CPSC Uses Rare Emergency Power to Pull Fire-Prone Immersion Water Heaters
WASHINGTON — On July 22, 2026, federal safety officials took an extraordinary legal step that they had not used in nearly four decades, moving to force dangerous immersion water heaters off the market over a serious immersion water heater fire hazard. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), working with the Department of Justice, invoked its rarely used Section 12 “imminent hazard” authority for the first time since 1987 and urged consumers to immediately stop using Lakkzoom-branded immersion water heaters, which the agency says can burst into flames within minutes.
What happened
The government filed a complaint in federal court asking a judge to order a mandatory recall of the heaters, which were sold on Amazon.com and eBay.com from September 2022 through July 2026. According to the CPSC, roughly 98,000 units are affected, and the agency is aware of 235 reports of fires involving the devices. The heaters are small, submersible metal tubes designed to warm water when plugged in. Investigators found that they can quickly ignite within minutes when they are energized while partially or completely out of the water.
What makes this action unusual is the tool the government reached for. Section 12 of the Consumer Product Safety Act lets the CPSC ask a court for swift relief when a product poses an imminent hazard to the public — bypassing the slower administrative process that normally governs recalls. The agency last used that power in 1987, making this only the second time in roughly 40 years that federal regulators have gone to court this way to pull a consumer product.
The complaint names two China-based companies: Cixi Miaojie Electrical Appliance Co. Ltd., identified as the manufacturer, and Changsha Jiayi Tianzhuo Trading Co. Ltd., identified as the retailer and importer. As with any complaint, the allegations must still be proven, and the companies have not been found liable in court.
What to do. If you own a Lakkzoom immersion water heater, unplug it, stop using it immediately, and dispose of it. Do not sell it, give it away, or set it aside “just in case.” Then report the product at SaferProducts.gov so regulators can track incidents.
Why this immersion water heater fire hazard matters for safety
Immersion heaters are a deceptively simple category. They are cheap, widely available online, and marketed for heating a bucket or basin of water quickly. That simplicity is exactly what makes a defective one so dangerous: it is a bare heating element drawing serious power, and if it runs dry — even for a moment — the temperature can spike fast. The CPSC’s core finding here is that these units can catch fire within minutes when they operate out of water, which is an easy condition to trigger by accident if a device switches on before it is submerged, or keeps running as water evaporates.
The volume of reports is the other red flag. Hundreds of fire reports tied to a single product line is the kind of pattern that moves a regulator from a routine recall to emergency court action. Fire is among the most consequential hazards the CPSC tracks because it endangers not just the user but everyone in the home, and it can spread before anyone notices. The heaters in this case were described as metal tubes with circular or heart-shaped holes and plastic endcaps in black, yellow, or pink, sold under model designations including 1500W, 2000W, HT1500W (also labeled MJ-R13), and HT2000W.
What you should do
- Check your purchases. Search your Amazon and eBay order history from late 2022 onward for “immersion water heater,” “Lakkzoom,” or the model numbers listed above.
- Stop and unplug. If you have one, quit using it now. The CPSC is not advising you to wait for a formal recall to be finalized before acting.
- Dispose of it safely. Regulators are telling consumers to throw the device away rather than continue use. Do not pass it on to someone else.
- Never run any immersion heater dry. As a general rule with this product type, make sure the element is fully submerged before powering it on and unplug it before removing it from the water.
- Report incidents. File a report at SaferProducts.gov if you experienced a fire, overheating, or a near-miss. Those reports feed directly into CPSC investigations.
Context and what’s next
The case is also a signal about how regulators are approaching low-cost products sold directly to American shoppers through online marketplaces. When a manufacturer and importer are overseas and a hazardous product has already reached tens of thousands of homes, the usual voluntary-recall route can be slow and hard to enforce. By going to court under Section 12, the government is asking a judge to compel a recall directly rather than negotiating one.
Todd Blanche, the Acting Attorney General, framed the filing in blunt terms: “This complaint seeks the urgent recall of these products in order to protect American consumers from imminent danger.” CPSC Acting Chairman Peter Feldman likewise pointed to Congress’s intent in creating Section 12 — that the Commission be able to seek swift judicial relief when a product presents a genuine, immediate threat.
From here, the litigation will play out in federal court, where the government must support its allegations by a preponderance of the evidence if the case proceeds to trial. Whatever the outcome, the practical guidance for consumers does not change: the CPSC has already warned the public to stop using these heaters, and that warning stands on its own regardless of how the lawsuit resolves. For a broader takeaway, this action is a reminder to treat inexpensive, high-wattage water-heating gadgets with real caution and to keep an eye on official recall channels rather than assuming a marketplace listing has been vetted for safety.
Disclaimer: This article is for general safety information only and is not legal advice. Product details, model numbers, and the status of the litigation are based on official CPSC and Department of Justice statements as of July 2026 and may change as the case develops. Always follow the most current guidance from the CPSC and the product manufacturer, and consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.
Sources: CPSC news release; CPSC consumer warning; U.S. Department of Justice press release.
