Which 4 electric heaters pose a fire risk and should be avoided

Which? tested 10 mini plug-in heaters, some as cheap as £12, models, or similar makes to items that had been for sale online.

Which? said all of them failed the safety tests and were illegal to sell in the UK.

Four products, three sold on eBay and one on Amazon, presented a fire risk.

All 10 of the electric heaters we tested from online marketplaces are so dangerous, they can't be legally sold in the UK.

Online marketplaces must be made legally responsible for the safety of all products sold through their platforms pic.twitter.com/dTl4AQIKbb

— Which? (@WhichUK) February 23, 2023

While all of the models posed a risk of electric shock and were illegal to sell in the UK because they did not meet the Electrical Equipment Safety Regulations.

Which? said they had also found ads for some of these products were being displayed on Google, local news sites and various social media platforms.

This comes at a time when millions of consumers have been turning to electric heaters for a cheaper and more energy-efficient way to heat their homes.

Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, Rocio Concha, said: “Our latest research has uncovered plug-in mini heaters that are illegal and could cause serious harm to consumers.

“This shows the clear failures of online platforms to eradicate unsafe products, fake reviews and dodgy adverts, which have all contributed to promoting dangerous products that end up in people’s homes.

“The government must urgently legislate to strengthen product safety, including giving online marketplaces greater legal responsibility for unsafe products sold on their sites so that consumers are far better protected.

“Self-regulation of online platforms is simply not working.

“These platforms have put in place inadequate measures which leave consumers at risk.

“The government must give these platforms greater responsibility to protect people online.”

What are the four electric heaters that pose a fire risk?

A Which? spokesperson revealed the four electric heaters that pose a fire risk and to avoid purchasing if seen online.

Plug In Wall Heater 500W Mini Electric Space Portable Digital Timer Ceramic Heat

Listed on eBay

In the testing of a Plug-in Wall Heater 500W, sold by a third-party seller on eBay, Which? found the plastic surround holding the heating element in place had melted.

The heating element had slipped down, creating another melted area, and was against the outer grill, meaning touching the heater could result in electric shock or burns.

A Which? spokesperson said: “Leaving this product running could pose a fire risk.”

100% of the electric heaters we tested from online marketplaces are so dangerous they can't legally be sold.

The @OfficeforSandS must urgently publish its long overdue product safety review to ensure dangerous products are kept out of UK homes. https://t.co/FphvwNg4en

— Which? (@WhichUK) February 23, 2023

Which? said they tested several versions of this heater sold on Amazon, eBay and Wish, all of which failed.

Which? added Trading Standards had also issued a recall notice for another model sold on eBay that appeared to be identical.

Lesvtu Electric Portable Plug-in Heater-Low Energy Mini Plug-in Wall Heater with Adjustable Thermostat and 12H Timer Led Display, Energy Efficient Small Ceramic Fan Heater for Office Home Room Bathroom

Listed on Amazon

“A Lesvtu Electric Portable Plug-in Heater, sold on Amazon, had counterfeit fuses that had been used in the plug for the heater.

“They posed a risk of electric shock, fire or even explosion.

Half of the one-star reviews left for this product on Amazon (left since 24 November 2022) reported that the plug had melted after using it for a short time.

“Some even included images of the damage caused, clearly visible to Amazon and its customers. For this particular product, Amazon Warehouse was actually also the seller of the product, yet was retailing an unsafe item.”

Plug In Wall Heater Portable Mini Electric Fan 900W Space Warmer with Remote UK

Listed on eBay

“This model was so poorly made that it poses a risk of fire or electric shock.

“Internal wires were soldered directly onto a circuit board, while another circuit board was just loose within the product.”

Which? are concerned there are hundreds of similar products available for sale online.

500W Plug In Wall Heater Portable Mini Electric Fan Space Warmer Quick Delivery

Listed on eBay

Which? tested a number of electric heaters that had been for sale online, some were found to be a fire risk. (Image: Wish?)

What to do if you have bought a dangerous plug-in mini heater 

A Which Spokesperson said: “If you’ve bought a plug-in mini heater from an online marketplace that looks the same as one of the models found by Which?, stop using it immediately.

“Contact the seller and the platform to request a refund.

“If you’ve received a recall notice from any seller or platform, stop using the product immediately and follow the instructions in the email.”

What to look out for when buying a plug-in heater

A Which? spokesperson said: “It’s hard to tell if a product is electrically unsafe just from looking at it – if problems do exist, they’ll often be hidden away inside.”

There were five things people could look out for to make sure what they were buying was safe:

• Markings – Check for a UKCA or CE marking on the packaging and product, as well as the WEEE disposal logo. Both of those, Which? said should offer peace of mind.
• Packaging – Packaging should show information about the manufacturer, importer and how to dispose of the product(s).
• Instructions – they should be in English and contain safety instructions, relevant warnings and instructions on how to maintain the heaters.
• Plugs - The plug should be a UK three-pin plug. A Which? spokesperson added: “If the product comes with any other kind of plug and an adaptor, alarm bells should start to ring.”

Which? are urging people to be careful when purchasing electric heaters online (Image: PA)

• Loose wires – Look for wires that do not seem to be safely secured.

What the sellers said following Which? tests

An Amazon spokesperson said: “Safety is a top priority at Amazon and we require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws and regulations.

“Two products were removed in December, including one in relation to safety concerns, and we have proactively removed similar items and introduced measures to prevent new products from going on sale.

“We have removed the remaining two products while we investigate.

“If customers have concerns about an item they’ve purchased, we encourage them to contact us directly so we can investigate and take appropriate action.”

It did not comment specifically on Which?’s findings on the dangerous product bought directly through Amazon Warehouse.

An eBay spokesperson said: “We take the safety of our users very seriously.

“We had already removed three of the five listings that Which? flagged to us.

“One of the two remaining listings is selling a different product and the other one has already ended.

“We use block filter algorithms aimed at preventing unsafe products from being listed.

“These filters blocked 4.8 million listings in 2022 and are updated on a regular basis. On the rare occasion that an unsafe product does make it on to site, we swiftly remove it and provide product safety education to the sellers to prevent relisting.

eBay, Amazon and Wish have all commented after Which? conducted safety tests on electric heaters found on their sites (Image: PA)

“We also work closely with stakeholders and regulators to keep our platform safe.

“Our Regulatory Portal enables authorities from around the world to report listings of unsafe products, such as those flagged by Which?, for swift removal.”

A Wish spokesperson said: “Product safety is a top priority for Wish.

“The listing highlighted by Which? has been removed from our European platform, and we are monitoring for any identical or similar listings.

“We will take further action as appropriate.”