Energy Star appliances have been all over the place in recent times. In fact, it is hard to imagine another product line or category that has been catapulted to such high popularity levels in such a short time. While most people think that Energy Star is a product name, the truth of the matter is that it is actually a qualification that companies can get for their appliances if those appliances exhibit a certain level of energy efficiency. Because Energy Star is a third party, you can trust that the appliances bearing its logo are actually energy efficient and this gives you a good idea of what you can purchase when you are out there looking for appliances to bring home.

There are three major categories of appliance that carry Energy Star logos on a regular basis. This means that if you'd like to go Energy Star, you should start by getting Energy Star versions of these three appliances.

In addition to the fridges that you can get with an Energy Star logo, there are also Energy Star air conditioners around. Air conditioners are not as dramatic in their savings most of the time as their fridge counterparts, but an Energy Star air conditioner can still pull off a double digit decrease in energy costs for that particular appliance if you replace your normal air conditioner with one that bears the Energy Star logo. The main reason that these appliances can do this is that they come from a later generation of appliances where energy efficiency is stressed over minimized cost and for that reason, Energy Star appliances are all going to be able to bestow significant long term savings in energy cost, regardless of what appliance it is you actually choose to replace.

Finally, a kind word also needs to be said about Energy Star washing devices such as washing machines and dishwashers. While they will not bestow the same amount of energy savings as a fridge or freezer Energy Star device, they will save you in two ways. You will not only save energy with these devices, you will save water as well. And when those two cost savings are added together, the effect can be quite impressive.

It is quite clear that the way to save big money is to start with energy efficiency, but if you are like most people you might be having trouble figuring out exactly how to get these appliances into your house within your current budget. Below are some tips to help you get that done yourself.