[Electronics-talk] accessible dishwasher, refrigerator, and washer and dryer

[Drew Hunthausen]

My parents purchased a Kenmore refrigerater about 4 years ago that has a
separate ice and water dispenser. The ice has two small buttons above it,
one for crushed and one for cubed. I'll try to get the info for you
tomorrow.


-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Dave Bahr
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 7:22 PM
To: electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Electronics-talk] accessible dishwasher, refrigerator, and washer
and dryer

Hi there,

I was recommended to this list by the folks over at cooking in the dark. 
I was wondering if I could get some suggestions for a relatively accessible
dishwasher and refrigerator. My fiancé and I are moving into a condo and we
need to inform the design center about what accommodations we might need.I
am totally blind for the record.

Regarding the dishwasher, I have done my research and found the American
Foundation for the Blind articles but they are from 2007. They recommended
Whirlpool and Kenmore brands but did not provide model numbers because they
change so frequently. We need a built-in dishwasher rather than one that is
top-down. I don't need to access that many settings but it would be nice to
be able to control the temperature or the cycle. I know that you can put
markings on the front panel or braille them, but it would be nice to have
some built-in (in air quotes) accessible features. I have attempted to
braille my dishwasher at my parents place but because the front panel gets
hot when doing a dry cycle, the braille from the dymo labeler ended up
falling off. The folks over at abledata.com recommended a few brands that
have a strip of some sort of tactile markings that one can feel. This is,
admittedly, a rather vague description but does anybody have something like
this?

Regarding the refrigerator, there is not much to it but I would rather not
have one that has a digital screen above the ice and water filter controls.
We need a side-by-side refrigerator as my fiancé is in a wheelchair and
cannot use either a lower or upper freezer. I would rather not have one with
one single button where one has to change from ice to water, but if you do
have one or know of one that is accessible with a single button, I am
flexible and open to any suggestions you may have.

Re: washers and dryers, we have a GE model which is somewhat accessible
because the knobs click and have an arrow on them. The complex that we are
buying the condo in recommended the Whirlpool duet but the reviews on Amazon
basically said that there washer and dryer is trash. I'm wondering if
anybody has any suggestions for a more accessible model? I know the
Whirlpool was favored in the 2007 AFB article for using tones as a means of
recognition and accessibility. But if the washer and dryer isn't worth the
money, the accessibility makes no difference.

Regarding price, I'll pay whatever it takes to have something that is
somehow blind friendly.

any suggestions are appreciated,
thanks, Dave

_______________________________________________
Electronics-talk mailing list
Electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Electronics-talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/electronics-talk_nfbnet.org/dhunthausen%40
gmail.com

-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 10.0.1430 / Virus Database: 2641/5708 - Release Date: 03/27/13