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Recall: Hamilton Beach Toasters Due to Fire Hazard

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Name of Product: Hamilton Beach® classic chrome 2-slice toasters

Units: About 300,000

Importer: Hamilton Beach Brands Inc., of Glen Allen, Va.

Hazard: The heating element in these toasters can remain energized indefinitely when an item is placed in the toaster which may ignite the contents, posing a fire hazard if the toaster is near flammable items.

Incidents/Injuries: Hamilton Beach has received 15 reports of toasters that did not pop-up as intended, including three reports of minor damage to kitchen cabinets. There were no reports of injuries.

Description: The Hamilton Beach recall involves model 22600 toasters with specific series codes. These series codes begin with the letters C or D, and have the format of CXXXXBI or DXXXXBI, where XXXX is a four-digit number ranging from 0190 through 5290. The model number and series code are printed on the bottom of the toaster. The toaster has a chromed steel exterior, a front control panel with a rotary toast shade selector and function buttons arranged in an arc, a front removable crumb tray and Hamilton Beach printed across the front of the toaster.

Sold at: Mass merchandisers and department, grocery and home center stores nationwide and various online retailers from February 2008 through June 2011 for between $30 and $40.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled toasters and contact the firm to receive instructions on how to obtain a free replacement toaster.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Hamilton Beach at (800) 379-2200 anytime, or visit the firm’s website at www.hamiltonbeach.com. General toaster safety information available from Hamilton Beach at (http://tinyurl.com/43va5sd) (pdf).

Recall: GE Food Processors From Walmart Due to Laceration and Fire Hazard

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Name of Product: General Electric® Food Processors

Units: About 255,000

Importer: Walmart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Ark.

Hazard: The safety interlock system on the recalled food processor can fail; allowing operation without the lid secured which poses a laceration hazard. In addition, the product can emit smoke, or catch fire, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Walmart has received a total of 58 incident reports: 24 reports of the food processor operating without the lid in place, of which 21 resulted in injuries to fingertips; and 34 reports of the unit smoking, including 3 reports of fires.

Description: This recall involves GE-branded digital, 14-cup food processors. The food processors are black with stainless steel trim, and model number 169203 is imprinted on the underside of the unit.

Sold exclusively at: Walmart stores nationwide and Walmart.com from September 2009 through February 2011 for a retail price of about $50.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled food processor and return the product to any Walmart for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Walmart Customer Service toll free at (877) 207-0923 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.walmartstores.com/recalls
Picture of Labeling on Recalled Food Processor

Is Steam the Thing? – Steam Mops

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Keeping the house clean – or at least clean enough – is a challenge we all face daily. Sometimes adding a new tool to the arsenal against dirt can give us new energy to face the task. This is the first in a series reviewing steam use in appliances.

Looking at tests conducted by Consumer Reports which added the Steam Mop category in 2010, the results are not stunning. A dozen items that often fall to the floor—including ketchup, mustard, olive oil, syrup and baby cereal—were allowed to harden on vinyl floor tiles before testers tackled them with steam mops.

Consumer Reports called the H2O Mop ($100) and Eureka Enviro Steamer 313A ($70) “good” and the others “mediocre.” The nonprofit, independent testing agency identified a recurring flaw: When there’s a large amount of soil, more gets pushed out of the way than picked up by the pad. It also cautions that steam and water could damage wood floors and might void the warranty.

“A $15 squeeze mop proved comparable, if not better, at floor cleaning,” the magazine says.

Steam-mop manufacturers have recently addressed concerns through vacuum/steam mop combos that eliminate the need for a mop, bucket, broom and dustpan. As far as potential floor damage, the mops’ moisture levels can be adjusted for different types of floors.

“With floors that are a little more delicate, for example … you can put it on the steam-dusting setting,” says Dann Provolo, vice president of marketing for Euro-Pro, maker of Shark steam-cleaning products, which introduced its next generation of Steam-Pocket Mop. “Regardless, a traditional mop with water can leave standing water on a floor, which could damage it. Steam quickly dries.”

Portable steam systems with wedge- and cylinder-shaped pads can be used to clean countertops, tile grout, mirrors, windows and upholstery. Steam kills staph, E. coli, mold, mildew and dust mites. A steam unit also can kill bedbugs, with a caveat.

“A steam cleaner should be a tool within a variety of methodologies,” Provolo says. “It shouldn’t be the entire solution.”

