About 1.5 million dehumidifiers recalled; brands include GE and Kenmore

More than 40 models of dehumidifiers from well-known brands such as Kenmore and GE were recalled Wednesday after reports of fires and overheating incidents stirred concerns about burn risks.

At least 23 fires were reported, as well as 688 incidents of overheating and a collective $168,000 in property damage, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said. The models were all manufactured by the Gree appliance company in China between January 2011 and February 2014.

An estimated 1.56 million units are being recalled. Consumers should immediately stop use, unplug the dehumidifiers and contact Gree to receive a refund, the CPSC said.

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The dehumidifiers are from brands Kenmore, GE, SoleusAir, Norpole and Seabreeze, and were sold at stores throughout the United States, including Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, Sam’s Club, Sears and Walmart. They retailed between $110 and $400.

In addition to the recall, the CPSC put out a separate warning about dehumidifiers made by Gree Electric Appliances urging consumers to check if their model is part of any Gree recall dating back to 2013. There were reports of four deaths potentially associated with Gree dehumidifiers between 2016 and 2022, the CPSC said, all involving house fires.

The Chinese manufacturer and two of its subsidiaries agreed to a $91 million resolution in 2021 for neglecting to notify the CPSC that millions of dehumidifiers sold in the United States were defective and could catch fire. As part of the plea agreement, the Gree companies agreed to strengthen their compliance programs and enhance reporting requirements.

Gree did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the recall.

The CPSC has a list of model numbers affected and information on how to register for the recall on its website, cpsc.gov. Gree also posted the recall notice and model numbers on its site, saying it had voluntarily recalled the machines and was “committed to the safety of its customers.”