The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereCPSC·00009·Announced 1999-10-21

Holmes Wide-Angle Portable Heaters Recalled for Fire Hazard

Holmes Products Corp. is recalling approximately 45,000 Wide-Angle portable heaters because improperly positioned thermostats can cause overheating and fire.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a fire hazard with 11 reported incidents of overheating and catching fire, including six instances of property damage, which aligns with the rubric criterion for significant injury/property-damage reports.

Plain-English summary

Holmes Products Corp. is recalling approximately 45,000 "Wide-Angle" portable electric heaters manufactured in 1998. The recall is due to improperly positioned thermostats that can cause the units to overheat, posing a fire hazard.

The affected units are approximately 12 inches high, shaped like a half-circle, with a white front and gray back. They feature two knobs on top and have a date code containing the number 98 on the back right-hand corner above the Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) logo. The UL box also contains the text "MODEL: HFH-297" and "MADE IN CHINA."

Holmes Products has received 11 reports of these units overheating and catching fire, with six incidents resulting in minor property damage. No injuries have been reported. Consumers should immediately stop using these heaters and contact Holmes at (800) 5HOLMES or visit www.holmesproducts.com to receive a refund.

The recalled product

Product
Holmes "Wide-Angle" portable heaters
Manufacturer
Holmes Products Corp., of Milford, Mass.
Category
Consumer Product — Portable Heaters
Hazard
Affected units
45,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same hazard · fire

See all →

Similar recalls