Clark bought a scratch and dent dryer when his old one broke recently. Lane, his wife, thought it was a crazy move, but she is used to that with Clark. He is pretty much always willing to accept lower quality for a lower price. And, this product was no exception. It was on sale because it had been damaged in a move and couldn’t be sold in a traditional appliance store. But it has been great. In fact, Lane told Clark it is the best dryer they’ve owned. Too bad appliances are such image purchases. Consumer Reports magazine showcases the best refrigerators in this month’s issue. The company did extensive research into which appliances are the best. People tend to think the brand “Subzero” is the best because it’s the most expensive at about $6,500. But, according to CR, it’s one of the lowest quality refrigerators on the market. What about in terms of repair? Well, the top models are Whirlpool and Kitchenaid. Between 5 and 7 percent need a repair over a five-year period, whereas about a quarter of Subzero brands will need a repair over five years. Also, GE got some Consumer Reports “Best Buy” tags. One side-by-side model was $1100. Whirlpool models are listed at about $950. Clark got one recently for about $850. So there is no need to buy an expensive brand to impress your friends and family with a name that is actually pretty worthless.