VH101 Personal Vortex electric space heaters
CPSC Recall #18-199 — August 22, 2018
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 18-199 |
| Recall Date | August 22, 2018 |
| Remedy Type | Refund, Replace |
| Units Affected | About 350,000 (This recall was first announced in April 2018.) |
| Importer | Vornado Air LLC, of Andover, Kan. |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| Bed Bath & Beyond |
| Home Depot |
| Menards |
| Orchard Supply |
| Target and other stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com |
| Target.com |
| Vornado.com and other websites from August 2009 through March 2018 for about $30. |
Product
VH101 Personal Vortex electric space heaters
Description
This recall involves Vornado VH101 Personal Vortex electric space heaters sold in the following colors: black, coral orange, grayed jade, cinnamon, fig, ice white and red. The heaters measure about 7.2 inches long by 7.8 inches wide by 7.10 inches high and have two heat settings (low and high) and a fan only/no heat setting. “Vornado” with a “V” behind it is printed on the front of the unit. The model/type “VH101,” serial number and ETL mark are printed on a silver rating label on the bottom of the unit.
Hazard
The electric space heater can overheat when in use, posing fire and burn hazards.
Incidents & Injuries
In December 2017, a 90-year-old man in Chanhassen, Minnesota died as a result of a fire involving the recalled heater. Vornado has received a total of 19 reports of the heaters catching on fire.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled heaters and contact Vornado for instructions on how to receive a full refund or a free replacement unit.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund, Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Refund, Replace) at no cost to you.
If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident — they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.