The great Spinoff recall list: How many of these common household items do you have?
A random selection of items recalled over the last few years (Photos: recalls.govt.nz)
From kettles and candles to laptops and lamps, hundreds of common household items have been recalled over the last few years. But chances are, you never even knew about it. In part one of The Spinoff’s great recall list, we look at various items in the heating, small appliance, electronics and homeware categories.
Earlier this year, the government issued just its second compulsory recall ever. That was a big deal because despite a voluntary recall for Takata airbags floating around since 2013, the government – taking a page from the Aussies – decided to step in after realising the recall was progressing far too slowly, with less than a quarter of those affected in New Zealand replaced since 2013.
That kind of success rate, however, is surprisingly all too common for voluntary recalls. Consumer NZ estimates that “less than half” of product recalls actually work, and while it’s normally better for items where customers details are noted down (like cars), common household items that are cheap and easily replaceable (like indoor electric heaters) can remain in use months – even years – after a recall is issued.
Below is a selection of recalled items we think are most relevant to consumers (part two looks at items specifically targeted at babies and children). Of course, it goes without saying that this is by no means an exhaustive list – for that you need to be looking at the government’s official website.
Read More: How many of these are your kids still using?
Heating
Luckily, very few recalls have been issued for electric blankets and hot water bottles in the last few years, not that it stops hundreds from injuring themselves using the latter anyway. According to the ACC, 631 claims were made in 2017 by people who received burns from hot water bottles.
For a list of recalls for indoor electric heaters, click here.
RECALL DATE
BRAND
PRODUCT
RETAILERS
SALE DATE
RISK
2017
Electric blanket
Groupon/Daily Do/NZ Sale/Buy Invite
2017
Fire
Electric throw blanket
Groupon/Daily Do/NZ Sale/Buy Invite
2017
Fire
Hot water bottle
Pak n Save/New World/Mitre 10 etc.
2017
No warning label
Hot water bottle
Pak n Save/New World
2017
No warning label
Gas firebox
Unknown
2013 –
Carbon monoxide poisoning
2015
Portable camping heater
Hunting & Fishing/Rollos Outdoors/Equip Outdoors/Complete Outdoors
Unknown
Carbon monoxide poisoning
2014
Freestanding fireplace
Grabone
Unknown
Fire/Burns
Electric hot pack
The Warehouse
2014
Fire/Electric shock
Small appliances
The most commonly recalled small appliance is the humble kettle with five issued in the last two years. Blenders have had three issued since 2013, with one of these being late night infomercial staple, the Nutriblend. Vacuum cleaner brand Shark also featured twice with its Rocket and Navigator Lift-Away models recalled back in 2015.
RECALL DATE
BRAND
PRODUCT
RETAILERS
SALE
DATE
RISK
2018
Toaster
Kmart
2016 – 2017
Electric shock
Kettle
Harvey Norman/Farmers/Smith & Caughey’s etc.
2013 – 2018
Handle may become loose
2017
Pricing scale
1 Day
2015 – 2017
Electric shock
Fan
Unknown
Unknown
Fire
Iron
Unknown
2017
Electric shock
Instant kettle
Harvey Norman/STM Group
2016 – 2017
Fire
Food processor
Unknown
Unknown
Blade breakage
2016
Kettle
The Warehouse
2016 –
Electric shock
Instant kettle
Unknown
Unknown
Fire
Microwave
Unknown
Unknown
Fire
Kettle
Kitchen appliance retailers
2015 – 2016
Plastic may shatter
Fan
Kmart
2015 – 2016
Electric shock
Hairdryer
Kmart
2015 – 2016
Electric shock
Body massager
NZ Sale
2015
No safety instructions
2015
Bullet blender
TV Shop/Live events
2015
Fire
Slow cooker
Electrical retailers/Department stores
2010 – 2015
Scalding
Bullet blender
Kmart
2015
Fire
Blender
Kenwood stockists
2014 – 2015
Blade breakage
Vacuum cleaner
Mitre 10/Farmers/Noel Leeming/Harvey Norman etc.
Unknown
Premature cord failure
Vacuum cleaner
Mitre 10/Farmers/Noel Leeming/Harvey Norman etc.
Unknown
Electric shock/Burns
2014
Food processor
Unknown
2012 – 2014
Lid may open unexpectedly
Steriliser
Unknown
2012 – 2013
Fire/Burns/Electric shock
Whiteware
Hopefully, you already know if your washing machine is trying to kill you since most whiteware dealers note down customer details for warranty purposes. But considering Samsung’s recalled washing machines in 2013 were found to be still causing fires in 2016, it’s clear that getting faulty products out of people’s homes is no easy feat.
Stoves (electric and gas) seem to be the most problematic, with a total of five recalls issued in the last four years.
