It's back to the drawing board for these propane gadgets. (image: cpsc.gov)
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Fiskars Brands, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin, announced a voluntary recall today of Fiskars’ SmartPower String Trimmers.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first weed whacker recalled this summer. The problems are usually similar: fire, burn and laceration hazards. In this case, the trimmer’s engine vibrations were found to wear down the fuel lines leading to the trimmer’s propane fuel tank, causing leaks. Some reports claimed the propane canister would crack during use, and others stated high temperatures from the engine caused the device’s plastic cutting guard to melt, deform, or fall off. So far, no incidents or injuries have been reported. However, these malfunctions could pose potential burn, fire and laceration hazards to consumers.
Between January and July of this year, approximately 2,200 of these units have been sold in stores nationwide, and online at Amazon.com, Powerequipmentdirect.com, Suresource.com and Walmart.com. They sold for between $220 and $280. If you think you own one of these trimmers, contact Fiskars at (877) 495-6645 to receive a full refund.