Almost 60,000 air fryers have been recalled in Ireland over fears they can catch on fire.
People are being urged to stop using five Tower air fryer models that have been sold for years in Ireland by retailers like Lidl and Tesco.
Irish consumer protection officials warned yesterday that the models have a ‘manufacturing defect that may cause the appliance to overheat, potentially leading to fires and risking injury or death’.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission added: ‘Although no incidents have been reported in Ireland to date, there have been reports in the UK of these products catching fire.’
The air fryer models affected by the recall are:
- Tower 2.2Ltr Manual Air Fryer (T17023)
- Tower 4Ltr Manual Air Fryer (T17061BLK)
- Tower 4Ltr Digital Air Fryer (T17067)
- Tower 2Ltr Compact Manual Air Fryer (T17087)
- Tower 8Ltr Dual Basket Air Fryer (T17129L)
The affected products were manufactured between 2020 and last year and sold at Argos, Tesco Ireland, DID, Dealz, Lidl, Amazon and the Tower Housewares website.
Tower advises people to unplug their air fryers and check the appliance rating label located at the bottom.
The model number will begin with the letter T, followed by a code identifying which product it is.
If the number is one of those being recalled, people should report it to Tower and stop using the appliance immediately.
Grainne Griffin, director of communications at the CCPC, said: ‘This recall covers five Tower air fryer models with a dangerous manufacturing defect that could cause the models to overheat.’
Some British retailers and product safety officials have already recalled the faulty air fryers.
Lidl GB issued a recall for the Tower 8Ltr Dual Basket Air Fryers T17129L last month, as did Argos for the Tower 8L Dual Basket Air Fryer T17129.
Shoppers were asked to return the product for a full refund.
In April, the Office for Product Safety and Standards recalled four Tower models as they could ‘ignite during use’ and failed to comply with electrical equipment safety laws.
The models were sold by Argos, B&M Bargains, DID, Poundland, Robert Dyas, Tesco and the Tower Housewares website.
Nearly one in five people in the UK has encountered fire-related issues with air fryers, according to a survey in February.
Fire chiefs warn that user errors can sometimes lead to the kitchen staples catching on fire, such as placing them on a hob that has been switched on.
Some fires were caused by improper use, such as packaging being left inside a new air fryer or using baking paper.
How to use an air fryer safely
The Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service says:
- Keep the appliance away from overhead cupboards
- Purchase from a reputable supplier
- Look for a UK safety mark or European kitemark (‘CE’)
- Avoid using an air fryer or any cooking appliance while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Stay in the kitchen when using the appliance
- Do not use baking paper in an air fryer
- Clean the air fryer after each use
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