[Electronics-talk] Accessible Electric Ranges

Annely Rose annely53r at yahoo.com
Sat Jan 26 23:22:18 UTC 2013 

I have been following this line and would like to offer some information.  I contacted GE, 800-626-2000, and was told that their electric range models with dial temperature knobs can be made accessible.  The woman said that the oven temperture knob can be marked with rivets: 2 at 200, 3 at 300, 4 at 400, and 5 at 500.  A line is placed at the OFF setting.  She also said the newer microwave models with the digital panels have braille overlays available where you can peel off the corresponding braille label and place it on the display.  I tried to check out Whirlpool, but their customer service people aren't available on weekends.  Their number is 866-698-2538.  

I had a Whirlpool electric range 13 years ago and it had a flat digital panel for the oven.  I took some clear packing tape and had my son cut out pieces:  a large rectangular piece for BAKE, a skinny rectangular piece for the BROIL, and triangular pieces for the UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW.  Those markers lasted for the 5 years we lived in that house.   I didn't use the clock or the timer so I didn't mark them.  The rest of the appliances were also Whirlpool and I was fortunate to get braille overlays for the microwave, washer, and dryer.  I couldn't reach Whirlpool today, so I don't know if they still do this.

6 years ago I had bought a GE washer from Best Buy where you could feel the knotches at the beginning of the cycles and the rinse settings on the timer knob.  Of course, you had to know the cycles, but that was no problem.  I had read about this type of washer in the NFB Appliance Guide that was available then.  I still have that washer and won't part with it.
     
I guess there are so  many models of appliances on the market that you really have to do some research and go to your local stores to see what is available.  Home Depot and Lowe's also carry some bump dots that are used for furniture or cabinet protection that may be used on appliances, but you have to go and check them out.  Or, you can order them from the different aids/appliance catalogs.  They will have the smaller ones.  If you have a slate and stylus with an extra slot at either end of the second row, yu can make braille labels with Dymo tape.  That slot is used to hold the labeling tape.  Good luck.  It's not an easy task to find these appliances.

--- On Sat, 1/26/13, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:


From: Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Accessible Electric Ranges
To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances" <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Date: Saturday, January 26, 2013, 5:00 PM


I also agree you need tactile labels on appliances since they are flat 
screens. I live with family now but to operate the appliances we labeled 
them. I have the microwave and oven labeled with dimo tape. The dish washer
is labeled with clear dots of some sort since there is hardly room to label 
it.

Someone said labeling individual buttons is hard and the dimo tape falls 
off. I don't agree with that. I labeled individual buttons on the microwave 
and they stuck on for a long time; only just two years ago did a few fall 
off.
If the surface is clean and you press the labels on firmly, they should not 
fall off.

I guess I'm used to labeling since I've never seen a oven with tactile 
buttons.
However, every other appliance I've seen with a dial or buttons at some 
point.
I'm curious to know if there are ovens though with tactile buttons or dials. 
So this is a good discussion.

Ashley

-----Original Message----- 
From: Annette Carr
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2013 4:47 PM
To: 'Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances'
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Accessible Electric Ranges

I agree, these days you are going to have to put some type of accessible
labeling on your appliances.  I had to get sighted assistance to add braille
dymo tape labels to my dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, and oven
controls.  I have the Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer and have not needed to
label them.  There are however some buttons that I cannot remember what they
do, which is annoying.

If you do not read braille and you are not sharing your appliances with
sighted household members, I'm wondering if the PenFriend would be helpful.
You could apply a small round PenFriend label to each button on the "static"
flat panel control and record a message about that button.  Of course this
would require that you have your PenFriend handy, but I'm finding that I'm
using mine most often in the kitchen and might need to get a second one for
upstairs.  Just my 2 cents.

Annette

-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mary Donahue
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2013 12:55 PM
To: 'Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances'
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Accessible Electric Ranges

Hello Matt and everyone,

I agree. When we got our first microwave with a digital screen and
no dials, my parents were visiting so they helped me label it. When we moved
into this townhome, our oven with built-in microwave oven did not have
buttons, either. A daughter of one of the Lions Club members helped me label
the oven, among other things. We have a small microwave at the present time
that has no dials, and I plan to get someone to label it as soon as
possible. There is no way of avoiding putting on Braille labels these days.
Get used to it!
Mary Donahue

"Be well, do good work, and keep in touch."
Garrison Keillor


-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Peter Donahue
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2013 11:23 AM
To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Accessible Electric Ranges

Hello Matt and everyone,

    I'm going to ask Mary to come in on this discussion. Since she's on this
list she'll see this thread. We removed the trial and error aspect by having
a sighted person help us label the appliances. One problem solved. We try to
get our hands on appliances with traditional controls but realize that until
manufactures are required to make all appliances accessible and usable by
the blind labeling them with assistance is the best way to go.

    I seriously doubt that simply affixing a Braille label to a control area
on an appliance will void any warranty. It's not like you're trying to
dissect the thing. It's when you attempt to repair them yourself that you
run the risk of voiding a warranty. And if it happened report it to the
NFB's legal staff as such behavior by an appliance manufacturer would give
us additional ammunission to insist on the adoption of legislation to insure
that home appliances and electronics are 100% accessible too and usable by
the blind.

Peter Donahue


----- Original Message -----
From: "Matthew Chao" <mattchao at verizon.net>
To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances"
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2013 10:00 AM
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Accessible Electric Ranges


Yes, that's the problem - lots of time/trial and error in labeling.  And
sometimes, marking up a new item may void the warranty.  Ideas, anyone?
Have been researching this for over a week now with few decent
results.--Matthew Chao

At 10:37 AM 1/26/2013, you wrote:
>Good morning Matt and everyone,
>
>     Marking up the controls with lock dots and/or Braille labels will
>most likely be your only solution. We had the same issue with our
>microwave and range ovens. Placing Braille labels over the areas where
>the controls are was the only way we could make them usable by a blind
>person. We recently had a new microwave given to us and need to have it
>labeled. Here's hoping you can find a range that will work for you and
require minimal labeling.
>
>Peter Donahue
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Matthew Chao" <mattchao at verizon.net>
>To: <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2013 7:26 AM
>Subject: [Electronics-talk] Accessible Electric Ranges
>
>
>Hi, Folks.  I need to get a new stove for my house.  In looking around,
>I've had a tough time finding accessible stoves, primarily because the
>oven displays are of clear plastic with no textured labels or
>bubble-like membrane buttons.  Controls need to be in the front.  Read
>articles about accessible appliances at the AFB Web site, but still no
>luck.  Any ideas?  I'm not eager to mark up displays with those plastic
>dots or have to take a long time to do up Dymo tape labels.  Any help
>would be appreciated in finding an accessible stove.  Thanks in
>advance.--Matthew Chao
>
>.
>
>
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