Consumer Reports

In March, I told you a number of states and territories were starting to offer rebates to residents who bought energy-efficient appliances with the energy star label . The rebates are part of the $300 million Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program which is sponsored by the Department of Energy and more commonly referred to as “Cash for Appliances.” Now, almost every U.S. state and territory is offering appliance rebates through this program. Guam and the District of Columbia will be the last to start later this month. The rebates have been so popular in some places that 17 states’ programs have already closed because they ran out of funds. If you are in the market for a new appliance, you should check the status of your state’s program before funds run out. People can expect to receive between $50 and $250 in rebates towards the purchase of refrigerators, dishwashers, furnaces, air conditioners and other appliances. You won’t have to trade in your old appliance and there are even some states with special programs that will pick up your old appliances and give you money for them. Have you taken advantage of the “Cash for Appliances” program?

In September we told you about a new $300 million program that would offer rebates to buyers of energy-efficient appliances with the energy star label. At the time, states and territories, which were in charge of their own programs, were still in the planning stages. Some states and territories have started their appliance rebate programs. Last week people in both Minnesota and Iowa had trouble with websites and phone numbers the day the programs launched. Due to the popularity, both states had to end their programs after funds ran out. Many states will start them in March and April and each will have their own requirements for participation. For instance, the state of Virginia will have a mail-in program. To find out what’s going on with your state’s appliance program so you can beat the rush, you should visit this page . You’ll find a map where you can click on your state to see the status of your program. If you scroll down you’ll see a list of start dates and phone numbers for each state. What do you think of your state’s appliance rebate program?

The Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act of 2009 program has ended, but later this year a similar program for appliances will begin. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009