Shoppers on TEMU and TikTok have been warned that electric heaters sold on both platforms pose a serious fire risk.
Some electric heaters promoted by influencers to millions of people “can explode, cause electric shock, or start a house fire,” according to a Which? study.
The consumer watchdog group purchased and tested eight electric heaters from both Temu and Tiktok. Prices start from just £7.20 and 6 of them were found to be unsafe.
Only one of the eight heaters is safe to use in the home and can be legally sold in the UK.
Approximately 27 listings for these products have since been removed from the marketplace.
However, research showed that thousands of these dangerous heaters had already been sold.
Do you have a dangerous electric heater?
Shoppers who recently purchased electric heaters on the Temu and TikTok platforms are encouraged to check their purchase history for unsafe models.
- X7 Portable Space Heater, £14.99 at Temu
- ML-9001 Electric Heater Temu £19.47
- XH-1201 1200W Portable Electric Heater, £7.20 on TikTok
- NFJ004 Portable Electric Heater, £15.99 on TikTok
- Elpine Halogen 31227c, £17.95 on TikTok
- Kingavon FH204, £15.29 on TikTok
These aren’t the only dangerous heating devices installed in homes. Which one? I warned you.
The group identified 34 listings on Temu and TikTok of identical heaters that failed safety tests.
This isn’t the first time Temu and Tiktok bargain hunters have been put at risk due to poor safety standards on gadgets.
A number of untested electrical items, including exploding hair curlers, were discovered at a TikTok shop, The Sun revealed last month.
Meanwhile, Tem has been found selling ‘road rage knives’ for less than five minutes, alongside a number of other ‘dangerous and illegal’ products.
“While inexpensive electric heaters are an attractive purchase for consumers struggling through the cold winter months, the models sold on TikTok and Temu pose significant safety risks and should be avoided at all costs. Our latest testing shows that this is not the case,” Sue Davis, Director of Consumer Protection Policy and Director of Which?, said in a statement.
“It is vital that governments urgently hold online marketplaces for dangerous products legally accountable so that they take steps to prevent dangerous products from reaching people’s homes.”
Following the latest investigation into the pair, ‘Which?’ is calling for online marketplaces to be held more legally responsible for unsafe and illegal products sold to consumers.
In response to the inquiry, Mr Tem said: “We deeply regret the concern and inconvenience caused by the safety issues identified with four electric heaters on our platform.
“The safety of our customers is our top priority and we have taken immediate steps to address this issue.
“We appreciate the feedback and oversight from organizations like Which?, as this is invaluable in improving quality assurance.”
“The heater was removed because it violated our policy regarding electrical and electronic devices,” a TikTok spokesperson said.
“TikTok has policies and processes in place to protect our customers and foster a trusted shopping experience.
“This includes features such as what you can and cannot sell policies, seller registration and verification requirements, product reviews, reporting tools, easy returns, and more.”