After receiving 133 reports of glass cooktops turning on by themselves, Whirlpool has recalled more than 26,000 of the appliances.
CBS Sacramento reports that the cooktops in question are both radiant and downdraft radiant models with glass cooking surfaces and touch controls, and they were all sold between March 2017 and August 2019, for $1150 to $2500. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the appliances bear the brand names Whirlpool, KitchenAid, or JennAir (the Whirlpool Corporation owns KitchenAid and JennAir) and were sold in home improvement and appliance stores, including Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Best Buy, both in person and online.
In other words, if you have a glass cooktop, it’s probably worth checking the model number and serial number, which should be printed on the underside of the appliance. Enter the numbers into Whirlpool’s online form to determine if yours was recalled. If it was, Whirlpool will install a new one free of charge. In the meantime, the CPSC advises that you turn off the unit at the circuit breaker when you’re not using it, and don’t leave flammable objects or empty cookware on or around the area.
Thankfully, the faulty cooktops haven’t gravely injured anybody, but they have caused a fair amount of damage. There have been 14 reports of heat damage to nearby items, four reports of fire, and one report of property damage, and two people have sustained minor burn injuries.
It’s not the only device that’s recently been recalled due to fire safety risks. Earlier this month, Apple issued a recall of more than 460,000 MacBook Pro batteries. Find out how to check if yours was affected here.