Thousands of Glass Cooktops Are Being Recalled for the Scariest Reason

Andrea Beck

On August 28, Whirlpool Corporation, the parent company that manufactures Whirlpool, KitchenAid, and JenAir appliances, announced a recall of more than 26,000 glass cooktops with touch controls. The reason for the recall is pretty unsettling—apparently, the cooktops can actually turn themselves on. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, and JennAir brand cooktops are included in the recall.

Even more disturbing, the recall announcement doesn’t specify how or why the cooktops can turn on by themselves, meaning if you’ve got one, the only way to fix it is to get yours replaced. Some of the cooktops were sold at home improvement stores like Lowe’s and The Home Depot, as well as other appliance stores like Best Buy, from March 2017 through August 2019.

Whirlpool Glass Cooktop
Whirlpool Glass Cooktop

Image courtesy of Whirlpool.

So far, Whirlpool has received 133 incident reports about cooktops turning on by themselves. Among these incidents, two minor burn injuries were reported and there were four reports of items catching fire. In 14 reports, items around the cooktop were heat damaged after it turned on by itself.

Related: Contigo Kids Cleanable Water Bottles Recalled for Posing Potential Choking Hazard

There’s a clear risk of burns and potential fires if you have one of the recalled cooktops, so make sure to check yours out. The brand name should be printed on the cooktop, and the model and serial numbers are printed on the underside. Here’s a full list of the model numbers included in the recall (numbers beginning with a “K” are KitchenAid, “W” for Whirlpool, and “J” for JennAir brands):

  • KCES950HSS

  • KCES956HSS

  • KCES950HBL

  • KCES956HBL

  • WCE97US0HS

  • WCE97US0HB

  • WCE97US6HS

  • WCE97US6HB

  • JEC4430HS

  • JEC4430HB

  • JEC4536HS

  • JEC4536HB

  • JEC4424HB

  • JED4430GB

  • JED4536GB

  • JED4430GS

  • JED4536GS

If you find that you have one of the models included in the recall, you should contact Whirlpool immediately for a free replacement. While you wait for them to install a new one, the company recommends turning the unit off at the circuit breaker when you’re not using it, and to avoid leaving any flammable materials or empty pots, pans, or other cookware on or near the cooktop. You can contact Whirlpool online through their website, or call at 888-900-7897.