example of clunkernomics is the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program. The federal government’s cash for clunkers for appliances initiative, details of which are still being worked out by the U.S. Department of Energy, will give you a rebate of up to $250 per appliance on the purchase Energy Star-qualified models. Note: You likely won’t have to trade in your old dishwasher, refrigerator, or washing machine when you buy a new one.

Private enterprise is dipping its toes into clunkernomics, too, including a program centered around lighting. Philadelphia-based LED Saving Solutions announced last week that it will offer a $10 rebate per lightbulb for high-efficiency LED bulbs. “We see this initiative as a way to take the momentum created by the federal government to a new level and make a dramatic impact in our collective goal to make America more energy independent,” said Charlie Szoradi, president of LED Saving Solutions.

As clunkernomics expands, perhaps “clunker hangover” will set in, and maybe the cash-for-clunkers model has jumped the shark. After all even a New York City FM-radio station has its own clunkers deal. The WPLJ Web site says, “The government thinks a clunker is an old beat up gas guzzler. But here at ‘PLJ a clunker is a terrible song that somehow became a hit!” After a clunker airs, the 25th caller wins $5,000. Recent musical clunkers include “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” by Bobby McFerrin and “We Built This City,” by Jefferson Starship.

But Jack Hidary, the chairman of SmartTransportation.org who is credited as being the driver behind the automotive version of cash for clunkers, isn’t concerned. “I’m happy about all the copycats,” he says. “Let’s move our country away from rampant consumerism to a focus on the utility and the efficiency of products.”—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential reading: When you're ready to replace you're appliances, be sure to check out the free buying guides on our appliances hub and learn about the best places to buy appliances. Save up to $1,500 on your annual utility bills, read our reports on pellet stoves and solar water heaters, and find out which compact fluorescent lightbulbs top our ratings (available to subscribers).

By the Numbers: U.S. consumers adopting some greener behaviors

83 percent

Americans who said they always run the dishwasher with a full load, according to a May 2009 nationally representative survey of 2,014 adults. The survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, focused on energy-saving practices.

"Most of the energy used by a dishwasher goes to heat water. So fill your dishwasher to get the most from the energy used to run it," says Christina Kielich, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Energy.

While running a full load is widespread behavior, only 10 percent of respondents said they're not rinsing dishes before loading the dishwasher. That's a water- and energy-wasting step that costs people real money. As Consumer Reports and most dishwasher manufacturers advise, it's not necessary to prerinse dishes before a cycle; just scrape off any food from the dishes. Read our advice on the best way to load a dishwasher and check out our buyer's guide to dishwashers.

That wasteful move is surprising considering that less-expensive energy-saving measures seem to appeal to Americans these days. Indeed, only 3 percent of survey said they are using solar, wind, or geothermal energy systems, which have high up-front costs and, potentially, long payback periods. Still, 40 percent of respondents say they'll buy a green product even if it costs more.

Many of the newest dishwashers in our continuously updated ratings and latest report on these appliances (available to subscribers) use less water and electricity than their predecessors. Some tested models consume about 3 gallons per load, while thirsty models drink up to 12 gallons. New federal regulations taking effect on January 1, 2010, limit all dishwashers to a maximum of 6.5 gallons for the normal cycle; Energy Star-qualified models use even less water.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Our Energy Saving & Green Living guide features many easy ways to cut energy bills. Stay tuned for new details on the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, or cash for clunkers for appliances, and take advantage of existing incentives on Energy Star-qualified appliances.