How to check an appliance for recalls in 4 steps
- Find the model and serial number. They’re on a label, often inside the fridge, on the washer’s lid, inside the dryer door, on the dishwasher’s door edge or inside the oven door or storage drawer. Photograph it.
- Search the model number. Use the checker above, then search the same model at cpsc.gov/Recalls. CPSC’s reseller guide also tells sellers to check SaferProducts.gov, where CPSC takes reports of unsafe products.
- Check the brand’s own recall page (table below). Manufacturers list their current recalls there, with lookup tools for affected serial numbers.
- Read the official notice. Confirm your model and serial range are included, and note the remedy and the contact details.
Manufacturer recall pages
| Brand | Official recall page | Notes | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whirlpool Corporation (Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir, Amana, Maytag) | whirlpoolcorp.com/recall.html | Current recalls, quality campaigns and a Past Recalls page | official (manufacturer) |
| GE Appliances | GE Appliances recall information | GE’s recall hub; also search CPSC for “GE Appliances” | official (manufacturer) |
| LG | lg.com/us/public-notices | Recall notices are listed as public notices | official (manufacturer) |
| Frigidaire and Electrolux | Frigidaire recall information | Lists recalls, including the March 2026 gas range recall (burn hazard) | official (manufacturer) |
| Samsung | Recall-specific pages linked from each CPSC notice, e.g. range knob kit | We couldn’t verify a single Samsung US page listing all recalls. Start from CPSC | official (CPSC notices) |
What to do if a used appliance is recalled
If you own it:
- Follow the notice. Recent notices tell consumers to stop using the product, or to use it with a specific precaution, until the remedy is done.
- Contact the company listed. Remedies are usually a free repair, a replacement or a refund. For example, Samsung’s 2016 washer recall offered a free in-home repair, a rebate toward a new washer, or a refund for recent buyers, and its 2024 range recall provides free knob locks.
- Keep the confirmation that the repair was done.
If you’re buying:
- Ask the seller for proof the recall repair was completed. For a software fix, the notice itself may explain how to check. Samsung’s 2022 washer notice links instructions for checking whether a washer’s software was updated.
- If there’s no proof, don’t buy it. It is unlawful to sell a recalled product that hasn’t been repaired under the recall.
If you’re selling:
- CPSC says it is illegal to sell any recalled product, and that when reselling a product it’s your responsibility to know whether it has been recalled. The rule is Section 19 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. § 2068).
- CPSC’s February 2025 Resellers Guide lists recalled products as not sellable “unless the products have been repaired in accordance with the recall.”
- CPSC’s laws apply to thrift stores, consignment stores, charities and individuals at yard sales and flea markets. CPSC also says its staff monitor online marketplaces for recalled products.
Notable major-appliance recalls (examples)
These show what appliance recalls look like. They’re not a complete list. CPSC’s Resellers Guide says it is aware of over 400 recalls involving home appliances.
| Recall date | Product | Hazard | Units | Remedy | Official notice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 4, 2016 | Samsung top-load washers | Top can detach during use (impact injury) | About 2.8 million | Free repair, rebate toward a new washer, or refund (recent buyers) | CPSC notice |
| Apr 14, 2022 | GE bottom-freezer French-door refrigerators | Freezer handle can detach (fall hazard) | About 155,000 | Free in-home service | CPSC notice |
| Dec 22, 2022 | Samsung top-load washers (WA49B–WA55A series) | Short-circuit and overheating (fire) | About 663,500 | Software repair | CPSC notice |
| Feb 8, 2024 | Frigidaire side-by-side refrigerators with slim ice buckets | Broken plastic pieces in ice (choking, laceration) | About 383,240 | Repair | CPSC notice |
| Aug 8, 2024 | Samsung slide-in electric ranges | Front knobs can be turned on by accidental contact (fire) | About 1,120,905 | Free knob locks or covers | CPSC notice |
| Feb 6, 2025 | LG slide-in and freestanding electric ranges | Front knobs can be turned on by accidental contact (fire) | About 500,000 | Warning label and Control Lock instructions | CPSC notice |
All figures are from the CPSC notices linked (basis: official). For the Samsung range recall, CPSC reports about 250 fires and 40 injuries tied to unintentional knob activation. For the LG ranges, it reports more than 28 fires.
How our recall checker works, and what it can miss
The checker above uses data from CPSC’s public Recalls API. In CPSC’s data, the structured model-number field is usually empty. Model numbers mostly appear in the free-text description of each notice. So our checker extracts model numbers from that text and matches the one you enter.
That approach has blind spots:
- Serial ranges. Many notices cover a model only within certain serial numbers. A model match means “read the notice”, not “recalled”.
- Missing or partial model lists. Some notices describe products by brand, type or date instead of listing every model. Some point to the manufacturer’s website for the full list. The checker won’t match those.
- Text formatting. Model numbers with wildcards, suffixes or unusual spacing may not match exactly. Try with and without the suffix (for example “/AA” or “/US”).
- Timing. New recalls appear once our copy of the data refreshes.
- Non-CPSC campaigns. Manufacturer service campaigns that aren’t CPSC recalls won’t appear.
A “no match” result is not a safety clearance. Always confirm on cpsc.gov/Recalls and the brand’s page. When the checker does find a match, it links the official notice. The notice, not our summary, is what counts.
Limitations
This page covers US recalls announced with CPSC. It doesn’t cover recalls in other countries or problems that were never recalled. Report a hazard you’ve found at SaferProducts.gov.
What to do next
- Buying used? Work through the used appliance buying checklist.
- Selling? See where to sell used appliances and set a price with how much is my used appliance worth.
- Recalled and not worth fixing? Try the repair or replace calculator.
Checked against the sources below on 26 September 2026.