In years past, AccessWorld has covered extensively the accessibility of home appliances. With the rapid advance of technology, it is time to once again explore home appliance accessibility. This article surveys some of the most common large appliances and provides an overview of the current state of accessibility. For this article, we reviewed the washers and dryers, oven/range/cooktop combinations, dishwashers, and microwaves on offer at local big-box stores. . This article contains reviews of select appliances from three different price points and from varying manufacturers. The controls of each device are described and the accessibility of each control scheme is noted.

Please note that the prices quoted here were those found in-store during our review and may have changed since publication.

Washers and Dryers

Washers and dryers display a range of control types and the accessibility of any given device hinges on small details. The first washer we will discuss is the Samsung 5.6 Cu. Ft. 15-Cycle High-Efficiency Steam Front-Loading Washer. This device uses a digital control knob and touch controls for interacting with the machine. The knobs turn continuously, which means they do not have a set start or end. A tone plays every time the dial is turned and a light indicates the selected option. There is no tactile indication of where the knob is currently pointed, making it difficult for someone who is blind to discern the current position. The selected option does reset to the same setting every time the washer turns on, so it is possible, though difficult, to count the number of tones to the left or right of the default position to select a desired option. Someone with low vision may be able to see the light (though the text may be unreadable) and use memorization to follow the position of the knob. A tone sounds when a touch control is activated. There were short grooves between each touch control, but these don't extend to the edge of the raised portion containing the controls, so there is no way of determining by touch what control you are about to activate without actually activating it. The accessibility of the touch controls could be improved by the addition of tactile markers to the position just before the control itself so that you can identify each control without touching it directly. The Start and Stop buttons were, thankfully, actual buttons that can be located by touch and that provide feedback when activated. This washer is normally in the mid to high price range at $1,399; it had been reduced to $999 at the time of our review.

The next device is the Samsung 7.4 Cu. Ft. 11-Cycle Steam Electric Dryer. This device is similar to the previous washer in that it contains a digital knob with no tactile markings to alert a user who can't see the indicator LEDs to the current selection. Instead of touch controls, however, this dryer is equipped with pressable tactile buttons. At $599, this device is in the mid to low price range, which follows a trend that we noticed where lower priced appliances are more likely to be accessible. This device was paired with an accompanying washer, the Samsung Activewash 4.8 Cu. Ft. 11-Cycle High-Efficiency Top-Loading Washer (also $599), that possessed very similar controls altered to conform to the options of a washer instead of a dryer.

The next set of devices is a budget washer and dryer set. The Whirlpool Cabrio 4.3 Cu. Ft. 12-Cycle High-Efficiency Top-Loading Washer ($474) is fantastically accessible for a mainstream appliance. A single button starts the washing cycle. On either side of the front panel are dials that have a start and end point and also include a raised tactile arrow that indicates where the dial is pointing. In the center is a knob that spins continuously, but that also has a raised arrow on it. If a user memorizes the position of each option, he or she can use the washer without problem. The accompanying dryer is the Whirlpool Cabrio 7.0 Cu. Ft. 13-Cycle Electric Dryer ($474). The controls on this dryer appear identical to those of the washer, aside from the fact that instead of a Start button, the center knob depresses and serves as the Start button.

Ovens and Ranges/Cooktops

All of the oven and cooktop/range devices we reviewed had nearly identical controls. The first device we'll discuss is the Frigidaire 30″ Self-Cleaning Freestanding Electric Range ($504). This device has the controls in the back of the burners as is customary for cooktops. There are four dials, two on each side of the oven control that control the temperature of the burners. The user presses the knob and turns it to set the temperature. The dials have slight indentions that indicate where the dial is pointing. The burners themselves are part of a solid piece of ceramic that does not offer differentiation between the surface and the burner, which may make it difficult to find the burners. The oven controls appear as a flat, featureless control pad with non-tactile buttons similar to a microwave.

The mid-range oven/range combo we surveyed was the Whirlpool 30″ Self-Cleaning Slide-In Electric Convection Range ($1,200). The control scheme on this oven/range is nearly identical to the Frigidaire's discussed above. The controls are located on the front of the appliance and the tactile markings on the dials for the cooking elements are at the bottoms of the dials instead of on their tops. Otherwise, this control appears the same with the same featureless flat panel control pad for the oven.

The high-end Samsung 30" Self-Cleaning Freestanding Dual Door Electric Convection Range ($1,500) is very similar to the other two reviewed here, though its steel dials slightly taper towards the indicating ends. Otherwise the controls appear identical to the other models we surveyed. Overall, these ovens are all similarly accessible. The cooktops we looked at were all ceramic/glass without differentiation for cooking elements. The temperature controls for cooking elements were accessible but the oven controls would require the addition of tactile markers to be accessible.

