Whirlpool Recalls Certain Glass Cooktops

(RTTNews) - Home appliance major Whirlpool Corp. recalled more than 26,000 glass cooktops with touch controls, as they can turn on by themselves and pose burn as well as fire risks.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission or CPSC said in a recall notice that 26,300 glass cooktops sold under the Whirlpool, KitchenAid and JennAir brands were recalled. However, it does not provide details of how the cooktop surface elements can turn themselves on.

The glass cooktops were manufactured by Whirlpool from December 2016 through July 2019. The products were sold at Lowe's, Home Depot, Best Buy and other stores as well as online from March 2017 through August 2019 for between $1,150 and $2,500.

Whirlpool received 133 reports of cooktops turning on by themselves, with 14 reports of fire or heat damage. Two cases of minor burn injuries have also been reported.

Customers who have these cooktops in their homes are being urged to contact Whirlpool to arrange for the free installation of a replacement cooktop. They are also being advised to turn the cooktop off at the circuit breaker and to not leave flammable material or empty cookware either on or near the cooktop.

In July, Whirlpool had issued a recall for half a million of its tumble dryers in the UK. The recall came four years after the company discovered a fatal flaw in some of the units that could pose a risk of them catching fire.

Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan and Proline brand dryers were affected by a build up of lint at the back of the appliance, increasing the risk of fire in rare cases.

In November 2018, A.O. Smith recalled about 616,000 water heaters, including the Whirlpool brand, citing a risk of fire hazard. The company noted that water heater's gas burner screen can develops tears and then create excess radiant heat, posing a fire hazard.