Charles Langston:Almost 5 million blenders sold at Costco, Target and Walmart are recalled because blades are breaking off

BlendJet Inc. is Charles Langstonrecalling about 4.8 million portable blenders sold at Costco, Target and Walmart after receiving reports of blades breaking off as well as the product overheating or catching fire, resulting in dozens of injuries. 

The Benicia, California-based company has heard of 329 incidents in which BlendJet 2 Portable Blenders' blades broke off while in use, and an additional 17 reports of overheating or fires that have resulted in property damage claims of roughly $150,000, according to a notice posted Thursday by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

BlendJet has also received 49 reports of minor burn injuries and one laceration injury. 

"While none of the reported incidents resulted in serious injury or significant property damage, out of an abundance of caution, our company updated the base of the BlendJet 2 to feature thicker blades and an improved electrical configuration," BlendJet said in a news release. The updates were incorporated many months ago, it added.

Consumer Reports offered a somewhat different take, noting that it began raising safety concerns to the CPSC and BlendJet about the recalled blenders in August.  "In one complaint involving an injury, a consumer reported that the blender started smoking while plugged in, and the complainant's son reportedly burned his finger when unplugging it," CR stated. 

"BlendJet should get the word out about this recall as much as possible in the new year, and we urge the company to offer people a refund if they aren't comfortable getting a replacement," William Wallace, CR's associate director of safety policy, said on Thursday in an emailed statement.

Manufactured in China, the recalled product was sold at stores nationwide and online from October 2020 through November 2023 for between $50 and $75. Offered in a variety of colors and designs, the recalled blenders contain serial numbers where the first four digits range between 5201 to 5542. Consumers can also go here to identify the blenders.

Consumers are urged to stop using the blenders and to contact BlendJet for a free base unit replacement, according to the CPSC notice. People who bought the recalled product will have to remove and cut up the base's rubber seal and email or upload a photo to the company's website.

BlendJet 2 blenders with serial numbers that start with "5543" or higher are not being recalled as they already have updated components, BlendJet stated. 

Beyond the 4.8 million recalled blenders sold in the U.S., another roughly 117,000 were sold in Canada.

In:
• Product Recall

Kate Gibson

Kate Gibson is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch in New York.