It’s KBIS, which means now is the time to shine a light on all the greatest appliance innovations we’re seeing in the kitchen and bathroom space. And while it’s not new, per se, GE Appliances’ innovative and affordable solution for blind or low vision consumers (first unveiled in 2024) has caught my attention.
GE’s Access Kit is designed to make setting the program on one of the best dishwashers or best washing machines easier and more accessible for all users, including those who are visually impaired.
The brand’s Access Kit, designed in collaboration with the American Printing House for the Blind, creates a universal tactile solution for appliances (and that’s not exclusive to GE appliances, FYI) using textured and Braille stickers. This means that individuals who are blind or experience low vision can apply the durable stickers to their GE Appliances to make the controls more identifiable.
With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that around six million Americans have vision loss and one million have blindness, the Access Kit is sure to be a welcome addition to make life that bit easier for many.
The Access Kit, including braille and tactile stickers, is available for $19 at GE Appliances. Unfortunately, it’s currently out of stock, but we’ll keep track of stock levels and update this piece accordingly if it becomes available to buy once more.
What’s inside the pack?
The pack contains over 450 durable stickers designed to represent the 80 most common settings across the manufacturer’s appliance ranges. The stickers are placed directly over the existing control, allowing appliance buttons, knobs and other functions to be identified by touch alone.
The stickers have a “thin and angular” design, which GE Appliances says has been created to be easy to feel and differentiate. Plus, they allow other household members to continue to use the appliances, as the stickers are transparent.
What was the idea behind the new Access Kit? “Our number one goal with this offering is to make appliances more accessible for everyone,” says Chris Bissig, director of experience brand language at GE Appliances, says, “Our research showed that a lot of blind and low-vision consumers are devising their own complex systems just to navigate the settings on their appliances, making simple household tasks incredibly difficult.”
The project was developed in Partnership with the American Printing House for the Blind, a charity that improve everyday living for those who are blind or low vision.
MarySusan Abell, director of communications and consumer engagement at APH, says, “Cooking, cleaning, and other daily tasks can be challenging for individuals who are blind and have low vision when they don’t have access to the right tools. Our Access Kit helps create a universal solution to make everyday life easier and build a world where everyone is welcome.”
It’s not the first time that GE Appliances has got involved with improving accessbility. In 2015 the company introduced an accessory braille kit, and in 2022 donated a kitchen to students at Central High School in Louisville who are blind or have low vision.
