The federal government has set aside $300 million for the program as part of the economic stimulus plan.

There's no trade-in required in most states, as was the case in the "cash for clunkers" car deal. Instead, rebate checks will be issued to you that can be used to cover everything from refrigerators and dishwashers to furnaces and air conditioners.

The Department of Energy hopes to encourage energy conservation by getting consumers to replace old, wasteful appliances with new, more efficient Energy Star certified machines. The appliance industry, reeling from the recession and a drop in sales, also hopes the rebates will provide a much-needed sales boost.

In 2008, about 55 percent of new appliances sold met the requirements for an Energy Star label. The cash-for-clunker- refrigerators plan will be in addition to incentive programs already run by many states, though there's no telling if the federal money will get people to buy new appliances instead of fixing their old ones when money is tight.