Rice and slow cookers

CPSC Recall #17-017 — October 18, 2016

Recall Summary

Recall Number17-017
Recall DateOctober 18, 2016
Remedy TypeDispose, No Remedy Available
Units AffectedAbout 175,000 (in addition, 100 were sold in Canada)
ImporterSherwood Marketing, owner of the 3 Squares brand, LLC, of San Diego, Calif. 
Manufactured InChina

Where It Was Sold

Home
hardware
mass merchandisers and department stores nationwide and online at Amazon
Bed Bath & Beyond
Best Buy
Costco
Get3Squares
Home Depot
Kohl’s
Target
Wayfair and other websites from December 2015 through July 2016 for between $30 and $70
depending on the model and capacity. 

Product

Rice and slow cookers

Description

This recall involves 3 Squares-branded Tim3 Machin3 and Mini Tim3 Machin3 rice and slow cookers with fixed power cords. The 20-cup/4-quart or 8-cup/1.7-quart programmable electric cookers are stainless steel with black molded plastic, have a control panel/keypad on the front and measure about 11 inches in diameter and12 inches tall. The 3Squares logo is printed on the front of the control panel. Model numbers starting with 3RC and ending in 3010S, 3020S, 3434, 5020 and 9010S are included in the recall. The model number is printed on a label on the side of the product.

Hazard

The rice/slow cooker’s improperly installed wiring can cause electrical shorting in the unit, posing fire and electric shock hazards.

Incidents & Injuries

The firm has received three incident reports, including a cooker sparking when turned on and a cooker turning itself on. One shock injury was reported.

Remedy Instructions

The remedy is not available. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled rice/slow cookers. Destroy and discard this product.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, No Remedy Available 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 (Dispose, No Remedy Available) 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.