Recall: Sanus Elements Surge Protectors by Milestone AV Technologies Due to Shock Hazard

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Name of Product: Low-profile power conditioners/surge protectors

Units: About 2,500

Importer: Milestone AV Technologies LLC, of Savage, Minn.

Manufacturer: Rite-Tech Industrial Co., Ltd., of Taiwan

Hazard: Improper grounding of the case and inadequate insulation for the circuit breaker poses an electrical shock hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported

Description: This recall involves all Sanus Elements model ELM205 low-profile power conditioners or surge protectors. SANUS ELEMENTS is printed on the front of the unit and the model number is printed near the UL logo on the back.

Sold by: Independent home theater dealers from June 2009 through December 2010 for about $90.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the product and contact Milestone for a replacement product or refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Milestone toll-free at (877) 894-6280 between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday and between 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Saturday and Sunday, or visit the firm’s website at www.milestone.com/recall

Recall: Burlington Coat Factory Slow Cookers Due to Fire Hazard

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Name of Product: Slow Cooker

Units: About 7,460

Retailer: Burlington Coat Factory, of Burlington, N.J.

Importer/Distributor: Lehrhoff ABL, of Carlstadt, N.J.

Hazard: The slow cooker’s control panel can overheat and melt, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: The manufacturer has received 60 reports of the control panels smoking, melting and sparking, and three reports of panels catching fire. Fourteen incidents resulted in minor damage to countertops. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves Bella Kitchen 5-quart programmable slow cookers. The slow cookers are black with “Bella Kitchen” printed on the control panel. Only slow cookers with model number WJ-5000DE and date codes 0907 or 0909 are included in this recall. The model number and the four-digit date code are printed on a label on the underside of the product.

Sold at: Burlington Coat Factory stores from June 2010 through December 2010 for $20.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the slow cooker immediately, unplug it and return the slow cooker to Burlington Coat Factory for a full refund or store credit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Burlington Coat Factory toll-free at (888) 223-2628 between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at http://www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com

Recall: Atico International USA Heaters Due to Fire Hazard

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Name of Product: TrueLiving Heater Fans and Portable Quartz Radiant Heaters

Units: About 92,000

Sourcing Agent: Atico International USA, Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Importer/Retailer: Dollar General Stores, of Goodlettsville, Tenn.

Hazard: These heaters have caught fire, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Atico has received eight reports of the A14B1053 Heater Fan overheating and 21 reports of the A14B0979 Quartz Heater overheating. Reports for the A14B1053 Heater Fan included one report of damage to an electrical outlet and wall and one report of flames coming out of the front of the unit. Reports for the A14B0979 Quartz Heater included damage to the heater’s plug, one report of flames coming from a control knob and one report of a consumer receiving minor burns to the hand. For both products, reports included incidents of smoke and melting of the plastic casing.

Description: Both heaters can be identified by the following model and item numbers and universal product codes (UPC):
Model# Item# UPC
Heater Fans NSB-200B A14B1053 40022749831
Model# Item# UPC
Portable Quartz Radiant Heaters HD-700 A14B0979 400022750066

Model numbers are found on a silver colored sticker on the bottom of the unit. Additionally, both heaters are marked with manufacturing dates between 6/1/2010 and 8/30/2010. The date code appears as “DATE CODE: 0610”

Sold exclusively at: Dollar General Stores from September 2010 to December 2010. The heater fans sold for about $15 and the quartz radiant heater sold for about $42.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled heaters and return them to any Dollar General Store for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Atico International USA toll-free at (866) 448-7856 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.aticousa.com

Recall: LEM Products Food Dehydrators Due to Fire Hazard

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Name of Product: Food dehydrators with digital timers

Units: About 3,500

Distributor: LEM Products, of Harrison, Ohio

Hazard: The screws that secure the motor to the back panel can come loose, causing the motor to fall on the heating element. This poses a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: LEM Products has received five reports of motors falling on the unit’s heating element resulting in smoke or fire contained in the unit. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves 5-tray and 10-tray LEM food dehydrators with serial numbers 2010 0701, 2010 0702, 2010 07021, 2010 0901, 2010 0902, 2010 1001 or 2010 1101. The dehydrators are gray and are made of plastic. The LEM logo is embossed on the top of the unit. The serial number is located on the label on the back panel. The last section of the UPC code found in the packaging reads “1009 1” for the 5-tray unit and “1010 7” for the 10-tray unit.

