Key Takeaways
- Anker has recalled three of its power banks due to potential fire risk caused by defective lithium-ion batteries.
- Defective batteries can overheat, melt plastic components, emit harmful smoke, and potentially cause a fire.
- Anker advises owners to safely dispose of the affected power banks and request a replacement if proof of purchase is available.
Anker is a reputed accessory maker in the smartphone ecosystem, making many of our favorite power banks and travel chargers for phones and laptops. However, over the years, the company has made some missteps, recalling multiple products due to fire risks. The most recent incident occurred in June 2024, when Anker recalled its Soundcore A3102 speaker, 321 Power Bank, and the AnkerWork speakerphone for fire hazards. Now, three months later, the company is issuing another recall for several of its power banks due to a potential fire risk caused by a manufacturing defect.
In its recall announcement, Anker says it has found that some of the lithium-ion batteries used in some of its power banks pose a fire risk due to a manufacturing defect. The batteries inside the affected power banks can overheat, melting the plastic components, spewing out harmful smoke, and potentially even causing a fire. Anker used the defective batteries in the power banks listed below, which were manufactured between January 3, 2024, and September 17, 2024.
- Anker 334 MagGo Battery (PowerCore 10K) (A1642)
- Anker 20,000mAh Power Bank (A1647)
- Anker 10,000mAh MagGo Power Bank (A1652)
Although the company reports that only a small number of batteries are defective, it is recalling all the listed power banks sold between January and September “out of an abundance of caution.”
Safely dispose of your defective Anker power bank
If you own one of the power banks, locate the 16-digit serial number on the sticker at the bottom and enter it into Anker’s recall form to check whether it is a part of the recall program. If it is, proceed to fill in your details and stop using the power bank immediately. Do not throw it in the dustbin. Instead, Anker wants to safely dispose of the defective power banks at your nearest facility.
In the US, contact your local municipality or fire department about this. The company will issue you a replacement power bank if you have proof of purchase. Else, you are out of luck.
Anker blames the faulty batteries on its “previous supplier.” It claims to have already changed its supplier and is now reviewing its quality assurance and testing to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
Given how frequently Anker has had to recall its products due to potential fire hazards in the recent past, it’s best to avoid buying their power banks and other devices for now. The company should thoroughly review and overhaul its internal testing and safety measures to ensure such things don’t keep happening regularly.
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