[Electronics-Talk] Accessible Washing Machines

Wed Jan 18 20:52:43 UTC 2023

Wow, my old Maytag front loader's boot looks like new.  No cracks or scrapes.  It may be faded in color though.  I suppose it depends on how and where the boot is on a front loader.  Mine is certainly accessible on the one side which faces into the washer.  

That's a good observation though.

If you wouldn't mind sharing the brand, I would probably avoid it.

-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-Talk <electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Star Gazer via Electronics-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2023 12:50 PM
To: 'Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances' <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Star Gazer <pickrellrebecca at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] Accessible Washing Machines

                                                Zippers seemed to destroy what they call the boot seal on our front loader. 

I also like the deep water feature on our top loader, some of my kids clothes get so dirty that the deep water wash (we call it goat mode because it’s the one we use when we’re done playing with the goats at my parents house) is the only thing that will get the clothes clean. I wasn’t able to get our front loader to wash that way and with the top loader, no boot seal to worry about. 

From: Electronics-Talk <electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Pamela Dominguez via Electronics-Talk
Sent: Saturday, January 7, 2023 10:38 PM
To: Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Pamela Dominguez <pammygirl99 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] Accessible Washing Machines

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 <mailto: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 <mailto:electronics-talk at nfbnet.org> >

Cc: Aaron Spears <valiant8086 at gmail.com <mailto: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 <mailto: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 <mailto:electronics-talk at nfbnet.org> >

> Cc: amcarr1 at verizon.net <mailto: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 <mailto: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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