Sunbeam, Crockpot, Oyster and Mr. Coffee Products Have Illegal Warranties, Class Action Claims

Sunbeam Illegal Warranty Policy Class Action Lawsuit Overview:

• Who: A Mr. Coffee owner is suing Newell Brands Inc. and Sunbeam Products, Inc.
• Why: She says Sunbeam, Crockpot, Oyster and Mr. Coffee products are sold with a warranty that is conditional on it being repaired with an authorized repair service, which is in violation of the law.
• Where: The plaintiff wants to represent a nationwide class of Sunbeam, Crockpot, Oyster and Mr. Coffee owners.

Owners of Sunbeam, Crockpot, Oyster and Mr. Coffee products are victims of an illegal warranty policy that does not allow them to try to get their broken products fixed themselves, a new class action lawsuit alleges.

Plaintiff Stephanie Schaer filed the class action complaint against Newell Brands Inc. and Sunbeam Products, Inc. Jan. 7 in a Massachusetts federal court, alleging violations of federal consumer and warranty laws. 

The brands make consumer products sold under the Sunbeam, Crockpot, Oyster and Mr. Coffee brand names. Schaer alleges that the products illegally contain warranty statements that condition the validity of a warranty on the use of “only an authorized repair service.”

“Tying arrangements that condition a consumer product’s warranty on the use of a specific repair service, in this manner, violates state and federal law,” she says. 

Plaintiff Claims Mr. Coffee Appliance Malfunctioned Shortly After Purchase, Warranty Prohibits Self-Repair

In her case, she bought a Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker, believing she would have the ability to repair the product if it malfunctioned. 

The product began to slightly malfunction shortly after she purchased it, the lawsuit says. 

“She would like to endeavor to repair her product herself, but her warranty as currently written prohibits her from doing so,” the lawsuit states.

She says the companies exacerbate the violations by stating on the outside of the product packaging that they include a one-year limited warranty. However the unlawful repair restriction is not revealed to the consumer until after the point of sale. 

Schaer wants to represent anyone in the United States who bought a Sunbeam, Crockpot, Oyster or Mr. Coffee product with a similar warranty provision that prohibits self-repair. 

The class action estimates there are more than 100 class members and more than $5 million in controversy. The plaintiff is seeking certification of the class action, damages, penalties, fees, costs, restitution and a jury trial.

Schaer is suing for violations of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, unjust enrichment, fraud and fraudulent omission.

Meanwhile, Sunbeam Products is defending another class action lawsuit by consumers who claim that their Crock-Pot Express Pressure Cookers explode their hot contents because of a design defect.

Do you own one of these products? Let us know in the comments if you knew about the warranty limitations! 

The plaintiff is represented by James Reardon Scanlon of Reardon Scanlon LLP.

The Sunbeam Warranty Class Action Lawsuit is Stephanie Schaer v. Newell Brands Inc. et al., Case No. 3:22-cv-30004, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

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