If you can't imagine starting your morning without a cup of coffee, you're hardly alone. According to the National Coffee Association (NCA), 66 percent of Americans say they drink coffee every day. And while you can venture out to your nearest Starbucks or Dunkin' for your drink, most people actually make their coffee at home these days, per the NCA. If you consider yourself your own at-home barista, though, you'll want to be aware of a major new safety issue with one popular device. An espresso maker has just been recalled after several reports of serious injuries. Read on to find out which machine officials say can cause burns and hearing damage.
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There have been multiple coffee-related recalls in 2022.
ShutterstockCoffee lovers have already had to deal with a number of concerns this year.
Back in June, Starbucks customers were forced to forgo ordering a new breakfast sandwich alongside their coffee after the chain issued a voluntary "stop sell" order for its chicken, maple butter, and egg sandwich. According to The Wall Street Journal, Starbucks said the seasonal item—which had only been released a week earlier—fell short of the company's standards and employees were instructed to discard the sandwiches.
Then last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Lyons Magnus LLC had initiated a major recall for 53 of its coffee drinks, non-dairy milks, and protein drinks. The agency reported that the recall was issued after it was discovered that the products could be contaminated with the bacteria Cronobacter sakazakii.
Now, officials are alerting Americans to a new recall that's hitting closer to home.
A popular espresso maker is now being recalled.
iStockOn Aug. 25, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released an alert notifying Americans about a new recall involving a popular coffee device. According to the warning, IKEA has just issued a recall for its Metallisk Espresso Maker. The Swedish-founded retailer recalled about 2,100 units of the espresso maker in the U.S., in addition to about 5,200 sold in Canada and 200 sold in Mexico.
On its website, IKEA said the issue involves the updated version of its 0.4 liter stovetop Metallisk espresso maker, which is silver or gray in color and features a stainless-steel safety valve. "The label engraved on the bottom of the product includes the IKEA logo, other product information, and a date stamp in (YYWW) format, where the first two digits represent the year and the last two digits represent the week of manufacture. The recalled espresso makers bear a date stamp between 2040 and 2204," the CPSC said.
The IKEA espresso machine has already caused serious injuries.
IkeaAccording to the alert, the espresso makers were recalled over burn and injury hazards. "IKEA has received reports of the espresso maker bursting during use, due to a change of material and construction, with the potential of injury as a result," the retailer explained on its website.
The CPSC said that the espresso makers' updated stainless-steel safety valve can burst, and when it does, it has the potential to expel hot contents. So far, there have been 16 reports worldwide of the espresso makers bursting. According to officials, these include "four reports of burns, scald injuries, and hearing damage." However, no injuries have been reported in the U.S. yet.
Official are warning Americans to stop using any of the recalled devices.
iStockThe recalled espresso makers were sold at IKEA stores nationwide and on the retailer's online website from Sept. 2020 through Jan. 2022 for around $20, according to the alert. If you have one of these devices, the CPSC said you "should immediately stop using" it. Any units of the recalled IKEA Metallisk espresso makers with the stainless-steel safety valve bearing date stamps 2040 through 2204 "can be returned for a full refund to any IKEA store location or by mail using a pre-paid label," officials added.
"The product has been withdrawn from sale and we are now issuing a recall. Customers are kindly asked to return it to an IKEA store for a full refund. Proof of purchase (receipt) is not required," the retailer said on its website. "We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause."