RECALL DATE
BRAND
PRODUCT
RETAILERS
SALE
DATE
RISK
2017
Dryer
Unknown
Unknown
Fire
Electric oven/Gas stove
Unknown
Unknown
Gas leak/Explosion
2016
Dehumidifier
Mitre 10
2013
Fire
Dryer
Various (Harvey Norman, Noel Leeming etc)
2004 –
Fire
Gas stove
Unknown
Unknown
Oven may turn on by itself
Gas stove
Unknown
2014 – 2016
Fire/Explosion
2015
Washing machine
Haier stockists
2012 – 2014
Wires may fractures over time
Electric stove
Fisher & Paykel stockists
2011 –
Electric shock
2014
Gas stove
Unknown
2013
Fire/Explosion
2013
Washing machine
Samsung stockists
2010 – 2013
Fire
2012
Dishwasher
Bosch stockists
Unknown
Electric board may melt
Furniture, homeware & decor
This includes tables, chairs, cabinets, lamps, candles, clocks and lighting fixtures. Various kitchen tools like vegetable spiral cutters are also included which, if you bought one from Kmart between 2015 and 2016, might actually end up trying to lacerate you. Lamps and chairs feature the most with four recalls each since 2015.
RECALL DATE
BRAND
PRODUCT
RETAILERS
SALE
DATE
RISK
2018
Tables/Cabinets
Farmers
2017 – 2018
Wood borer bugs
Neon lights
Unknown
2017
Overheating
2017
Ottoman
Farmers
Unknown
Choking hazard
Lamp
Freedom Furniture
Unknown
Overheating
Lamp
The Warehouse
2016 – 2017
Lampshade may melt
Tealight holder
Trade Aid/The Addington Store
2016 –
Breakage
Candle
Tigerlily/Amazon Surf
2011 –
Excessive smoke/Glass shattering
Bakeware
Farmers
Unknown
Not microwave safe
Festoon lights
Unknown
2016 –
Electric shock
Cream whipper
Stevens
2016 – 2017
Compromised aluminium thread
Candle
kikki.K
2016
Glass shattering
2016
Light fixture
Unknown
2008 – 2016
Unexpected detachment
Lamp
EziBuy
2016
Loose connection in switch
Vegetable spiral cutter
Kmart
2015 – 2016
Blade breakage
Chair
Unknown
2012 – 2016
Entrapment/Laceration
Chair
Freedom Furniture
2011 – 2014
Entrapment/Laceration
Chair
Early Settler
2014 – 2016
Entrapment
Chair
Kmart
2014 – 2016
Entrapment/Laceration
2015
Mugs (pack of four)
Kmart
2015
Mug may unexpectedly crack
Lamp
Kmart
2007 – 2015
Fire/Electric shock
Oramental lights (animal shaped)
The Warehouse
2013 – 2015
Choking hazard
Cube clock
Smiggle
2015
Choking hazard
DIY light
Smiggle
2015
Choking hazard
2014
Apple Cutter
Kmart
2014
Blade breakage
Kids table set
kikki.K
2014
Choking hazard
Bathmat
Freedom Furniture
2010 – 2014
Slippage
Candle holder
kikki.K/David Jones
2013 -2014
Flammable
Power supply
Brace yourselves – this is a big one. According to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), the third most commonly recalled household product in the last three years were adaptors, chargers and power suppliers. In fact, at least 27 recalls have been made since 2014 for items such as plugs, cords, power banks and power boards (this excludes items specifically designed for laptops, tablets and smartphones).
RECALL DATE
BRAND
PRODUCT
RETAILERS
SALE
DATE
RISK
2018
Outdoor power adaptor
Various
2017
Fire and burns from overheating
USB charging station
Factorie/Cotton On
2017 – 2018
Fire and burns from overheating
USB wall charger
Harvey Norman/Newslink etc.
