Ten out of 10 plug-in mini heaters sold online to people looking to save money in the cost of living crisis are dangerous and illegal to sell in the UK, a shocking report has found.
Consumer group Which? has warned people to be extremely wary of the small plug-in electric heaters selling for as little as £12, which it says are being promoted by fake reviews and dodgy ads to manipulate people into thinking they were an alternative, energy-efficient way to heat their homes.
Which? sent 10 plug-in mini heaters bought on Amazon, eBay and Wish to be tested at its product safety lab and all of them failed so are illegal to sell in the UK.
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Four of the heaters presented a risk of fire, with one model sold by Amazon Warehouse using counterfeit fuses that could even cause an explosion. Ads were found on social media and local news sites advertising these dangerous heaters to consumers, and Which? uncovered evidence of sellers attempting to manipulate customers into buying on Amazon and eBay with tactics such as fake reviews
"With hundreds of similar looking heaters still seen for sale across marketplaces, consumers should be extremely wary when shopping for these types of products," says the report.
It said the gadgets listed on the websites posed “serious harm” when used and is now calling on the Government to introduce urgent legislation around product safety, including making online marketplaces more legal responsible for unsafe products sold on their sites.
Rocio Concha of Which? said: “Our latest research has uncovered plug-in mini heaters that are illegal and could cause serious harm to consumers – showing 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.”
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."
It said that two products were removed in December, including one in relation to safety concerns, and that it has removed similar items and introduced measures to prevent new products going on sale. It said that customers with concerns about an item purchased should contact them directly, so they can investigate and take action, although it did not comment specifically on the findings for the dangerous product bought 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.”
Wish told Which?: "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."
What to do if you’ve already bought a plug-in mini heater
If you think you own one of the plug-in mini heaters, you should approach the seller and platform you bought it from to ask for 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.
How to shop safely online
It’s hard to tell if a product is electrically unsafe just from looking at it, but bear in mind the following advice when shopping online:
Markings: A UKCA or CE marking on the packaging and the product show that the manufacturer has checked that the product meets all relevant health, safety and environmental requirements and complies with the law. However, Which? has found instances where these have been faked, so make sure you check the other tell tale signs here as well.
Packaging: Packaging should show information about the manufacturer, the importer and how to dispose of the products.
Instructions: They should be in English and explain how to use and how to maintain the heaters. They should contain safety instructions and any relevant warnings, as well as the details of the EU or UK importer.
Plugs: The plug should be a UK three-pin plug. If the product comes with any other kind of plug and an adaptor, alarm bells should start to ring.
Loose wires Look for wires that do not seem to be safely secured. If anything looks wrong, then stop using your heater.
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