The Recall Desk
SevereCPSC·05258·Announced 2005-09-07

Ultimate Chopper Food Processor Recalled for Lid Malfunction and Injury Risk

Ultimate Chopper LLC is recalling about 1.5 million food processors because the interlocking lid can malfunction, allowing operation without the lid and causing lacerations or amputations.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves significant injury reports, including five cases requiring stitches or surgery and 12 cases of cuts or scratches, which aligns with the rubric criterion for 'significant injury reports' under the Severe classification.

Plain-English summary

Ultimate Chopper LLC is recalling approximately 1.5 million Ultimate Chopper food processors sold in the United States. The recall is due to a defect in the interlocking lid assembly that can malfunction, allowing the food processor to operate while the lid is off. This defect creates a hazard where consumers may insert their hands into the machine, resulting in lacerations or fingertip amputations. Additionally, the blade assembly can break, contributing to the injury risk.

CPSC and Ultimate Chopper LLC have received 17 reports of injuries resulting from the failure of the interlocking lid assembly or the blade assembly breaking. Five of the injured individuals required stitches or surgery, while the remaining 12 consumers received cuts or scratches. The affected units were marketed and distributed through television infomercial sales, the company's website, and various retailers nationwide from March 2002 through July 2005 for approximately $40. The product is a compact, single-speed food processor with a white base unit, a 600-watt motor, a plastic blade assembly with two stainless steel blades, a chopping bowl, and a clear interlocking lid.

Consumers should immediately inspect their Ultimate Chopper food processor to determine if the interlocking lid is functioning properly. To test, remove the lid and blade assembly and check if the unit operates without the lid on. If the unit turns on when the lid is removed, or if the blade assemblies are worn, damaged, or broken, consumers should stop using the unit immediately. Consumers can contact Ultimate Chopper LLC toll-free at (800) 819-6297 between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit www.ultimatechopper.com to receive a free replacement unit or blade assembly. An instructional video demonstrating how to inspect the unit is available at http://demo.ultimatechopper.com.

The recalled product

Product
Ultimate Chopper™ food processor
Category
Consumer Product — Kitchen Appliance
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same hazard · laceration

See all →