The CPSC is warning conspumers to immediately stop using Lakkzoom immersion water heaters after 235 reports of fires, and the Justice Department has filed a federal complaint seeking a mandatory recall of the devices.
The move marks the CPSC’s first use of its Section 12 imminent hazard authority since 1987. In a separate announcement, the agency said it turned to the rarely used emergency power to seek swift court-ordered relief.
About 98,000 of the heaters were sold on Amazon.com and eBay.com from September 2022 through July 2026. The products were manufactured by Cixi Miaojie Electrical Appliance Co. Ltd. and imported by Changsha Jiayi Tianzhuo Trading Co. Ltd., both of China.
According to the CPSC, the heaters can quickly ignite within minutes when they are partially or completely out of water, posing a risk of serious injury and death from fire.
The CPSC said it is aware of 235 reports of fires involving the heaters. The agency did not specify how many injuries, if any, have been linked to those fires, but it warned that the devices pose a risk of serious injury and death.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that the CPSC investigated several of the fire incidents and that agency testing showed the heaters could catch fire within minutes in certain circumstances. The claims in the complaint are allegations that the government would need to prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
The immersion water heaters consist of metal tubes with circular or heart-shaped holes and plastic endcaps in black, yellow, or pink. The brand name “Lakkzoom” and one of the following model numbers may appear on the purchase receipt:
- 1500W
- 2000W
- HT1500W (also identified as MJ-R13)
- HT2000W
The CPSC is advising consumers to stop using the immersion water heaters immediately and dispose of them. Because the case involves a contested court action rather than a voluntary recall, no repair or refund program has been announced.
The agency asks anyone who experienced a fire, injury, or product defect to report it at SaferProducts.gov.