Can You File a Product Defect Lawsuit for Your AmazonBasics Microwave?

Hundreds of user reviews for the AmazonBasics microwave praise the device for its most advanced feature – it can be operated through voice commands by syncing it up with one of Amazon’s Echo hubs. Hundreds of others though have posted reviews saying the microwave sparks, smokes and, in some cases, ignites flames inside the appliance. The safety of AmazonBasics electronics products are now being called into question.

“First it sparked a few times, then fire shot out from the side and completely covered the side heating element with black carbon that cannot be removed,” one reviewer wrote in September.

“I have had this microwave for well over a year with no problems or complaints. Today it almost caught fire while I was popping a bag of microwave popcorn,” another reviewer wrote in September. “It made a loud repetitive buzzing noise, the light inside it flashed on and off, and when I opened the door there was smoke coming out of the vent/light area.”

And this month, a reviewer wrote, “We had this for a year and half. Worked great then it randomly caught fire. I was heating up something in a cup like usual then the metal side panel inside caught on fire.”

Is the AmazonBasics Microwave a Fire Hazard?

The safety of the AmazonBasics microwave and several other of the brand’s electronics was recently called into question by an expansive investigation conducted by CNN and released last month. Reporters combed through thousands of product reviews, interviewed consumers and even obtained some of the faulty items and had them tested by University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering.

One of the items sent for testing was a microwave submitted by an owner who said it had caught fire.

“Testing found that the design of the panel covering the heating device inside the microwave could result in the machine catching on fire, and determined that the way the panel was secured could allow debris such as food or grease to collect behind it and possibly ignite,” the CNN report said. “As soon as the researchers turned it on, the microwave began sparking and smoking, causing it to react as if its user put foil or other metal inside.”

The experience of the testers echoed the hundreds of user complaints that can be found among the microwave’s reviews on Amazon. And the head of the engineering center said the evidence is troubling.

“There’s a risk in using this machine for sure, and it’s a safety risk because this clearly heated up to the extent a fire could occur,” professor Michael Pecht told CNN. “This is more than a reliability problem, this is a potential safety problem.”

What are AmazonBasics Products?

AmazonBasics is Amazon.com’s private label, or store brand, started in 2009 with mostly electronics accessories such as power cables, adapters and battery packs. In true Amazon fashion, what started out small has grown exponentially. Today, the AmazonBasics brand “has grown into a full-on emporium—a microcosm of Amazon’s entire inventory, albeit, offering much better value,” Readers’ Digest says. It offers everything from bedding to t-shirts, dinnerware to watch bands, smart phone chargers to backpacks.

The company chooses which items to produce under the AmazonBasics banner according to customer demand, which it tracks on the Amazon platform.

The New York Times’ tech blog Wirecutter reported back in 2016 that AmazonBasics  products “regularly top the best-seller lists in many categories, such as lightning cables, laptop sleeves and hangers.”

Has an AmazonBasics Microwave Recall Been Issued?

As of the date of this publication, there have been no official recalls of an AmazonBasics microwave oven either by Amazon or through the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The only AmazonBasics products that have been recalled in the United States are six models of the brand’s portable lithium-ion battery charger/power banks, according to the safety commission. Recalled in March 2018, the power banks are said to be prone to overheating.

Consumer complaints about the power banks included reports of them causing acid burns, fire and smoke damage, the safety commission’s recall listing says. An estimated 260,000 of the power banks were sold and anyone who still has one is advised to immediately stop using it and contact Amazon to arrange to return it.

Amazon is offering a full refund on the power banks.

What Has the Reaction Been to the CNN Investigation?

Immediately following the release of the CNN investigation into the safety of the AmazonBasics microwave and other electronics, some lawmakers began demanding action from Amazon. Among them, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Robert Menendez of New Jersey, who wrote a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos demanding  greater safety measures.

“Immediately stop the sale of dangerous and defective AmazonBasics products, recall them, and effectively and immediately notify consumers of potential risks,” the senators urged Bezos.

Can You File an AmazonBasics Class Action Lawsuit?

Customers who have purchased an AmazonBasics microwave that has malfunctioned, or posed a safety risk, might have grounds to pursue a class action lawsuit, or join a class action lawsuit already in progress against Amazon.

Consumer product litigation can be complicated and time consuming. Top Class Action can help by putting consumers together with lawyers who are qualified, experienced consumer product safety litigators to guide the process.

Free AmazonBasics Product Fire Class Action Lawsuit Evaluation

Did you purchase any of the following AmazonBasics products?

• Surge Protectors
• Charging Cables and Cords
• Kitchen Appliances

Product defect attorneys are currently seeking consumers nationwide—with an added emphasis on those in California, Illinois, New York, and Florida—who have purchased AmazonBasics products from the above-mentioned categories to join as potential plaintiffs on this case.

Get a Free Case Evaluation

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.