Frigidaire-Brand Minifridge Recall Expands by 330,000 Units Sold at Target

About 330,000 more Frigidaire-brand minifridges are being recalled in the United States because their electrical components can short-circuit and set the surrounding plastic housing on fire, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Thursday. The expansion brings the total from the same importer to roughly 964,000 units, counting the 634,000 recalled earlier; NBC Boston reported both figures.

The newly added product is a red, six-can minifridge sold as model EFMIS121, with serial numbers between A2001 and A2310. The model and serial numbers are printed on a label on the back, and the word “Frigidaire” appears on the front, the commission said. The fridges were sold exclusively at Target stores nationwide and on Target.com for about $30, according to the CPSC.

The importer, Curtis International Ltd. of Canada, has received at least six reports of the EFMIS121 catching fire and causing property damage, the commission said. No injuries have been reported for the newly added model. NBC Boston noted that Curtis licenses the Frigidaire name; the brand itself is owned by Electrolux Group of Sweden. The commission lists the manufacturer as ShangYu North Electron Manufacture Co. Ltd. of China.

The recall follows an earlier action covering about 634,000 minifridges from Curtis in four other models: EFMIS129, EFMIS137, EFMIS149 and EFMIS175. NBC Boston reported that those units were sold by retailers including Walmart and Amazon for $36 to $40, and that the earlier recall involved 26 reports of overheating, melting or fire and two reports of smoke inhalation injuries. The CPSC’s announcement for the new model does not list injuries.

Consumers who own the recalled EFMIS121 are told to stop using it immediately and unplug it. To qualify for a refund, they must cut the power cord and write “Recall” on the front door of the fridge with a permanent marker, then register through the company. The commission says owners should dispose of the unit in accordance with local and state requirements. Curtis International can be reached toll-free at 888-727-0198 from 8 a.m. to midnight Eastern time on weekdays, by email at recall@curtiscs.com, or through www.recallrtr.com/minifridge, where consumers can register for the refund.

NBC Boston reported that owners are asked to send photographs of the disabled unit to the company through its website as proof. The commission assigned the new announcement recall number 26-199.

Small refrigerators like these are common in dorm rooms, offices, garages and bedrooms, places where a fire can spread before anyone notices. The CPSC’s description of the hazard is a short circuit inside the electrical components that ignites the plastic around them, creating both fire and burn risks.

Recalls announced by the commission are voluntary actions negotiated with the company, and the agency publishes the model details so owners can check the label on their own units. Accounts differ on some dates: the commission says the EFMIS121 was sold from January 2020 through October 2023, while NBC Boston reports that the units were made between January 2020 and December 2023. Owners should check the model and serial number on the label instead of relying on when they bought the fridge.