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About 1.5 million rechargeable hand warmers recalled due to fire, burn risks
Sr Digital Curator
About 1.5 million rechargeable hand warmers are being recalled because they can overheat and ignite, posing risk of serious injury or death from fire and burn hazards.
According to a notice posted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, OCOOPA has received 1,480 reports of its hand warmers overheating, resulting in 15 fires and 350 burn injuries, including the death of an 83-year-old in San Diego, California, in February.
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The recall includes OCOOPA-branded rechargeable lithium-ion battery hand warmers that were sold online by Amazon, OCOOPA and Walmart from September 2018 through May 2026 for between $15 and $60.
The recalled hand warmers, which were manufactured in China, were sold in varying colors and designs, in packs of two warmers that can be joined magnetically or with a charging cable.
The hand warmers have a USB-C port to charge the built-in lithium-ion batteries in each unit, LED indicator lights on the hard plastic shell and a silicone lanyard.
The recall involves OCOOPA rechargeable hand warmer models UT3053, UT3056, ZLS-118, ZLS-118S, ZLS-118D, H01 and H01(PD.) The model number and three-digit batch number are printed on the hand warmers’ underside.
If you own one of the recalled hand warmers, stop using them immediately and contact OCOOPA Direct for a full refund on an OCOOPA gift card or to the original form of payment.
“Consumers will be asked to write in permanent marker ‘RECALLED’ on the hand warmer and submit a photo showing that marking on the hand warmer, the model number and the product’s three-digit batch number,” submitting it to this link, according to the recall notice. “Consumers should dispose of recalled products with the lithium-ion battery in accordance with applicable local and state hazardous waste regulations.”
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission advises consumers not to throw the defective lithium-ion battery or device in the trash, general recycling stream or in used battery recycling boxes.
“Defective lithium-ion batteries must be disposed of differently than other batteries, because they present a greater risk of fire,” the post says. “Your municipal household hazardous waste collection center may accept this defective lithium-ion battery or device for disposal. Before taking your battery or device to a HHW collection center, contact it ahead of time and ask whether it accepts defective lithium-ion batteries. If it does not, contact your municipality for further guidance.”