Sold at: Mass merchandisers and retailers nationwide and online at www.lemproducts.com from August 2010 through December 2010 for about $160.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dehydrators and contact LEM Products to receive a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact LEM Products toll-free at (877) 425-4509 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the website at www.lemproducts.com

Recall: Lasko Portable Electric Heaters Due To Fire Hazard

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Type of Product: Portable electric heater

Units: About 107,500 units.

Manufacturer: Lasko Products Inc., of West Chester, Pa.

Hazard: An electrical connection in the base of the unit can overheat, causing it to melt and expose the electrical connection, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Lasko received a total of 36 reports of the electrical connection overheating with no reports of injury. There were 18 reports of minor burn damage to floors or carpets.

Description: The portable, electric, tower heaters are 20.5 inches tall x 8.25 inches wide x 9.25 inches deep. They are dark grey with silver front covers and black vent slats. The brand names Lasko or Air King are on the top, center of the front cover. The Lasko Model 5540 and Air King Model 8540 subject to this recall were manufactured in 2002 and have date codes that begin with a “2.” The date code is on the label located on the bottom of the unit. The date code is a four-digit number on the bottom left area of the label, above the voltage number. Heaters with date codes beginning with “3,” “4” or “5” are not subject to this recall.

Sold at: The Lasko Model 5540 was sold at Sam’s Club and other retailers from September 2002 through early 2004 for $39 to $49. The Air King Model 8540 was sold primarily through the maintenance, repair and operating products supply company, W.W. Grainger Inc. from late 2002 to 2004 for approximately $80.00

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the heaters immediately and contact Lasko to receive a free replacement heater.

Consumer Contact: For additional information and pictures of affected models, visit Lasko’s website at www.Laskoproducts.com, or call Lasko anytime, toll-free at (800) 363-8044.

Recall: Food Dehydrator by NESCO American Harvest Due to Fire Hazard

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Name of Product: NESCO American Harvest Gardenmaster Food Dehydrator

Units: About 4,800

Manufacturer: The Metal Ware Corporation, of Two Rivers, Wisc.

Hazard: A defective capacitor in the electronic control module can overheat, posing a smoke and fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: NESCO received three reports of overheating resulting in smoke or fire. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled product includes a base with stackable trays to place food. The top of the unit houses the electronic control module. Model number FD-1020 and production date codes: 09E 0610; 09E 0624; and 09E 0903 are molded into the underside of the dehydrator’s electronic control module.

Sold at: National mass merchandisers and retailers and online at www.nesco.com and other websites from July 2009 to January 2011 for about $140.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled product and contact NESCO for instructions on how to receive a free electronic control module.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact NESCO at (800) 726-4457 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.nesco.com

Recall: GE and Professional Series Brand Dehumidifiers Due to Fire Hazard

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Name of Product: GE and Professional Series Brand Dehumidifiers

Units: About 198,000

Importer: GEA Products L.P., of Louisville, Ky., and CEM Global LLC (Professional Series) of China

Manufacturer: GD Midea Air Conditioning Equipment Ltd., of China

Hazard: A component in the dehumidifier’s compressor can short circuit, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Midea and GE have received a total of 14 reports of incidents involving smoke and fumes emitting from the unit and eight reports of fires. In six of the reported fire incidents, property damage extended beyond the unit. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves 30-pint and 40-pint portable dehumidifiers manufactured between November 2006 and August 2007, and during April 2008. The dehumidifiers are white with a front-loading water bucket. “GE” or “Professional Series” and digital controls are located on top of the dehumidifier. Model and serial numbers are located on the back of the dehumidifiers. Model and serial numbers included in the recall are:
Brand :

GE

Model Number Begins With:
AHK30LK, AHW30LK, AHM30LK, AHK40LK, AHH40LK, and AHM40LK

Serial Number Begins With
VL1, ZL1, AM1, DM1, FM1,GM1, HM1, LM1, MM1, RM1

CEM “Professional Series”

Model Number Begins With:
PS78303

Serial Number Begins With
from C10102336010841 4100001 to C10102336010841 5103037

Sold at: Walmart, Sam’s Club, Home Depot, Menards and other retail stores nationwide from February 2007 through June 2009 for between $140 and $180.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dehumidifiers and contact Midea to determine if their product is included in the recall. Consumers with recalled dehumidifiers will return their product to an authorized service center for a free repair. Consumers should not return the recalled dehumidifiers to the place of purchase.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Midea toll-free at (877) 593-8721 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.recallverification.com