Dishwashers review

08.Best choices for those with a disability

The Independent Living Centre, NSW, provided us with the following general guidelines on what to look for in a dishwasher for use by someone with a disability.

Problems with hands or strength

• Look for light doors with latches that are easy to open and close.
• Controls that are easy to turn and press.
• Baskets that slide in and out easily.
• Large, raised dials with a crossbar, but note that dials can be more difficult to use than buttons or keypads if you lack hand strength.
• Buttons and keypads that require only a soft touch to activate.
• Filters that can easily be removed, cleaned and replaced.

For poor vision

• Look for controls that are easy to read - large, well spaced and with good contrast, and well labelled.
• Positive feedback such as lights and/or beeps, and other tactile, audio and visual feedback is helpful.
• Well-defined baskets - in a contrasting colour.

For someone with dementia

• An audible end-of-cycle signal and fault alarm can be useful.