[Electronics-Talk] Accessible Washing Machines

Sherry Gomes sherry.gomes at outlook.com
Sun Jan 8 14:56:12 UTC 2023 

I used to be able to put a California King comforter or lighter weight quilt in my front loader. I really miss it. But I also felt exceedingly dependent, because when it got in a mode I couldn't fix by turning off the machine and turning it on again, I had to ask my sister or neighbor to come over and help. I've been using washing machines since I was a little girl and it was frustrating. sure, these top loaders are not my favorite style, now I've had a front loader, and I have to use a reacher to get stuff out of it, at least the settings don't randomly change if I walk past them while they are in use. And no, I never purposely brushed my hands or anything over the display. Lol.



-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-Talk <electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Kay Malmquist via Electronics-Talk
Sent: Sunday, January 8, 2023 6:48 AM
To: mattchao at verizon.net; Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Kay Malmquist <kay.malmquist at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] Accessible Washing Machines

That is one of the nice things that people like about front loaders.  They have a higher capacity of clothes that can be put in them.  The pair we have can hold up to 20 pairs of blue jeans.  We can easily put a queen size comforter in these.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Matthew Chao via Electronics-Talk" <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
To: "Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances" 
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Matthew Chao" <mattchao at verizon.net>
Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2023 7:42 AM
Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] Accessible Washing Machines


Also, front loaders have more of a tendency to develop leaky seals around the door, and they also tend to have a smaller capacity than their top-loading counterparts.  When I bought my house, it came with stackable front-loading washer/dryer combo.  Just my thoughts.--Matthew Chao



