ryner1988
Well-known member
I've mentioned this before, but...
Since we're talking about mechanical timers here, I'll add on that, at least in my experience, a mechanical washer/dryer is waaaaaay easier to use for someone with a visual impairment. Take this from personal experience as I've used both. As far as I am aware, the only control board type modern washers I can easily use are the BOL VMW machines because they are all electronic knobs, only button on the thing is the push to start, but I don't like how quickly they break down among other irritations about them. So the issue with modern electronic machines is that I would have to go super basic and realize I get what I pay for, or I'd have to go clear up to near top of the line front load units and hope that the smart phone app is accessible enough to make the touch screen on the machine usable for me. The middle of the road options often don't work out because the touch screen is there but the WiFi connectivity functions aren't advanced enough on those machines to use the smart phone app as an aid for cycle selection/modification. On the other hand, a mechanical washer is super easy to adapt for my needs. For example, on my 2005 Whirlpool washer, all mechanical, I put a small piece of tape on the 14 minute position on the regular cycle, which is what I most often use for towels, and one on the 10 minute position, which is what I most often use for clothes. Another piece of tape on the pointer so I can line them up by touch and voila! Easy as pie.
Until electronic modern machines are accessible and usable to all, I can't in good conscience say they are a better option.
Since we're talking about mechanical timers here, I'll add on that, at least in my experience, a mechanical washer/dryer is waaaaaay easier to use for someone with a visual impairment. Take this from personal experience as I've used both. As far as I am aware, the only control board type modern washers I can easily use are the BOL VMW machines because they are all electronic knobs, only button on the thing is the push to start, but I don't like how quickly they break down among other irritations about them. So the issue with modern electronic machines is that I would have to go super basic and realize I get what I pay for, or I'd have to go clear up to near top of the line front load units and hope that the smart phone app is accessible enough to make the touch screen on the machine usable for me. The middle of the road options often don't work out because the touch screen is there but the WiFi connectivity functions aren't advanced enough on those machines to use the smart phone app as an aid for cycle selection/modification. On the other hand, a mechanical washer is super easy to adapt for my needs. For example, on my 2005 Whirlpool washer, all mechanical, I put a small piece of tape on the 14 minute position on the regular cycle, which is what I most often use for towels, and one on the 10 minute position, which is what I most often use for clothes. Another piece of tape on the pointer so I can line them up by touch and voila! Easy as pie.
Until electronic modern machines are accessible and usable to all, I can't in good conscience say they are a better option.
