People with reduced mobility: elements to verify when you buy your appliances

If you get about with the help of a wheel chair, or you are close to someone’s whose case that is, you are surely aware that daily tasks are hardly adapted. This is a reality that you should keep in mind before starting to shop for you next appliances.
So here is an article that should spark off your attention and inform you on a few details to observe when you buy a washing machine, a dryer, and a vacuum cleaner.

For the purchase of a washing machine

Handling

When shopping for a frontload washer, one of the elements that you should verify first is on which side the door opens. Because it isn’t possible to change it (since it is waterproof), this one should correspond to your installation needs. For example, if the washer is in the corner of a room, plan for it to open towards the wall in order to leave an access to a free reservoir, or if you are thinking of putting the washer next to the dryer, think about a door that leaves space between the two appliances. This will make transferring clothes from an appliance to the other much easier.

Moreover, opt for a door that opens with a 180° angle. This opening will give you more space to fill and empty the machine. A door that doesn’t close back automatically all the time and that stays in place will avoid monopolising one of your hands by trying to keep the door open. 

Maintenance

To make the maintenance easy, the ideal filter should be easily accessible in a seated position and should be retractable and replaceable without a problem. Certain experts will suggest asking for help to do your washer’s annual filter maintenance. However, if you wanted to do it anyway, most of the time you will find it at the bottom of the machine. On certain models, it is at about twenty centimetres which avoids bending over too much.

Command interface

Think of choosing a machine with a panel that offers a good legibility while seated. Certain appliance brands have panels inclined towards the top in order to facilitate its reading while standing up. For you, the ideal would be a straight panel, or as in the case of most frontload machines, the commands are around the door’s perimeter. By having such a position, you will have a direct access at all times.

For the purchase of a dryer

Handlings

The buying process of a dryer is similar to the one of a washer and happens at the same time in most instances. And that is why we ask you, just like we did previously for the washer, to think of your future washer’s emplacement. The goal is to be able to plan the best direction for the door’s opening in respect to your installation. However, the difference with a washer is that a certain number of manufacturers will enable the modification of the direction at the moment of the purchase. Then, make sure that the door remains open on its own to have your hands free when loading it. And if your location permits it, a 180° angle would be preferable to optimise the filling operations. 

Maintenance

Then, contrarily to the washer’s filter, the dryer’s filter must be cleaned very frequently. It is even suggested to clean it after each usage, because it keeps fluff from getting in and damaging your appliance. It shouldn’t cause too many access problems. However, make sure that it is accessible in a seated position.

For the purchase of a vacuum cleaner

Handling

In the case of a vacuum cleaner, the size and the weight are determining elements concerning its usage. The lighter and more compact it is, the easier it will make your life. You might even be able to put it on your knees to transport it. It is also important that it be easily manoeuvrable. When shopping for your next vacuum cleaner, make a simulation to test its resistance when you pull on it when seated. Can you turn the vacuum line without jolts? Does the head tend to stay to the floor easily while cleaning? Then if possible, try it out on a hard surface, but also on a carpet in order to verify that its operations don’t require too much strength. However, if the head is too slippery, your vacuum cleaner will be harder to control. A happy medium would be the ideal solution.

Then, you should also pay attention to the length of the electrical cable: a good length means that you can vacuum without having to unplug and re-plug it many times. So unroll the cable to its full length in order to verify if it corresponds to the appropriate size for your house. Therefore, this exercise will test its storing: does the cable roll back onto its reel or do you have to wind it up manually? The action of winding the electrical cable up is generally done with a button: can you access it easily?

Accessories

The brushes and the additional nozzles placed on the handle or the tube can seem easy to reach at first, but they risk becoming more bothersome than you thought. Test the pieces to see if they are cumbersome, opt for a model with accessories stored elsewhere, but always accessible in a seated position. 

Commands

About the starting up, we suggest that you opt for a model with the commands on the tube. Same thing for the strength variation command; you won’t have to bend down to reach it.

Maintenance

When choosing your next vacuum cleaner, pay attention to the access to the filters and to the dust bag (or container). To clean them, you should bend down without a doubt, however if the access is an inevitable obstacle, make sure that the necessary strength is reduced. Take note during your purchase choice that filters are cleaned or changed less frequently than dust bags or dust containers.

To know more about the research on the subject, visit the www.anec.org or www.test-achats.be

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