Clark is a big fan of energy star products because they are very efficient and they will save you a ton of money over time. But you completely blow any chance of making money back on these products if you buy the fancy, fashionable model. Christa recently bought a fancy washing machine that has a folding table attached, and she paid an extra $600 for it. Clark balked at this and told her the standard model is just fine. Apparently Consumer Reports agrees. The “best buys” for washers, refrigerators and freezers cost about half of the most expensive brands. Going back 30 years, turquoise appliances were in. Do you remember that? Today, we spend that extra money on appliances with expensive metals and computer graphics. Instead of going fancy, just buy what’s affordable and practical.