The Major Waffle Maker Recall You Need To Know About

There's always a small risk of getting burned when using any old waffle iron, but one brand, in particular, has been getting heat for causing an inordinate number of burn risks. On May 18, 2023, Empower Brands recalled around 456,000 of its PowerXL Stuffed Wafflizer waffle makers due to 44 reported incidents, including burn injuries, according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The recall notice states that the waffle makers have spit out hot pieces of waffle or stuffing while they are being used or when they are opened after cooking, which can burn consumers. Empower Brands has received 44 reports of incidents related to its waffle makers, and 34 burn injuries have been recorded, including three that required medical attention.

The recall includes Empower Brands' five-inch PowerXL model (ESWM02) and the seven-inch model (ESWM03), which were sold in major chains retailers and online from July 2021 through October 2022. If you purchased a waffle maker from this brand during this time, double-check that yours wasn't one of the ones affected. You can identify the brand by the PowerXL logo on the top of the waffle iron, and check for the exact model number and date code on the rating label attached to the cord. The faulty models were sold in 11 colors, including black, white, seafoam, and sage, for between $30 and $60. 

If you have one of the recently recalled waffle makers, Empower Brands advises you to stop using it immediately. You can register your product on the company's website at powerxlproducts.com/recall, after which the company will send you a free latch adaptor and instructions on how to repair your iron. According to the brand, once installed, the new latch adaptor should resolve the potential issue.

This isn't the first time the company has had to conduct a major recall. Back in November 2022, the CPSC announced a recall of over half a million of its Black+Decker garment steamers, also because of burn risks. The faulty steamers accounted for two second-degree burns, 32 burn injuries, and 241 reports of hot water spraying out of the steamer. 

For further questions, you can reach out to Empower Brands via email at wafflizerrecall@brandprotectplus.com or over the phone at 1-866-276-0063 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday.