After reports of fires and $700,000 in property damage, Walmart and other retailers have announced a recall for about 634,000 Frigidaire® Retro Mini Fridges that can short-circuit, ignite the surrounding plastic housing, and catch on fire.
There were 26 reports of the mini-fridges smoking, sparking, burning, melting, overheating and catching on fire. Two people reported smoke inhalation injuries, according to the manufacturer, Curtis International.
The mini fridges were sold at Walmart and other stores nationwide, and online at Walmart.com, Amazon.com, and other websites between January 2020 and December 2023 for about $36 to $40.
The recalled mini fridges were sold in 6-can and 9-can sizes in a variety of colors, with the name “Frigidaire” on the front. They were advertised as desktop refrigerators for snacks, drinks, or makeup.
The recall only includes certain Frigidaire-brand Mini Fridges with model numbers EFMIS129, EFMIS137, EFMIS149 and EFMIS175. The recall is limited to units manufactured between January 2020 and December 2023 that do not have a “-B” or “-C” in the model number.
The manufacturer is urging customers to immediately stop using the recalled mini fridges, and visit the recall website for instructions on how to get a full refund: https://www.recallrtr.com/minifridge.
According to the recall, many of the model numbers are similar, but only specific models are being recalled. Consumers should visit the recall website to verify that your mini fridge model is part of the recall.
This is the second major recall for portable mini fridges. Last month, about 249,100 AstroAI Mini Fridges were recalled after 70 incidents were reported, including fires that caused at least $360,000 in property damage.