PSA: Amazon-exclusive power banks have been recalled after fires

Around 210,000 budget portable power banks sold exclusively by Amazon USA are being recalled after they were found to have caused 11 fires resulting in both injuries and property damage …

The affected power bank is the Inui BI-B41, which was sold exclusively on Amazon’s US website for around $18. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says that about 210,000 units are affected.

How to check your power bank

Only certain batches are affected by the recall, and you can identify these by checking the serial numbers. Somewhat unusually, the serial numbers shown on the back of the power banks (labelled SN) are not unique to each unit, but only identify particular production runs.

To check whether your power bank is affected, look at the text printed on the rear of the device. First, check whether the model is the BI-B41. If so, check for one of the following four SNs:

• 000G21
• 000H21
• 000I21
• 000L21

If not, then your power bank is not affected by the recall and you can continue using it.

What to do if yours is affected

1. Immediately stop using or charging the power bank
2. Store it in a cool, dry place
3. Follow the steps listed here to claim your refund
4. Once Inui has confirmed your claim, safely dispose of the power bank

Here are the CPSC instructions for safe disposal:

Do not throw this recalled lithium-ion battery or device in the trash, in the general recycling stream (e.g., street-level or curbside recycling bins), or in used battery recycling boxes found at various retail and home improvement stores. Recalled lithium-ion batteries must be disposed of differently than other batteries, because they present a greater risk of fire. Your municipal household hazardous waste (HHW) collection center may accept this recalled lithium-ion battery or device for disposal. Before taking your battery or device to a HHW collection center, contact that office ahead of time and ask whether it accepts recalled lithium-ion batteries. If it does not, contact your municipality for further guidance.

Highlighted accessories

• Official Apple Store on Amazon
• Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter for iPhone 17
• Official Apple iPhone Air cases and bumpers
• iPhone Air MagSafe Battery
• Official iPhone Air case
• Official iPhone 17 cases
• Official iPhone 17 Pro cases and Pro Max cases

Photo: Inui/CPSSC

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