Tips for Selecting and Using Glass Cooktops

More and more kitchens have glass cooktops rather than traditional coil or gas burners today, and if you have low or no vision, you may think that using a glass cooktop is difficult, if not impossible. Not necessarily. If you are shopping for a cooktop, you can look for features that make a glass cooktop more usable than you might think. If you are stuck with what you have, and the following features aren't present, don't despair, there are a few tips below that will help you persevere.

Look or feel for changes in texture on the glass surface. Some models have textured burners and others have textured negative space and smooth burners. Texture can help you to place the pot before the burner is turned on. If you bump or lift the pan after the burner is hot, you can lift the edge of the pan nearest the handle and slide the pan slowly back and forth to feel or listen for the texture when the pan slides on an off the textured surface. There's no need to lift the handle more than a half-inch, so you shouldn't spill. Try this technique when the pan is empty and the cooktop is cool to get accustomed to what you will hear and feel.

Some manufacturers outline the burners with an accent color. If you have some remaining vision, experiment at the store to determine whether you can see the contrast of these markings best when the glass is light, white, or almond, or if they are more visible when the glass is black and the accent is white. You may want to choose an option that combines both of these features to insure you will be able to use your cooktop if your vision diminishes over time.

Controls are also an important consideration when choosing a new appliance of any kind. Cooktops tend to have flush digital touch controls or knobs that turn. Check for tactile indicators on the knobs to make it easier to set the burner. Pay attention to the placement of the knobs as well. If they are arranged in a line along one side of the cooktop, it is harder to know for sure which knob controls which burner. Those arranged in a square pattern make it intuitive that the top right knob controls the top right burner. It is also important that controls are located at the front of the cooktop so that you do not have to reach across hot burners. Heat resistant tactile bumps are available to mark flush digital controls. It is important that the surface be cleaned with alcohol for the dots to stick well, but even then, they will very likely need to be replaced from time to time.

So, if you have a glass cooktop with no texture and no contrast rings, what can you do to place your saucepan in the right spot? First, contact the manufacturer and ask if it makes an overlay to help people who are blind to use the model you have. Keep asking until you feel you have exhausted the knowledge of anyone associated with accessibility at the manufacturer. Second, get someone sighted to help you know which size burner is in each of the four corners of your cooktop. While it is cool, ask them to place pots of the right size on each burner so you can feel the space available around each. If you need to, make a small model so you can remember which are the small burners and which are the large, get your art supplies out and make one that can be placed on the inside of a nearby cabinet door. It's necessary to use the right size pan to be able to use the next technique.

While the stove is cool, place a pan that will cover the entire burner already filled with what you want to cook in the spot where you think the burner is located. Turn the burner on high and hold both hands well above the pot so you can feel the heat coming from the burner. To avoid the risk of burning your hands, you may want to start out with your hands at shoulder level and move your hands slowly down toward the source of the heat. Spread your fingers wide and, with your palms facing down, move your hands above the pan to see if there is more heat on one side or if the heat rising up is fairly even. Adjust the pan until the heat feels about the same all the way around the circumference of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook your food as desired. If you have some residual vision, you may be able to see the orange glow of the burner once it is turned on high, but be careful not to look too closely as you may singe or burn yourself. Never cook on high, only use high to intensify the heat to make it easier to feel or see for a short time. Glass cooktops may not be the easiest to use for someone who is blind or has low vision, but they can be mastered. Practice is the key to success.

Dishwashers

Unlike stoves, ovens, washers and dryers, the dishwashers we reviewed sported a wide range of control schemes.

The first dishwasher we'll discuss is the LG SteamDishwasher 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher with Stainless Steel Tub ($989). Without modification this dishwasher is not accessible—the touc controls do not have non-visual identifying information. Unlike some touch button control panels, where the indentations for each button can be felt beneath the panel's membrane, the controls on this dishwasher appeared as a solid piece of hard plastic. This dishwasher could be made partially accessible with the addition of tactile overlays for the featureless buttons.

The LG 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher is slightly more accessible ($720). This dishwasher includes a series of tactile button controls; note that on the website, this model number of dishwasher is listed as having "Hidden Smooth Touch Controls" so it is important to check the model in person to make sure that it is the correct version.

The Bosch Ascenta 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher with Stainless-Steel Tub ($539) has analog tactile buttons, meaning each key corresponds to a single function. When keys are pressed, LEDs light to tell the user that the function is active.

The Bosch Ascenta 24″ Front Control Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher with Stainless-Steel Tub ($449) is less accessible than the more expensive one mentioned above. It has tactile buttons, however these buttons are arrow keys that cycle an LED through options.

Microwaves

For this review, we are focusing on mainstream microwaves, thus talking microwaves such as the Cook Magic or Magic Chef will not be included in this article. Most of the microwaves we reviewed are very similar, with a physical keypad that lacks tactile features because the keys are behind a membrane. Most microwaves we surveyed held to this standard, but there were two that used different control schemes.