2016 – 2018
Damage to connected devices/Electric shock
2017
Power point
Mitre 10
2017
Electric shock
Universal docking station (plug)
Unknown
2016 – 2017
Electric shock
CD player (travel adaptor)
Educational Experience
2010 – 2012
Electric shock
Electronic keyboard (adaptor)
Unknown
2016
Electric shock
Power station for cars
Various
2014 – 2016
Fire and burns from overheating
Charger for Segway
Parallel importers
Unknown
Electric shock
Power supply unit for printer
Unknown
Unknown
Fire
2016
Power bank
Farmers
2016
Fire
PetSafe / SportDOG products (plug adaptor)
Unknown
2009 – 2016
Electric shock
Universal travel adaptor
JB-Hi Fi
2016
Electric shock
Power bank
Fundraising product for St Bede’s, Weedons and Coatesville colleges
Unknown
Fire
E-Cigarette (wall adaptor)
E-Smoke/GreenSmoke/Vaportech distributors
2011 –
Electric shock
Battery pack
Denon stockists
2015 – 2016
Fire
Charging kit
Books & Gifts Direct distributors
2016
Electric shock
Wall plug adaptor
Various
2003 – 2015
Electric shock
E-Cigarette (USB adaptor)
Unknown
2015
Electric shock
2015
Plug surge protector
Harvey Norman
2013 – 2015
Electric shock
iPhone/iPod Charger
EB Games
2014 – 2015
Smoke/Burns
2014
Power board
Kmart
2011 – 2014
Fire
Power board
Countdown/SuperValue/Fresh Choice
2013 – 2014
Fire
Universal plug adaptor
Petrol stations & supermarkets
2014
Fire
Power bank
Rodney Wayne (Gift with purchase)
2014
Burns
Power board
Supercheap Auto
2003 –
Fire
Plug adaptor
Hearing specialist & care clinic
2011 – 2014
Electric shock
Laptops, tablets, phones and accessories
Other than the Volkswagen ‘cheating-emissions-test’ recall of 2016, Samsung’s ‘exploding-phone-on-plane’ recall issued the same year might just be one of the most well-known in recent times. But it’s laptop batteries that seem to be posing more of a problem, with at least eight relevant recalls issued in the last five years. Recalls for batteries in Toshiba and HP/Compaq batteries in 2016 and 2017 were even expanded with new models added.
RECALL DATE
BRAND
PRODUCT
RETAILERS
SALE DATE
RISK
2018
Laptop battery
Various
2015 -2017
Fire/Burns
Laptop
Various
2016 – 2017
Fire
2017
Phone battery (counterfeit Samsung)
Happy Mobile
Unknown
Fire
Tablet battery
Various
Unknown
Fire
Laptop battery (HP & Compaq)
Various
2013 – 2016
Fire/Burns
2016
Laptop battery
Various
2011 – 2016
Fire/Burns
Smartphone (Note 7)
Various
Unknown
Fire/Burns
Laptop battery
Various
2012
Fire/Burns
Power cord
Various
2015 –
Fire/Electric shock
2015
Power cord (Acer, Gateway, eMachines)
Various
2010 – 2015
Fire/Burns
Laptop battery
Various
2010 – 2011
Fire/Burns
2014
Tablet battery
Various
2012 – 2014
Fire/Burns
Power cord
Various
2010 – 2012
Fire/Burns
Power cord (HP & Compaq)
Various
2010 – 2012
Fire/Burns
Laptop
Various
Unknown
Burns
Laptop battery
Various
2010 – 2011
Fire/Burns
2013
Tablet wall charger
Various
2013
Electric shock
Other random stuff you might own
From carcinogenic jeans to leaky bottles of bleach, there’s a little something for everyone.
RECALL DATE
BRAND
PRODUCT
RETAILERS
SALE
DATE
RISK
2018
Travel cup
Unknown
2013 – 2018
Bottom may unexpectedly detach
Canola oil
New World/Pak n Save/Countdown
2017 – 2018
Handle may unexpectedly detach
Portable speaker
Groupon
2017 – 2018
Fire
2017
Eyebrow gel
Benefit stockists
Unknown
Eye irritation
8 Eye Boot (Vegan)
Unknown
Unknown
Carcinogenic properties
iPhone case
Victoria’s Secret
2015 – 2017
Skin irritation/Blisters/Burns
2016
2-in-1 & 4-in-1 swingsets
The Warehouse
2015 –
Chain may unexpectedly detach
Guitar amp
Musicworks
Unknown
Electric shock
2015
Women’s skinny jean
Cotton On
2014 – 2015
Carcinogenic properties
Men’s pants & shorts
The Iconic online
2014 – 2015
Carcinogenic properties
Portable speaker
Apple & Beats retailers
2014 –
Fire/Overheating
Bleach
Countdown/SuperValue/Fresh Choice
2015
Leakage
2014
iPad Air case with stylus
JB-Hi Fi
2014
Choking hazard from stylus
Men’s jean
Cotton On
2012 – 2014
Carcinogenic properties
Women’s skinny & bel curve jeans
Jeanswest
2013 – 2014
Carcinogenic properties
Mouthguard
The Warehouse
Unknown
Choking hazard
Tea tree mouthwash
Pharmacies/Health & grocery stores
Unknown
Increased risk of infection for those with low immune systems
2013
Camera
Various
2013
Chemical contaminant
Read More:
The Great Spinoff Recall list: How many of these are your kids still using?
There have been 22 heater recalls since 2010, and there’s a decent chance yours is on the list
The Spinoff’s business section is enabled by our friends at Kiwibank. Kiwibank backs small to medium businesses, social enterprises and Kiwis who innovate to make good things happen.
Check out how Kiwibank can help your business take the next step.
Jihee Junn
Jihee Junn is an Auckland-based freelance journalist and former staff writer at The Spinoff.
