Hi Clive
they may go down the Bosch and seamen’s route and make an app that will be
accessible.
From: Clive Lever
Sent: Tuesday, April 4, 2017 3:04 PM
To: 'BCAB Discussion List' ; access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ;
vi-genaccess@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Off-topic: Accessible washing machines
Hi all,
I saw a theread on one of these lists from someone who said they were
struggling to find washing machines they could easily use with out site. I
think the problem was that the person came away believing that the only washing
machines they could get which didn’t rely on touch screens to operate them
would cost twice the price of the standard, inaccessible machines.
I don’t know whether that message came from this list, Access-uk or
vi-gen-access, so I’m cross posting to all three.
The washing machine we bought about two or three years ago was the Hotpoint
Aquarius WDL750. It’s a seven-pound loading washer-dryer, but is no longer
available. It was good because each dial came in the form of a round base with
a horizontal bar. At one end of the bar there is an arrow, enabling the user to
point it to a clock-face position. In addition, it indicated what was happening
with a system of beeps. So if you try to start the machine without closing the
door, you’ll hear for short beeps followed by a long one. You won’t hear the
longer beep if the door is shut and the machine will start successfully…and so
on.
I spoke to the Indocet customer Services team this morning, and they tell me
that they still sell machines with similar features to the discontinued WDL750.
They can also still adapt their non-touch-screen dependent machines with
braille markings. Note that Hotpoint and Indocet have now been merged to form
part of the larger company known as Whirlpool. So, if you are thinking of
buying a washing-machine and need to use it without sighted assistance, it’s
worth ringing their customer services helpline on 08000-921922, and asking them
about models that can be adapted with braille, or machines which allow you to
operate them without needing to tap on silent touch screens. I have also been
advised to write to the Whirlpool marketing team to remind them that they may
need to consider how not to break accessibility, should the trend move towards
touch screen operated washing machines now and in the future. This I shall do
as soon as I’ve hit the send button on this message and seen the responses from
the lists.
Best,
Clive
