Electrical Safety First has issued a recall for five models of Komodo Heat Mats, warning of a risk of electric shock. The recall notice was published on the charity's product recalls page1.
The stated cause is overheating. In the notice's own words:
"The reason for the recall is due to a potential risk of overheating when the products are not used in accordance with the instructions."
The affected models are identified by barcode. The notice lists five:
| Model | Barcode |
|---|---|
| 823105 | W701029823105 |
| 823117 | W701029823112 |
| 8231214 | W701029823129 |
| 8231320 | W701029823136 |
| 8231435 | W701029823143 |
The notice does not state how many units are affected, when the products were sold, or which retailers stocked them. Those details have not been reported1.
On returns, the notice says:
"We encourage all consumers who have purchased these products to return them to the retailer for refund or exchange."
Questions about the recall can be directed to 0116 260 2100, the number given in the notice1. Electrical Safety First also states that anyone who finds they have an electrical item that has been recalled should stop using it until it has been checked by the manufacturer1.
Why it matters for households
Heat mats sit alongside other electric heating products in the home, and a fault that causes overheating carries two distinct risks: the shock risk named in the recall, and the fire risk that overheating can bring. For a household, the practical effect is that a product bought to provide local warmth may need to come out of use, at least until it has been checked.
The recall also turns on how a product is used. The notice ties the overheating risk to use that departs from the instructions, which places weight on the manufacturer's guidance for any electric heater. Households relying on electric heating for a room, rather than a central system, carry that dependence on a single appliance: if it is withdrawn from use, the room's heat source goes with it. The wider considerations around electrical safety and supply for electric heating cover how such products are supplied and protected, and the boilers and heating hub sets out the alternatives where a home's main heat comes from a central system.
Checking a barcode against a recall list is the step the notice itself supports, and it is the only route it gives to identifying whether a particular mat is affected. No information has been published on how long the products were on sale or how many households hold one1.
What happens next
The notice sets out two routes: return to the retailer for refund or exchange, or call 0116 260 2100 with questions1. No closing date for the recall, and no date by which returns must be made, is given in the notice1.
Sources1 cited
- Komodo Heat Mats, electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk