Washing machine appliance steam option selection

1 . A washing machine appliance comprising:

a cabinet;

a wash tub positioned within the cabinet;

a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub;

a heating element in thermal communication with the wash tub whereby the heating element is positioned and configured to generate steam within the wash tub;

a control panel, the control panel comprising a plurality of input selectors; and

a controller, the controller configured for:

receiving, from a first input selector of the plurality of input selectors, a cycle selection;

receiving, from the first input selector of the plurality of input selectors, a steam option selection; and

activating the heating element during the selected cycle of the washing machine appliance in response to the received steam option selection,

wherein the first input selector is a knob,

wherein the cycle selection and the steam option selection are based on an angular position of the knob,

wherein the knob is rotatable through a sequence of angular positions,

wherein a first angular position in the sequence of angular positions corresponds to a selection of a first cycle, a second angular position in the sequence of angular positions corresponds to a selection of the first cycle with steam, and a third angular position in the sequence of angular positions corresponds to a selection of a second cycle different from the first cycle,

wherein the second angular position is the next consecutive angular position after the first angular position in the sequence of angular positions and the third angular position the next consecutive angular position after the second angular position in the sequence of angular positions, and

wherein the steam option selection is received based on the knob rotated to the second angular position from the first angular position.

2 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the control panel further comprises an indicator light, the controller configured to illuminate the indicator light at a first intensity level in response to a selected cycle without a steam option and to illuminate the indicator light at a second intensity level in response to a selected steam option.

3 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the control panel further comprises a first indicator light and a second indicator light, the controller configured to illuminate the first indicator light in response to a selected cycle without a steam option and to illuminate the second indicator light in response to a selected steam option.

4 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the control panel further comprises an indicator light, the controller configured to illuminate the indicator light in a first color in response to a selected cycle without a steam option and to illuminate the indicator light in a second color in response to a selected steam option.

5 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the control panel further comprises a display, wherein the controller is further configured to output a first cycle time on the display in response to a selected cycle without a steam option and to output a second cycle time on the display in response to the selected cycle with the steam option.

6 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein control panel further comprises a text steam indicator, the controller configured to activate an indicator light associated with the text steam indicator in response to the received steam option selection.

7 . The washing machine appliance of claim 6 , wherein the control panel further comprises a display and the text steam indicator is located on the display.

8 . The washing machine appliance of claim 6 , wherein the text steam indicator is located adjacent to a cycle name label on the control panel.

9 . The washing machine appliance of claim 6 , wherein the text steam indicator is translucent, the indicator light associated with the text steam indicator positioned behind the text steam indicator, whereby activating the indicator light associated with the text steam indicator illuminates the text steam indicator.

10 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the angular positions of the knob in the sequence of angular positions are spaced apart consecutively along a direction of rotation of the knob by a uniform angle.

11 . A method of operating a washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance comprising a cabinet, a wash tub positioned within the cabinet, a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub, a heating element in thermal communication with the wash tub whereby the heating element is positioned and configured to generate steam within the wash tub, and a control panel, the control panel comprising a plurality of input selectors, the method comprising:

receiving, from a first input selector of the plurality of input selectors, a cycle selection;

receiving, from the first input selector of the plurality of input selectors, a steam option selection; and

activating the heating element during the selected cycle of the washing machine appliance in response to the received steam option selection,

wherein the first input selector is a knob,

wherein the cycle selection and the steam option selection are based on an angular position of the knob,

wherein the knob is rotatable through a sequence of angular positions,

wherein a first angular position in the sequence of angular positions corresponds to a selection of a first cycle, a second angular position in the sequence of angular positions corresponds to a selection of the first cycle with steam, and a third angular position in the sequence of angular positions corresponds to a selection of a second cycle different from the first cycle,

wherein the second angular position is the next consecutive angular position after the first angular position in the sequence of angular positions and the third angular position the next consecutive angular position after the second angular position in the sequence of angular positions, and

wherein the steam option selection is received based on the knob rotated to the second angular position from the first angular position.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising illuminating an indicator light of the control panel at a first intensity level in response to a selected cycle without a steam option and illuminating the indicator light at a second intensity level in response to a selected steam option.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising illuminating a first indicator light of the control panel in response to a selected cycle without a steam option and illuminating a second indicator light of the control panel in response to a selected steam option.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising illuminating an indicator light of the control panel in a first color in response to a selected cycle without a steam option and illuminating the indicator light in a second color in response to a selected steam option.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the control panel further comprises a display, further comprising outputting a first cycle time on the display in response to a selected cycle without a steam option and outputting a second cycle time on the display in response to the selected cycle with the steam option.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising activating an indicator light associated with a text steam indicator of the control panel in response to the received steam option selection.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the control panel further comprises a display and the text steam indicator is located on the display.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the text steam indicator is located adjacent to a cycle name label on the control panel.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the text steam indicator is translucent, the indicator light associated with the text steam indicator positioned behind the text steam indicator, wherein activating the indicator light associated with the text steam indicator comprises illuminating the text steam indicator.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the angular positions of the knob in the sequence of angular positions are spaced apart consecutively along a direction of rotation of the knob by a uniform angle.