[Nfbf-l] article on accessible appliances
Sherrill O'Brien
sherrill.obrien at verizon.net
Fri Jul 24 17:23:27 UTC 2009
Hello all,
The following article is from Access World, the newsletter of the American
Foundation for the Blind. It contains some good news, and helpful
information.
Sherrill
Access World July 2009 Issue Volume 10 Number 4
Access Issues
Good News on the Home Front: An Update on the Accessibility of
Appliances
Bradley Hodges
Reading the newspaper and listening to the radio in these
difficult
economic times have convinced me that there is an index to
measure
almost every imaginable business trend and consumer behavior.
Whether it is housing starts, existing home sales, consumer
confidence, or anything else to be measured, surveyed, or
analyzed,
there is a regular report to be found. Despite the vastly
different
things under consideration, one thing appears to be common for
all:
Most of the indices appear to be trending down.
At the risk of appearing unimaginative or stooping to a "me-too"
approach, I would like to suggest a new index. This one is far
less
scientific than many. It is not associated with an
internationally
recognized school of economics or likely to reach the business
section of the Wall Street Journal or the International Herald
Tribune. However, for those of us who are affected by this
index,
the results of what it measures are of real significance.
Here, I introduce the Appliance Accessibility Index, or AAI, AFB
TECH's own measure of one small, but important, trend in the
lives
of many of us who are blind or have low vision. This index takes
into account the general state of the accessibility of major
home
appliances that most of us are likely to encounter when we rent
apartments, purchase houses, remodel kitchens, or have any of
countless reasons to shop the aisles of an appliance store or
big-box emporium.
We have been covering the accessibility of appliances at
AccessWorld
for some years now. To measure trends on the AAI, we need to
look
back just a bit. The trend from our first article to our last
was
generally downward on the AAI. Stoves were a particularly
worrisome
component of the consideration, since almost all accessible oven
controls vanished in 2008.
Since the last article, we have visited the big-box retailers
and
smaller appliance outlets again. And after looking at the
controls,
pressing the buttons, and turning the knobs, we can report some
good
news. We are pleased to let you know that more appliances are
accessible now than they were in the past several months and
last
year. Yes, despite much bad news, we are pleased to report that
the
AAI is trending up.
Here are the specific areas in which we have encountered new and
enhanced accessibility.
Whirlpool Stoves
Whirlpool has been one of those companies that keeps faith with
customers who are blind or have low vision. From time to time,
models are introduced that do not do such a good job of
providing
usable nonvisual accessibility. This was the case with stoves
from
Whirlpool in summer and fall 2008. We are pleased to report
that,
once again, both gas and electric stoves, in both the
inexpensive
and more deluxe categories, offer tactilely identifiable
controls
for the oven and timer operations of the ranges.
In the less expensive line, models whose model numbers begin
with WF
all appear to share a textured background with smooth
quarter-size
regions to press for control functions. Ovens turn on at 350
degrees, and the temperature is adjusted in 5-degree steps as
you
press the arrow-shaped Up and Down controls.
Models whose model numbers begin with GF are more deluxe ranges.
A
smooth control surface features smaller but discernable textured
controls. Again, the oven-setting behavior is the same as with
Whirlpool stoves.
In both cases, we recommend that you confirm the behavior of the
model you are considering in the store before you purchase it.
We
suggest that you do so by connecting a gas model of a range with
the
kind of controls you are considering. This is easy to do, since
the
controls need only a conventional electric outlet to be
connected.
Electric ranges, in our experience, have the same controls as
their
gas counterparts.
With the renewed accessibility of these stove controls,
Whirlpool
returns to its unique position as the only manufacturer that
provides good or excellent nonvisual accessibility across all
categories of major appliances. When combined with broad
availability, we believe that Whirlpool should be the
first-choice
brand in matters of nonvisual and low vision accessibility.
Maytag Bravas Washers and Dryers
More than a year ago, the accessibility of the laundry room
increased when Whirlpool introduced Duet front-loading washers
and
dryers that include a system of different tones to indicate
cycles
and other selections. We are pleased to report that Maytag has
also
introduced the same, or a remarkably similar, system in its
top-loading Bravas washing machines and dryers. The controls of
the
Maytag models are also satisfactory. A large main control knob
clicks nicely into position for selecting cycles and features an
easy-to-feel pointer. Obvious rectangular selection buttons
complete
the control panel. These buttons are not only easy to feel, but
may
offer a convenient surface on which to attach braille or
large-print
labels.
As with the Whirlpool Duet models, the controls for the Maytag
Bravas dryers mirror those of their washing-machine mates. With
the
introduction of these Maytag models, both front loading and top
loading, accessible, energy-efficient washing machines and
clothes
dryers are available.
Window Air Conditioners
If my experience is an example, purchasing a window air
conditioner
can be a hasty event. Prompted by a midsummer heat wave and the
failure of an old unit, a quick shout to a friend resulted in a
drive to the closest big-box store to pick up a replacement in
time
to get it back home and in the window before bedtime. With a bit
of
advanced planning, some accessible and usable window air
conditioners can be found.
If you haven't looked at the current crop of window units, you
will
note that, as with most other appliance controls, electronic
controls have replaced the sliders and knobs of yesterday's air
conditioners. Happily, many of these electronic controls are
easy to
use and offer predictable behavior. First, it is important to
understand that even some basic 5,000 BTU units offer a true
thermostat control. As with oven controls, pressing the Up and
Down
buttons will move the temperature by one-degree increments.
With this knowledge in mind, you may want to investigate models
from
Sears Kenmore and GE, although other brands offer similar
controls.
Look for controls on the unit that you can feel or easily mark
with
braille or some other tactile marking. Check with the sales
associate that the temperature selection is changing up and down
in
a way that is predictable. Some controls may click or provide
another kind of indication that you are moving the temperature
selection. Also, find out if the temperature can be reset. If no
Reset control is included, experiment with a display unit by
unplugging it, leaving it disconnected for several moments, and
then
reconnecting it to the wall outlet. In many models, the
temperature
will reset to a predictable temperature each time the unit is
disconnected from power. This feature is important for those
instances when you lose track setting the temperature and want
to
return to a known value to start over.
Remote controls are also common. In some models, an easy-to-feel
Up
and Down arrow clearly indicates the direction of temperature
adjustments. Each press of the remote will be confirmed with a
beep
or other tone from the air conditioner. Again, this behavior is
not
universal, but our research and consultation with knowledgeable
sales associates give us confidence that these kinds of controls
can
be found on a variety of brands at the major retail outlets.
Accessibility Remains Available
Over the past several articles, and in our AccessWorld Appliance
Accessibility Guide, [
www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=4&TopicID=380 we have
identified a
number of washing machines and dryers, wall ovens, dishwashers,
and
over-the-stove microwaves that offer especially useful controls.
We
were pleased to observe that all these controls remain in
production
on currently available appliances. There is always a chance that
a
brand and model that you are especially interested in may be
discontinued. If you are planning to purchase an appliance, it
is
advisable to confirm the availability of your choice at the time
you
intend to buy it.
Despite the generally slow economic situation, at least as
measured
by all the surveys and indexes that we have read and heard
about,
the accessibility of appliances has increased.
If you would like to comment on this article, e-mail us at
accessworld at afb.net.
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