Consumer Reports has intensified warnings to the public over the BlendJet 2 portable blender after new reports have linked the product to a series of dire safety concerns. In the span of four months, a "spate of new complaints" has triggered the consumer product watchdog to double down on its cautionary advice, urging users to ensure the blades haven't broken and the device isn't overheating during use.
“Consumer Reports is warning consumers that the BlendJet 2 is linked to numerous serious safety concerns reported by its users,” Ashita Kapoor, CR’s associate director of product safety, was quoted saying in a Consumer Reports article. Their latest move included sending a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
This comes after earlier concerns were first documented and communicated to the CPSC over the summer. Among the recent cases piled onto the CPSC's desk are three injury reports — including an explosion instance, a toddler who engaged the device without a lid, and an incident of a user getting burned due to a smoking blender.
Other alarming reports highlighted by Consumer Reports involved blades breaking during use, components melting while charging, the device not turning off, and a blender's lithium-ion battery igniting. Despite these issues, BlendJet spokesperson Ethan Rasiel informed KSAT,“We hold ourselves to high quality and safety standards and remain dedicated to continuous improvement and evolution of the BlendJet 2,”
The manufacturer has modified the blender's base and contends that products purchased post-August 2023. The situation has led Consumer Reports to plan a re-purchase and subsequent re-evaluation of the modified BlendJet 2 to fully assess the efficacy of the changes made.
Rasiel advocated for customers urging those facing BlendJet 2 issues to contact the company via its support page. He also reiterated the company's stance on safety, referring to the inclusion of safety features aimed at preventing use by children, such as a lock mode.
William Wallace, CR’s associate director of safety policy, told Consumer Reports, “BlendJet has a responsibility to give its customers more detailed information, so they know whether their safety is at risk,”
