Washers under recall: 780,000 units due to consumer-reported explosions leading to injuries
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has published a recall notice for about 780,000 Ryobi-branded electric pressure washers sold at retailers like Home Depot. The recall is due to a projectile hazard as the products' capacitor can overheat and burst, causing parts to be forcefully ejected.
TTI Outdoor Power Equipment, a subsidiary of Techtronic Industries (TTI), is the company that is recalling certain models of its Ryobi-branded electric pressure washers. The affected models have model numbers RY142300 and RY142711VNM.
The sale of these pressure washers took place between July 2017 and June 2024. Approximately 764,000 of these washers were sold in the U.S., in addition to 16,000 in Canada. No additional incidents were reported in Canada, according to a notice from Health Canada.
The CPSC has received 135 reports of capacitors overheating in the U.S., including 41 reports of explosions that resulted in 32 injuries and/or fractures to consumers' fingers, hands, face, and eyes. This poses serious impact risks to users or bystanders.
Consumers in possession of the recalled pressure washers are urged to stop using them immediately and visit Ryobi's recall website to learn about how to receive a free repair kit, which includes a replacement capacitor.
This is not the first time Ryobi products have been recalled. Last year, TTI Outdoor Power Equipment recalled Ryobi-branded lawn mowers and hedge trimmers due to fire and cutting incidents. The exact product data for these recalled items is not available in the provided search results.
The Ryobi hedge trimmers were recalled due to laceration hazards, while the Ryobi mowers were recalled due to fire hazards. The recall of the Ryobi mowers and hedge trimmers occurred earlier this year, prior to the pressure washer recall.
The Ryobi products, including the pressure washers, mowers, and hedge trimmers, were sold at Home Depot and Direct Tools Factory Outlet. The Ryobi products were sold for approximately $300 to $400 in stores and online.
The Associated Press reached out to TTI Outdoor Power Equipment for further comments on Thursday. At the time of writing, no response has been received.
This recall serves as a reminder for consumers to be vigilant when using power tools and to follow safety instructions carefully. It is also important to check for recalls regularly to ensure the safety of the products in use.