On 1/7/2023 10:37 PM, Pamela Dominguez via Electronics-Talk wrote:
> I have not known that to be the case. More of my clothes have gotten 
> destroyed using the front loaders we have in this building. Also, I 
> don't like the way clothes come back out at you when you are trying to 
> put them in. I am much more used to top-loaders. Pam.
>
> Sent from Mail <https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for 
> Windows
>
> *From: *Annette Carr via Electronics-Talk 
> <mailto:electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> *Sent: *Saturday, January 7, 2023 8:41 PM
> *To: *Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances 
> <mailto:electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> *Cc: *amcarr1 at verizon.net <mailto:amcarr1 at verizon.net>
> *Subject: *Re: [Electronics-Talk] Accessible Washing Machines
>
> I too will do everything I can to be able to use a front load washer. 
> They
>
> are easier to get things in and out, they use less water, they are 
> gentle on
>
> the items being washed, and they clean better than the top loader.
>
> Annette
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> From: Electronics-Talk <electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf 
> Of
>
> Aaron Spears via Electronics-Talk
>
> Sent: Saturday, January 7, 2023 6:44 PM
>
> To: Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances
>
> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>
> Cc: Aaron Spears <valiant8086 at gmail.com>
>
> Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] Accessible Washing Machines
>
> Hi.
>
> I love front loaders for a variety of reasons. I'm trying to make a 
> rule
>
> here at the house that we'll never get another one that isn't a front
>
> loader, but that's just us. I think they clean better, they use less 
> water,
>
> they may last better, at least the one we have now is older than we 
> managed
>
> to get the previous 3 sets to go.
>
> Cheers:
>
> Aaron Spears, AKA Valiant8086 General Partner at Valiant Galaxy 
> Associates
>
> "we make (VERY GOOD AUDIOGAMES) for the blind comunity"
>
> http://valiantGalaxy.com
>
> On 1/7/2023 4:15 PM, Sherry Gomes via Electronics-Talk wrote:
>
>  > I just replaced my LG washer and dryer with traditional buttons and 
> knobs
>
> washer/dryer by whirlpool. I got them at Lowe's. I had really liked my
>
> friend's LG set, and had used it for two months while waiting to move 
> into
>
> my new house. but on my set, the digital display was so sensitive that 
> I
>
> swear breathing too hard near it changed thing. walking by and a 
> sleeve
>
> touching it, a dog's wagging tail. I loved them because I had wanted a 
> front
>
> loader for years. I can't reach the bottom of top loaders. But I broke 
> down
>
> and got these whirlpools and I'm reasonably happy with them. My sister
>
> helped me put some locator dots on them, and they are 100 percent
>
> accessible.
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  > -----Original Message-----
>
>  > From: Electronics-Talk <electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On 
> Behalf
>
>  > Of Annette Carr via Electronics-Talk
>
>  > Sent: Saturday, January 7, 2023 1:08 PM
>
>  > To: 'Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances'
>
>  > <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>
>  > Cc: amcarr1 at verizon.net
>
>  > Subject: [Electronics-Talk] Accessible Washing Machines
>
>  >
>
>  > As you can probably guess from the subject line, we are in the 
> market for
>
> a new washer. Saw 4 potential options at Lowes, so was wondering if 
> anyone
>
> has experience with any of them. I am pleased to report that the sales
>
> person went and got an extension cord and plugged in the machines we 
> wanted
>
> to look at.
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  > Here are the models with notes about what I was able to observe.
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  > LG washer model WM4200HBA
>
>  >
>
>  > And
>
>  >
>
>  > LG washer model WM4000HBA
>
>  >
>
>  > * Has a stand-a-lone physical power button. I think it also had a
>
>  > stand-a-lone physical button for starting.
>
>  > * The cycle selector has defined clicks that you could easily feel 
> as
>
>  > you turned the knob, along with an audible tone.
>
>  > * However, the knob did not have an indicator/pointer, and a 
> complete
>
>  > revolution of the knob did not return you to where you started from.
>
>  > * When you turn the machine off and then turn it back on, you are 
> back
>
>  > at the "Normal" cycle and its default settings. You could keep a 
> braille
>
> list of the cycles in the order of their position around the knob, and 
> just
>
> count the clicks/beeps.
>
>  > * There is a touch screen with buttons along the sides and bottom.
>
>  > There is a very thin seem around the outer edge of the touch screen.
>
>  > * If you drag your finger across the buttons on the touch screen or
>
>  > accidentally touch one of the buttons, it will be activated.
>
>  > * There is some room around the outside of the touch panel to place
>
>  > abbreviated braille labels or at least an indicator dot so that you 
> could
>
> get lined up with the button.
>
>  > * When you touch the touch screen, there is a beep. There are only 
> 2
>
>  > different sounds. One indicates that something changed, and the 
> other
>
> indicates that there was no change. The beeps do not tell you if you 
> have
>
> cycled through all of the choices, so you do not know how many options 
> there
>
> are. Whether a feature is available and the number of options for it, 
> is
>
> different for each cycle. For my current washer that just bit the dust 
> I
>
> had a document on my computer that outlined each of the cycles, the
>
> available features and their options. I had always planned on 
> brailling it
>
> up, or finding someone to do it for me, and never did.
>
>  > * Although we did not test the dryer, it looks like the controls 
> are
>
>  > set up like the washer.
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  > GE washer model GFW550SSN2WW
>
>  >
>
>  > * The Power and Start Button are combined on a small touch pad, but 
> it
>
>  > is easy to use it. The Power is at the top edge, and the start is 
> on the
>
> bottom edge. I can't remember if they required pressure to activate, I
>
> think it was just a touch.
>
>  > * The cycle selector knob clicked and had beeps, along with a 
> pointer.
>
>  > You could add braille labels and this would be pretty accessible.
>
>  > * There is a touch screen to change the settings for the cycles.
>
>  > * There are buttons on the sides and bottom of the touch screen.
>
>  > * There are thin lines between the buttons, but if you drag your
>
>  > finger from button to button you will be activating each button you 
> touch.
>
>  > * There is some room around the outside of the touch screen where 
> you
>
>  > could place tactile indicators or abbreviated braille labels.
>
>  > * You will need a cheat-sheet of some type to know which features 
> are
>
>  > available in each cycle, and what the available options are for 
> each
>
> feature.
>
>  > * There were audible beeps, but they were hard to hear in the 
> store.
>
>  > It was not apparent if there is a volume control.
>
>  > * Although we did not test the dryer, it looks like the controls 
> are
>
>  > set up like the washer.
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  > Samsung washer model WF45B6300AC
>
>  >
>
>  > * There is a touch screen to control everything accept select the
>
>  > cycles.
>
>  > * The buttons are on the sides and bottom of the touch screen, but
>
>  > there is some braille and tactile indicator dots. Yes, actual 
> braille and
>
> tactile marks. The sales person was as shocked as we were.
>
>  > * The Power button is on the top-right corner and there is a 
> braille
>
>  > "P" off the right edge of the touch screen.
>
>  > * Below the Power button is the start button and there is a braille
>
>  > "S" off the right edge of the touch screen.
>
>  > * All other buttons along the left and bottom have a single dot to
>
>  > indicate where they are. You would have to add your own braille labels.
>
>  > * If you drag your fingers across the touch screen, you will be
>
>  > activating the buttons.
>
>  > * There are beeps for every time you touch the touch screen.
>
>  > * If a feature being activated on the touch screen has multiple
>
>  > options, the pitch will change for each press of the button, and 
> when you
>
> get back to the top of the list the tone starts from the first pitch. 
> This
>
> helps you know how many options there are for that feature, within 
> that
>
> cycle. This is how the beeps worked on my now non-working Whirlpool Duet.
>
>  > * The cycle selector knob does click and does beep as you turn it. 
> It
>
>  > does not have an indicator/pointer and one revolution is not equal 
> to
>
> navigating through all of the cycle options. Did not test to see if 
> when
>
> you turn the machine off if it goes back to the default settings.
>
>  > * Although we did not test the dryer, it looks like the controls 
> are
>
>  > set up like the washer.
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  > These were not the actual models we were looking for, but they are 
> what
>
> Lowes has. We are going to do a bit more research and I will let you 
> know
>
> what I learn. If anyone has any additional information about these 
> models,
>
> good or bad, I would love it if you would share. Of course, any
>
> recommendations for a washer you found to be accessible is welcome.
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  > Thanks,
>
>  >
>
>  > Annette
>
>  >
>
>  > hear
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  > Annette Carr
>
>  >
>
>  > Let me make you sparkle!
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  > Independent Consultant
>
>  >
>
>  > ~Touchstone Crystal by Swarovski~
>
>  >
>
>  > <mailto:amcarr1 at verizon.net> amcarr1 at verizon.net
>
>  >
>
>  > 703-915-2837 (call or text)
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  > View the online catalog and see all that TouchStone Crystal by 
> Swarovski
>
> has to offer!
>
>  >
>
>  > <https://sites.touchstonecrystal.com/sites/annettecarr>
>
>  > https://sites.touchstonecrystal.com/sites/annettecarr
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  >
>
>  > _______________________________________________
>
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>
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