The first and lowest priced microwave followed the common control scheme. This microwave is the Sunbeam Digital Microwave Oven, 0.7 Cu. Ft. ($54 at Target). This microwave has a vertical control panel with three sections. The top section contains the quick settings keys such as those for cooking a potato or frozen dinner. Below this section lies the physical keypad. Below the keypad are the Start and Stop keys as well as a key to quickly add time to the clock.

The next microwave is a mid-range with features that make it accessible. This microwave is called the Panasonic NN-SN968B Luxury Full-Size 2.2 cu. ft Genius Countertop Microwave Oven with Inverter ($149 on Amazon). This microwave possesses tactile automatic cooking sensor keys as well as a tactile key for quick settings for popcorn. Functions such as defrost and "Quick minute" lie between the tactile buttons at the top of the display and a raised line just above the keypad, which makes orientation easy. Each row of the keypad is preceded by a raised line that dips in the center of the middle row of keypad keys making it easy to identify the key that you are looking for. At the bottom of the keypad are two tactile buttons for Stop/Reset and Start. Because of the tactile nature of the keypad, it is possible to accurately identify the non-tactile keys that would be difficult to locate on most microwaves.

The Panasonic 2.2 Cu. Ft. Full-Size Microwave also contains tactile features. This microwave has a tactile knob for setting time, but the knob turns continuously, making it possibly inaccessible as an LED light identifies the position of the knob. The other buttons are tactile including an "Add Minute" button, which could allow a method for entering time accessibly. Out of the various microwaves we surveyed including those discussed here, the Panasonic NN-SN968B was the most accessible microwave that was not designed specifically for accessibility.

The Bottom Line

Based on the appliances we surveyed, analog controls are still the most accessible. Even when digital controls use tactile elements, they still can be inaccessible due to the manner in which they communicate the selected option, such as the endless spinning knobs of the Samsung washers and the Bosch dishwasher with tactile arrow keys that control an LED display. In regards to standard appliances, very little has changed from years past and the lower cost options that include analog controls still remain the best choices for accessibility. Until manufacturers add better accessibility to their devices, it is heartening that the older analog style of control is still available.

Manufacturers have been producing appliances that can be connected to mobile apps through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in recent years. Mobile connected appliances may provide significant advances in appliance accessibility, especially if apps allow users to control the appliance from a smartphone or tablet. In our next article in this series, we will be looking at mobile connected appliances to explore the accessibility of the apps themselves and determine if they enhance the user experience for people with visual impairments.

Product Information

Samsung 5.6 Cu. Ft. 15-Cycle High-Efficiency Steam Front-Loading Washer
Manufacturer: Samsung
Phone: 1-855-726-8721
Current Price: $1,299

Samsung 7.4 Cu. Ft. 11-Cycle Steam Electric Dryer
Manufacturer: Samsung
Phone: 1-855-726-8721
Current Price: $649

Samsung Activewash 4.8 Cu. Ft. 11-Cycle High-Efficiency Top-Loading Washer
Manufacturer: Samsung
Phone: 1-855-726-8721
Current Price: $649

Whirlpool Cabrio 4.3 Cu. Ft. 12-Cycle High-Efficiency Top-Loading Washer
Manufacturer: Whirlpool
Phone: 1-866-698-2538
Current Price: $599

Whirlpool Cabrio 7.0 Cu. Ft. 13-Cycle Electric Dryer
Manufacturer: Whirlpool
Phone: 1-866-698-2538
Current Price: $599

Frigidaire 30″ Self-Cleaning Freestanding Electric Range
Manufacturer: Frigidaire
Phone: 1-800-374-4432
Current Price: $599

Whirlpool 30″ Self-Cleaning Slide-In Electric Convection Range
Manufacturer: Whirlpool
Phone: 1-866-698-2538
Current Price: $1,439

Samsung 30″ Self-Cleaning Freestanding Dual Door Electric Convection Range
Manufacturer: Samsung
Phone: 1-855-726-8721
Current Price: $1,399

LG SteamDishwasher 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher
Manufacturer: LG
Phone: 800-243-0000
Current Price: $989

LG 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher with Stainless Steel Tub - Stainless Steel
Manufacturer: LG
Phone: 800-243-0000
Current Price : $809

Bosch Ascenta 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher with Stainless-Steel Tub
Manufacturer: Bosch
Phone: 1-800-944-2904
Current Price: $539

Bosch Ascenta 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher
Manufacturer: Bosch
Phone: 1-800-944-2904
Current Price: $449

Sunbeam Digital Microwave Oven, 0.7 Cu. Ft.
Manufacturer: Sunbeam
Phone: 1-(800) 458-8407
Current Price: $54

Panasonic Black 2.2 Cu. Ft. Microwave Oven
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Phone: 800-211-7262
Current Price: $154

Panasonic 2.2 Cu. Ft. Full-Size Microwave
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Phone: 800-211-7262
Current Price: $188

Comment on this article.

Related articles:

More from this author:

Author
Aaron Preece
Neva Fairchild
Article Topic
Home Appliance Access