The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced a recall of 161,000 smoothtop electric ranges manufactured by LG Electronics. Burners on the ranges can fail to turn off properly and the temperature setting can increase unexpectedly during use, posing burn and fire hazards. LG has received 80 reports of consumers experiencing these problems, though no fires or injuries have been reported.
The recalled ranges involve models LRE30451, LRE30453, LRE30755, LRE30757 and LRE30955ST. The ranges were sold at Best Buy, Home Depot, Sears and other appliance retailers from January 2006 to June 2012 for between $800 and $2,000 dollars. (See the CPSC website for specific serial numbers.) The LRE30453 and LRE30955ST are in Consumer Reports' current Ratings of smoothtop electric ranges, though neither model makes our Recommended list.
If you own one of the recalled models, you should stop using it and contact LG immediately to schedule a free in-home repair. Call the toll-free number 855-400-4638 or go to the Public Notices section of the LG website for more information.
Hazardous controls were among the common problems we identified in our recent investigation into appliance fires. For example, in October 2010 Electrolux recalled 122,000 cooktops and ranges that could unexpectedly auto-start if liquids pooled under their control knobs.
Today's recall is a reminder of how important it is stay vigilant in the kitchen. Unattended cooking is a leading cause of residential fires, so you really need to keep an eye on the stove, especially when frying, grilling or broiling food. That's true even if the range you're cooking isn't the subject of a recall.