Bissell issues recall for 150,000 vacuum cleaners over possible fire hazard

Bissell, a privately owned floor care product company, is recalling about 150,000 vacuum units sold in the U.S. and Canada due to a fire hazard.

The recall is for certain cordless Bissell Multi Reach Hand and Floor Vacuum Cleaners models with “Multi Reach” printed on the hand vacuum portion of the product, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The commission said that 142,000 units were recalled in the United States, and about 14,600 were sold in Canada.

According to a notice, Bissell has received 17 reports of the affected products smoking and emitting a burning odor. Six reports included the battery pack catching fire, three of which resulted in minor property damage and two in minor burn injuries.

“Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled vacuums and contact BISSELL for instructions on how to deplete the charge on the battery and receive a free replacement vacuum. Recalled lithium-ion batteries should be disposed of in accordance with any local and state laws and not in the trash,” CPSC said.

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In a statement, Bissell said consumer safety is its top priority and that the voluntary recall was issued in cooperation with CPSC.

Affected Bissell vacuums were sold at Lowe’s, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Target, Walmart, Best Buy and other brick-and-mortar stores nationwide, as well as online at www.bissell.com, www.amazon.com, www.hsn.com and other online sellers from August 2016 through December 2022 for between $110 and $270, the notice said.

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The vacuums were manufactured in China.

Bissell instructed owners of “Multi Reach” cordless vacuum models to “stop using the vacuum immediately” and check the model number to see if their unit has been recalled.

Affected models are 1985, 19851 (also called Multi Auto), 19859, 1985T, 1985C, 2151, 21512, 21513, 21517, 21518, 21519, 2151A, 2151C, 2151T, 2151W and 2151V.

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“Search for the model number by removing the dirt tank. The number will be listed on a large black bar on the product information sticker. If your unit is subject to the recall, please take a photo of the product information sticker,” Bissell instructed on its website.

Owners of recalled models should deplete the battery by removing the attachments from the hand vac portion and turning on the machine until it stops on its own, Bissell said. In about 20 minutes the machine will stop when the battery is depleted, and owners should remove the battery by pressing on the side buttons and pulling. 

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Recalled lithium batteries should not be thrown in the trash but must be disposed of “in accordance with local and state laws,” Bissell said.

“Do not put lithium-ion batteries in the trash or battery recycling boxes found at home improvement stores. They can cause fires and explosions if they are damaged or crushed and are a hazard when thrown in the trash,” Bissell warned.