Waffle Makers Recalled Due To Potential Injury Causes
By Hira Waheed
23 May 2023
Empower Brands, maker of the PowerXL Stuffed Wafflizer Waffle Maker, is recalling roughly 456,000 waffle makers due to a potential burn hazard. There have been 44 incident reports to date, with 34 mentioning burn injuries. Three owners of the Wafflizer products have required medical attention.
Empower Brands Recalls 456,000 PowerXL Stuffed Wafflizer
The PowerXL Stuffed Wafflizer's description boasted non-stick plates, even batter distribution, and rapid heating. Sold with an included recipe booklet, the waffle maker could be used to make deep-pocketed, airy Belgian waffles and crispy stuffed waffles with savory or sweet batters and fillings. The temperature range of the waffle maker was 302 to 374 degrees Fahrenheit. Human skin can sustain first-degree burns at 118 degrees Fahrenheit, second-degree burns at 131 degrees, and can be severely damaged or destroyed with exposure to anything higher than 162 degrees.
While the product did advise consumers to “use caution when opening the product” and avoid the puff of steam released — and warned that excess batter could cause an increase in steam — there was nothing to indicate spattering of food particles.
Product Safety Rules
A warning from the Consumer Product Safety Commission states, “Hot pieces of the waffle or stuffing can be expelled from the waffle maker during use or upon opening the product, posing a burn risk to consumers.” The CPSC recommends consumers “immediately stop using” the two recalled models:
Model ESWM02, 5 inches
Model ESWM03, 7 inches
The Wafflizer models in question were available for purchase from July 2021 to October 2022 in a variety of colors for between $30 to $60 each. The models were sold at multiple stores including Walmart, The Home Depot, Best Buy, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Big Lots, and Target. They were also sold online through retailers like QVC, Kohls, and Amazon.
Free Latch Adaptor Clip to Resolve Burn Hazard
The recall notice explains that the waffle maker “can expel food products due to pressure buildup during the cooking process, particularly if overfilled.” To resolve the issue, Empower Brands is offering customers a free latch adaptor clip. “When installed on your Stuffed Wafflizer, [the latch clip] will release when it recognizes a set internal pressure level,” reads the Power XL safety notice. The clip comes with written instructions for installation and can be requested via the company’s recall page.
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