US Government Recalls Kitchen Appliance Over Fire Hazard

The U.S. and Canadian consumer safety agencies both issued recall alerts for a kitchen appliance that could pose a fire hazard. The Brod & Taylor Sahara Folding Food Dehydrators were recalled earlier this month because the heater fan can fail, leading the appliance to overheat. Berkshire Innovations Inc. received over a dozen reports of overheating devices.

The dehydrator includes seven shelves, and two front glass doors, and can fold up for storage. The back panel includes the model number DR710, the production code CCAE, and an individual serial number, according to the recall notice published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The recalled appliances have serial numbers between 12139055 and 12140194. About 990 were made in the U.S., and about 29 were sold in Canada.

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(Photo: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

Consumers are warned to stop using the dehydrator immediately. They should also remove the polyester air filter and contact Berkshire Innovations to schedule a free repair. The company will replace the air filter with a non-flammable metal screen air filter designed to consumers can replace them in the future without tools. Berkshire Innovations received 15 reports of the appliances overheating, but none of the cases caused injuries or property damage.

Anyone who bought the dehydrator can contact Berkshire Innovations at brodandtaylor.com/pages/recall to receive the new air filter for free. Consumers can also email the company at recall@brodandtaylor.com or call 800-768-7064. The dehydrators can be used without any air filter installed, the company notes.

The recalled products were sold at Harmony Farm Supply & Nursery in Sebastopol, California, and at brodandtaylor.com, amazon.com, williamssonoma.com, and pleasanthillgrain.com between July 2022 and March 2023. They cost between $295 and $395. The product was made in China.

Food dehydrators have become increasingly popular in recent years. According to new research from Global Market Insights Inc., the market is expected to reach $3.5 billion by 2030. The market is expanding across the world as the demand for dried food items, with extended shelf life, increases. These products remove excess moisture and allow some foods to be stored safely without a refrigerator or freezer. The recalled Brod & Taylor dehydrator was recently included on a CNN list of the best dehydrators on the market.

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