[Electronics-Talk] Accessible Washing Machines

Sun Jan 8 16:33:01 UTC 2023

Hi.

For our samsung, it has an autoclean cycle that runs water as hot as it 
can get it on an empty run with no clothes in it that will clean it, but 
we've never used it. You leave the door open to avoid the mold build up, 
and that also helps protect the seal. Our seal still looks brand new 
after 7 years, hasn't dripped a single drop that we know about and our 
clothes feel super clean. I'd probably have to say that front loaders 
are actually cleaner than top loaders but I'd mostly just be referring 
to how detergents congeal around the top of the drum on a top loader and 
becomes a pain in the butt to clean, whereas our front loader model 
feels super clean and shiny like a new car all over inside the drum. I 
can't account for what it feels like outside of the drum area though. I 
know if I stick my head in there I don't smell anything. That's the 
concern probably is the part that doesn't have the clothes rubbing 
against could grow the mold and such as it doesn't get whiped down, but 
top loaders have that also.

I guess another favor for the front loaders is they usually can spin 
faster than top loaders so your clothes end up more dry and your driar 
doesn't run as long.

Btw, our situation is ideal for leaving the door open, it doesn't block 
us from going through there, since the washer is against the wall 
anyway. If one's situation is not like that I could imagine it being a 
problem. But we always leave our door wide open. Also some front loaders 
have lights, which ours doesn't, but I'm thinking that if it wasn't 
possible to disable the light or if it didn't have like a 5 minute 
timer, one wouldn't like the idea of having it burning all the time.

Cheers:
Aaron Spears, AKA Valiant8086 General Partner at Valiant Galaxy Associates "we make (VERY GOOD AUDIOGAMES) for the blind comunity" http://valiantGalaxy.com

On 1/8/2023 5:32 AM, Donald Moore via Electronics-Talk wrote:
> True on both counts.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Electronics-Talk <electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of
> Andy Baracco via Electronics-Talk
> Sent: Sunday, January 8, 2023 12:45 AM
> To: Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances
> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Andy Baracco <wq6r at socal.rr.com>
> Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] Accessible Washing Machines
>
> I was always told that top loaders clean better, and that if you use a front
> loader there is some kind of chemical that you need to run through to keep
> mold from developing.
>
> Andy
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Annette Carr via Electronics-Talk" <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> To: "'Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances'"
> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: <amcarr1 at verizon.net>
> Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2023 5:38 PM
> 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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