Staying Fit
Best Buy issued a recall on several models of air fryers sold under the Insignia brand after the company received reports of the products catching fire, burning or melting, according to an announcement from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
About 635,000 recalled units were sold in the U.S.; another 137,000 were sold in Canada. Of the 68 reports of air fryers catching fire, burning or melting in the U.S. and the 36 complaints from Canadian consumers, seven include reports of minor property damage and two reports of injuries, including to a child’s leg.
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The recalled products
The recall involves Insignia Digital Air Fryers, Insignia Analog Air Fryers and Insignia Digital Air Fryer Ovens. The affected model numbers are:
- NS-AF32DBK9
- NS-AF32MBK9
- NS-AF50MBK9
- NS-AF53DSS0
- NS-AF53MSS0
- NS-AF55DBK9
- NS-AFO6DBK1
- NS-AFO6DSS1
The products have cooking chamber capacities ranging from approximately 3.4 to 10 quarts, with a plastic or plastic and stainless-steel body and the brand name, Insignia, on the top or front of each unit.
Although the affected air fryers were sold at Best Buy stores and on the website, the company also sold them on eBay and Google from November 2018 through February 2022 for between $30 and $150.
Advice to consumers
Anyone who has one of the recalled products should return it to Best Buy for a refund in the form of a credit to use at the company’s online or retail stores. Best Buy is contacting all known purchasers to arrange returns and providing prepaid shipping boxes, labels and return instructions. Consumers without a receipt will receive a $50 credit; those with one will receive the actual amount of the purchase price if greater than $50.
For more information, register online at insigniaairfryerrecall.expertinquiry.com or call Best Buy at 800-566-7498, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
Aaron Kassraie writes about issues important to military veterans and their families for AARP. He also serves as a general assignment reporter. Kassraie previously covered U.S. foreign policy as a correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency’s Washington bureau and worked in news gathering for USA Today and Al Jazeera English.
