Whirlpool finally recalls 800,000 fire-risk tumble dryers – and it will offer free replacements
WHIRLPOOL is to finally recall 800,000 faulty tumble dryers that could catch fire, some four years after safety concerns were first raised.
Today's announcement comes after the government put pressure on Whirlpool to recall fire-risk machines last month.
The company has so far "modified" (fixed) 1.7million machines out of the 3.8million at-risk units it identified back in November 2015 as still being in use.
But last week, Whirlpool admitted that there could still be up to 800,000 unmodified faulty appliances still in use - although it believes the actual figure is closer to the 500,000 it had estimated previously.
As part of the recall, which starts on July 11, customers with these unmodified machines will be entitled to a replacement.
This will be delivered and installed, with the old one removed, for free.
Another option is to request an exchange, which Whirlpool says it will deliver at a "deeply discounted price".
We've asked what this means in reality and we'll update this story as soon as we get a response.
You can also get a partial refund based on the dryer's age if you no longer want the machine.
Alternatively, you can opt for a modification.
Is your dryer on the faulty list?
HERE'S how to know if your dryer is on the faulty list:
Whirlpool, which owns the Hotpoint brands, says it has identified a potential concern with two types of tumble dryers manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015.
The affected brands are:
- Hotpoint
- Indesit
- Creda
- Swan
- Proline
Non-affected machines will have a green sticker on the inside of the dryer door or reverse of the machine.
If your machine doesn't have a green sticker, you need to check if it's faulty. You can do this by locating the serial code and model number (found on the back of the dryer or on the back of the dryer door) and entering it onto the online checkers at or or .
As part of actions required by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), Whirlpool also has to update it on progress made in the recall or it'll be committing a criminal offence.
Whirlpool told The Sun that already modified machines aren't being recalled as the government has found the fix to be effective and that risks to consumers are low.
Yet the manufacturer has previously admitted that these machines are also a fire-risk.
Earlier this year, consumer group Which? revealed that it has spoken to 30 people who say their "fixed" tumble dryers have caught fire, produced smoke or the smell of burning.
Whirlpool adds that if you've already received a replacement machine, you won't need another replacement or a modification.
Consumer affairs minister Kelly Tolhurst said: "The UK has some of the toughest consumer protection laws in the world.
"Our intervention demonstrates that we will take all the necessary steps to keep consumers safe.
"I want to reassure consumers that we are doing everything to ensure consumers with unmodified machines are made aware and have their tumble dryer replaced."
Last week, Whirlpool pledged to publish a full list of all of the faulty products, in addition to its existing online checker tool.
You can find the 627 tumble dryer models here.
'My Whirlpool tumble dryer caught fire after it had been fixed'
A MUM of four was forced to flee her home when her Hotpoint tumble dryer caught fire after it had been modified by Whirlpool to fix a fault.
Jemma Spurr, 33, from Hampshire was at home with three of her children - Amelia, 5, Freddie, 2, and Amber, 1, when her dryer caught fire.
The blaze even damaged her fridge, freezer and washing machine beyond repair and as they were low on cash and had no home insurance they were left without vital appliances for five weeks.
The dryer was one of 3.5million machines recalled by Whirlpool, which owns Hotpoint and other white goods manufacturers, in October 2015.
Over 1.7million appliances have been modified by the firm to fix a fault, and the company has long claimed that there had been no reports of modifications being uneffective.
But for Jemma, the blaze on her machine, which had been modified two years previously, had a devastating impact.
"The fireman said if it had been five minutes longer it would have been different story.
"Our gas pipe and boiler was really near the tumble dryer, so if that had exploded it could have been so much worse - my neighbour is a childminder and she had kids in the room next to our garage.
"It’s not worth thinking about, what could have happened.
"It’s impacted my anxiety more than anything.
"If I smell burning I'm constantly checking to see where the kids are."
The potentially faulty machines come under the brand names of Creda, Hotpoint, Indesit, Proline, and Swan, and they've been blamed for 750 fires over the past decade.
The appliances can be dangerous because excess fluff can catch in the heating element and cause a fire.
In April, the OPSS published a report which told Whirlpool to improve its risk management and communication with customers about tumble dryer repairs.
For more than 15 months the firm told customers that machines with a fault were safe to use, as long as they weren't left unattended.
But then in February last year it back-tracked on the advice to tell customers they should not use the appliances until AFTER they had been fixed.
Whirlpool is advising customers with unmodified tumble dryers to call 0800 151 0905 or you can visit the websites listed in the box above.
You should also unplug any machines that haven't been modified and wait until you get a replacement.
Jeff Noel of Whirlpool said: "Safety is Whirlpool’s top priority. That’s why we have been working with the government for some time to reach today’s agreement to launch an enhanced campaign.
"We’ve always put customer safety first, that’s why we voluntarily approached Trading Standards immediately after we purchased Indesit in 2015 and became aware of a potential concern with two types of tumble dryers manufactured between 2004 and 2015.
"The extended recall programme announced today will offer consumers several options that include replacement, deeply discounted exchange as well as flexible free of charge in home modification that has been available since 2015."
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An investigation by Which? in December 2016 found that Whirlpool tumble dryer customers could wait a YEAR for repairs or replacement.
But it's not just tumble dryers, one family say they're lucky to be alive after a Hotpoint dishwasher fire left them homeless after a major house blaze.
Meanwhile, an expert said in November 2018 that the Grenfell Tower blaze was probably caused by overheating in the wiring of a Hotpoint fridge freezer.
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