Cedar chests are a common heirloom furniture item – maybe you inherited one from a relative, received one as a gift, or picked up one at a thrift store or estate sale. They might be the perfect place to store your winter clothes during the off-season, but chests from Lane or Virginia Maid before 1987 have a flaw: they latch automatically when the lid is closed. [More]
recalls
CPSC Working With Fitbit On Mysterious Force Rash Issues
By 3.4.14
Some users of the new Fitbit Force activity tracker really liked the product. They thought it was just great… right up until ugly patches of contact dermatitis broke out on their wrists. The company announced its own recall, but is simply accepting wristbands back from users who don’t want them enough? [More]
February Recall Roundup: Stop That Baby Walker!
By 2.25.14
In this month’s Recall Roundup, recalls are here to protect babies’ fingers, adults’ wrists, and anyone who uses a toilet. [More]
Was Massive Beef Recall Caused By Dairy Cows With Eye Cancer?
By 2.21.14
We know that millions of pounds of beef that came through a California slaughterhouse and meat processing plant have been recalled because the plant “processed diseased and unsound animals.” Well, okay, but what does that mean? We don’t know that for sure yet, but the Village Voice talked to one rancher whose entire 2013 output is part of that massive recall. [More]
Fitbit Voluntarily Recalls Rash-Inducing Force Wristbands
By 2.21.14
Since the first reports of contact dermatitis caused by Fitbit Force movement trackers surfaced on the company’s forums (and gained publicity when Consumerist broke the story last month) customers have asked that the company recall the trackers. Fitbit has been happy to refund customers who have skin problems and send their trackers back. Today, the company announced that they’re recalling all Force wristbands. [More]
Nestlé Recall: Because Even Hot Pockets Shouldn’t Contain Beef “Unfit For Human Food”
By 2.18.14
Can someone please find Jim Gaffigan and hold his hand while he hears this news? After a beef processing plant announced a recall last week of almost nine million pounds of meat “unfit for human food,” Nestlé has announced it’s pulling certain flavors and batches of Hot Pockets from the shelf. And yes, I can hear the jokes you’re making. [More]
GM Recalls 778K Vehicles After Fatalities Caused By Ignition Switching Off For No Reason
By 2.13.14
No one wants their car to switch off while driving down the highway. That’s why General Motors announced Thursday that it’s recalling nearly 778,000 compact cars. [More]
California Plant Shuts Down After Recalling 8.7 Million Pounds Of Beef “Unfit For Human Food”
By 2.10.14
In what sounds like the perfect storm of awfulness and complete inedibility, a Northern California plant has announced it’s voluntarily closing after issuing a recall for 8.7 million pounds of beef. Why? Because federal officials say the plant “processed diseased and unsound animals” without a full federal inspection, resulting in products that are “unfit for human food.” Yum. [More]
Uncle Ben’s Rice Recalled Following Multiple Illnesses At Schools
By 2.10.14
The makers of Uncle Ben’s rice have recalled various versions of the product that were only sold on the wholesale market following multiple incidents where numerous people fell ill after eating the rice at school lunchrooms. [More]
Some Hubbard Life, Joy, QC+ Dog & Cat Foods Recalled Because Salmonella Is Not Vet-Recommended
By 2.6.14
Ohio-based Pro-Pet LLC has issued a limited recall of varieties of three of its dry dog and cat food brands — Hubbard Life, Joy, and QC+ — over concerns about possible salmonella contamination. [More]
Aston Martin Recalling 17,590 Cars Because You Didn’t Pay $240K For A Luxury Paper Weight
By 2.5.14
There might not be many of you out there reading in Consumerist land who can afford/have the desire to buy an Aston Martin — after all, the luxury vehicles cost anywhere between $117,000 to $240,000, depending on the model. But if you’re one of the 5,001 owners in America of certain models, you probably want it to be able to accelerate. [More]
More Bad News For Babies: 216,000 Britax Strollers Recalled Over Finger Amputation Risk
By 1.31.14
It’s been quite a bad news week for babies and their parents — on the heels of yesterday’s recall of 200,000 baby pacifiers by Fred & Friends, Britax has announced it’s recalling 216,000 strollers over the risk of amputation. [More]
Recall Of 200K Pacifiers: While A Baby With A Mustache Is Cute, It’s Not Worth Choking Over
By 1.30.14
Look that baby! She’s got a mustache and a tiny little beard! Isn’t that just so adorable, because see, babies can’t grow facial hair and also she’s a girl? Sure, it might be cute, but the company behind three novelty pacifiers, Fred & Friends, has announced it’s recalling 200,000 over safety concerns. Namely, that a baby could choke on some of the parts included. [More]
Gree Adds 21 Models Of GE Dehumidifiers To Massive, Slow Recall
By 1.30.14
If you have a GE dehumidifier in your home, time to check the serial number: Gree Electric Appliances has recalled 350,000 dehumidifiers sold between April 2008 and December 2011 because they could potentially overheat and cause a fire. If this recall sounds familiar, it should: Gree already recalled 2.2 million dehumidifiers sold under brand names that you might recognize like De’Longhi, Frigidaire, and Kenmore. Customers have complained to Consumerist that this recall has been slow and crappy. [More]
Bodum Recalls Starbucks French Presses: Shattered Glass And Boiling Water Are A Bad Combination
By 1.29.14
Do you know what really doesn’t go together? A quart or so of boiling water, a plummeting glass container, and a lot of brown-colored, stain-tastic liquid. That’s been the terrifying result for some people who paid $40 for a pretty rose gold colored French press at Starbucks. [More]
Flushmate III Toilet System Recalled Because Toilet Explosions Are Very Bad
By 1.24.14
Words that you never want to see in close proximity to each other: “toilet,” “explosion,” and “shatter.” That’s why the Flushmate flush-assist system has been recalled, though: one of the welds in the system can break, shattering the toilet tank and posing an “impact and laceration hazards to consumers,” as the Consumer Product Safety Commission elegantly explains. [More]
January Food And Supplement Recall Roundup: Dairy Invasion
By 1.24.14
Undeclared dairy products seem to be showing up in lots of places where they aren’t wanted: candy, gluten-free bread mixes, and even dietary supplements. Welcome to the January Recall Roundup for edible items. [More]
Sears, Kmart Recall Kenmore Fan Heaters Because They Are Not Supposed To Catch Fire
By 1.15.14
While flames have long kept humans warm during cold weather, fire is not the intended output of a Kenmore heat fan. That’s why Sears and Kmart have recalled 43,000 of the fans and will be issuing refunds to customers who bought them. [More]
