I will need to buy a new washing machine soon. I'm looking at one with a built in dryer. Since most machines have a touch screen, I have looked at machines that can be controlled with the mobile phone, but I would like to have tips on what is accessible with Voiceover. From what I understand, different manufacturers have different apps, but they work for all machines from that particular manufacturer.
By Fredrik Andersson, 26 October, 2023
Forum
Smart Home Tech and Gadgets
Comments
Accessible.
I do not think there is such an animal. If so, it will be nice.
bosch and SIEMENS washing machine
Hi,
I have a siemens i can controle with the app home connect. accessibility is not perfect but it's usable and it gives you access to most of machine functions. i sometimes use seeing AI to read few things on the screen. i'm pretty sure samsung machines are also usable with apps.
I was going to tell you about the RNIB but...
They seamed to have solled out of their washing machine. I wasn't a fan of it, it uses beaps/tones but it did exist.
This might help: https://feelware.eu/collections/waschmaschine-sehbehinderte-menschen
If you can contact them and they ship to your country, i'd give them a call and see what they say.
If you can't find a smart washer/dryer.
Recently had to replace my washer/dryer. I have a good old fashioned non-smart one from Amana. Got them at Lowes. I was pleasantly surprised to find lots of options with actual nobs instead of a computer. Both the washer and dryer have nobs, no screens. Just a few locator dots, and I was up and running.
options as I understand them.
I had to buy a new washing machine a few weeks ago and spent a lot of time trying to find the best solution. While the machine I ended up with isn’t perfect, I’m extremely happy with it and it’s without doubt the most accessible washing machine I’ve ever owned.
Option 1. Inexpensive dial washing machines. These are inexpensive and I would have access to a few programs that I’d been able to remember which isn’t ideal but would at least give me a washing machine I could use.
Option 2. Bosch, Siemens AEG (any washing machine that uses the home connect app. This would have been the best solution except cost was prohibitive. The least expensive machine was £1000 here in the UK which is just too much. I already have a dishwasher that cost £1000. It’s a Bosch and is 100% accessible. I’m delighted with it but it’s just too much money for me.
Options 3. LG. This is the machine I bought. It’s not perfect but I’m very happy with it. The machine connects through the LG Thinq app and any device that connects through that app becomes accessible. What I can’t do with LG Thinq is change the settings on the phone and have the changes show up on the machine like I can with the Bosch Home Connect app. Instead I change settings on the machine and the app on my phone speaks the changes. I turn the dial on the machine and the phone speaks the new setting. I touch the screen on the machine where I know temperature/detergent/softener etc. settings are and they are spoken by the phone. I understand you can get a physical overlay for the screen that lets you know where the buttons are so you don’t have to remember where on the screen to touch but I didn’t need that. If I had infinite money I’d have gone with the Home connect options but LG washing machines start at around £500 without offers which is much more reasonable and they’re functionally very accessible even if not perfect.
Accessible LG washer/dryer with no braille overlays
living Blindfully #279 demonstrates fully accessible LG thinq app controlled washer and dryer. Just one marker dot needed atop 'remote enable' button on front flat panel. washer model WM3600HWA and dryer model DLE3600W.
Laundry Lens?
Hello. Has anybody used this app before? I tried it out on the washing machine and dryer in my building, and had mediocre results. We've gone through several washers and dryers, and I believe the current pair are Samsung. The dryer has a digital display, and it plays music. Someone helped me label the knobs on the washer with raised markings. But I'm wondering if any of you have had good luck with any of the OCR apps? I'm planning to try out the ones which I currently have on the washer and dryer here. My laundry day is tomorrow.
ADA Compliant Washing Machines
I have a full-sized stackable Samsung pair that is ADA compliant with braille and tactile controls. Samsung also makes all in ones that conform to the same standard and that are controllable via the Samsung Smart Home app. The app itself is pretty accessible, but it could be easier to navigate.
Other brands like Maytag, Bosch and Whirlpool make ADA compliant washing machines or all in ones.
Many major appliance retailers will actually have this in their spec sheets and search databases, so call them up and ask. That's what I did with Canadian Appliance Source and the sales associate responded right away with the Samsung pair when I told him I was blind and wanted a laundry pair that was accessible.
I got the Samsung WF45R6300AV. This isn't an all-in-one, but you can start looking here to see the Samsung family.
See here:
https://www.bosch-home.ca/en/experience-bosch/ada-compliant-models
Also, type ADA Compliant washing machines, dryers or all-in-one washer/dryer into Google and it will sort the search results for you at places like Home Depot and Lowe's.
See? This is how you write a helpful comment instead of opining that such things don't exist.
Re: ADA Compliance
That is a good idea to start your search with. I wanted to mention though, that I have seen appliances claim ADA compliance that are in fact not accessible. So start there, but don't stop the research there.