Is your Kmart kitchen gadget putting your home at risk?
- Replies 1
Rice cookers are a staple in many Aussie kitchens, especially for those who like to cook multiple dishes at once and do not have the spare pan to cook rice with using the trusty absorption method.
As one of our members, @Ricci, calls them, they're a godsend in the kitchen – and we agree! You only need to add the water and rice to the pot, set the timer for a few minutes, and you will end up with rice that is perfectly cooked and fluffy every single time.
On the other hand, some people have discovered, much to their dismay, that their rice cooker is not nearly as stable and reliable as it initially appeared to be; such is the case for one mum from Melbourne.
Even though Kayla Grace’s rice cooked to perfection, she had no idea that her 'trusty' appliance would fail her in a matter of months.
In fact, it even came dangerously close to putting her, her family, and her home at risk!
A Kmart customer warns fellow shoppers that the rice cookers she purchased both caught fire. Credit: Facebook/Kmart Australia.
Kayla is a regular customer at Kmart, and she wants other shoppers to know that two of the rice cookers she bought from the retail store caught fire while she was using them.
'Just a warning. My Kmart rice cooker has caught on fire! This is the second Kmart rice cooker to do so,' she wrote in a Facebook post, letting other people know that the $14 rice cooker could be dangerous.
The first time it happened, Kayla admitted that she thought it was a 'one-time' thing and that she only received a faulty product from the store. That’s why she gave Kmart another chance and bought a replacement rice cooker from them.
However, after witnessing the second Anko 7 Cup Rice Cooker burst into flames, she realised that almost all of the rice cookers from the retail store may be substandard in quality.
'It was smoking, and there was a small flame,' she said, pointing out that both rice cookers were only about 18 months old when they caught fire. The second appliance even had a total of just six uses under its belt.
The mum expressed regret over the fact that she had not informed Kmart of her experience with the first rice cooker, but she vowed to inform them this time around.
Many more customers said their rice cookers caught fire too. Credit: Kitchen Cuddle.
According to a Kmart spokesperson who spoke to Yahoo News, the retail company are aware of the customer's problem with the rice cookers and are already looking into the matter.
'At Kmart, we take the safety and quality of our products very seriously. We are aware of this customer's issue and have recently contacted them to chat further and conduct an investigation,' said the representative.
'We encourage any customer who experiences issues with a product to get in touch with our customer service team at [email protected] to ensure that it can be investigated properly.'
In Kayla's post on social media, plenty more Kmart customers came forward and shared their similar disappointing experiences with the retailer's rice cookers.
Apparently, their appliances caught fire as well, with one user even admitting that it took her 'three rice cookers' to realise that all of them were poor quality. 'They were smoking! Didn't get another one, but I have now mastered the stove,' they said.
A second user agreed and added, 'I have had two that left a burning smell then stopped working after one use.'
Meanwhile, a third customer shared that their appliance did not only catch fire but actually blew up. A fourth said she sent back her rice cooker because the plastic around the heating element melted, and another said it spewed rice all over her kitchen counters.
Kmart is looking into the customer's rice cooker problem, a spokesperson told Yahoo News. Credit: Kmart Australia.
Not everyone, though, has had the same experience with Kmart's rice cooker; some claim they've been using theirs for years without any problems.
'Had mine for 10 years, it’s never done this,' said one woman, with another adding, 'I've had the same one for 7 years, no problem.'
Some people also suggested that it might have been a manufacturing defect that was unique to recent models or a specific batch of products.
In one of our previous articles, we recently talked about the best and worst places this year to buy electronics, including kitchen appliances.
The list was compiled by several CHOICE experts, and they described Kmart to be one of the 'worst' places to buy electronic appliances. Apparently, many consumers find Kmart's products and customer service to be quite unreliable.
We advise our members to double-check and thoroughly research the products they wish to purchase to avoid the inconvenience of having to return them to the store. Or, worse yet, be subjected to the dangers of it breaking down!
If you want to check out the list, go to the link provided below:
What are your thoughts, folks? Have you had any similar experience with your Kmart rice cooker or any kitchen appliance from the store? Share them with us in the comments!
As one of our members, @Ricci, calls them, they're a godsend in the kitchen – and we agree! You only need to add the water and rice to the pot, set the timer for a few minutes, and you will end up with rice that is perfectly cooked and fluffy every single time.
On the other hand, some people have discovered, much to their dismay, that their rice cooker is not nearly as stable and reliable as it initially appeared to be; such is the case for one mum from Melbourne.
Even though Kayla Grace’s rice cooked to perfection, she had no idea that her 'trusty' appliance would fail her in a matter of months.
In fact, it even came dangerously close to putting her, her family, and her home at risk!
A Kmart customer warns fellow shoppers that the rice cookers she purchased both caught fire. Credit: Facebook/Kmart Australia.
Kayla is a regular customer at Kmart, and she wants other shoppers to know that two of the rice cookers she bought from the retail store caught fire while she was using them.
'Just a warning. My Kmart rice cooker has caught on fire! This is the second Kmart rice cooker to do so,' she wrote in a Facebook post, letting other people know that the $14 rice cooker could be dangerous.
The first time it happened, Kayla admitted that she thought it was a 'one-time' thing and that she only received a faulty product from the store. That’s why she gave Kmart another chance and bought a replacement rice cooker from them.
However, after witnessing the second Anko 7 Cup Rice Cooker burst into flames, she realised that almost all of the rice cookers from the retail store may be substandard in quality.
'It was smoking, and there was a small flame,' she said, pointing out that both rice cookers were only about 18 months old when they caught fire. The second appliance even had a total of just six uses under its belt.
The mum expressed regret over the fact that she had not informed Kmart of her experience with the first rice cooker, but she vowed to inform them this time around.
Many more customers said their rice cookers caught fire too. Credit: Kitchen Cuddle.
According to a Kmart spokesperson who spoke to Yahoo News, the retail company are aware of the customer's problem with the rice cookers and are already looking into the matter.
'At Kmart, we take the safety and quality of our products very seriously. We are aware of this customer's issue and have recently contacted them to chat further and conduct an investigation,' said the representative.
'We encourage any customer who experiences issues with a product to get in touch with our customer service team at [email protected] to ensure that it can be investigated properly.'
In Kayla's post on social media, plenty more Kmart customers came forward and shared their similar disappointing experiences with the retailer's rice cookers.
Apparently, their appliances caught fire as well, with one user even admitting that it took her 'three rice cookers' to realise that all of them were poor quality. 'They were smoking! Didn't get another one, but I have now mastered the stove,' they said.
A second user agreed and added, 'I have had two that left a burning smell then stopped working after one use.'
Meanwhile, a third customer shared that their appliance did not only catch fire but actually blew up. A fourth said she sent back her rice cooker because the plastic around the heating element melted, and another said it spewed rice all over her kitchen counters.
Kmart is looking into the customer's rice cooker problem, a spokesperson told Yahoo News. Credit: Kmart Australia.
Not everyone, though, has had the same experience with Kmart's rice cooker; some claim they've been using theirs for years without any problems.
'Had mine for 10 years, it’s never done this,' said one woman, with another adding, 'I've had the same one for 7 years, no problem.'
Some people also suggested that it might have been a manufacturing defect that was unique to recent models or a specific batch of products.
In one of our previous articles, we recently talked about the best and worst places this year to buy electronics, including kitchen appliances.
The list was compiled by several CHOICE experts, and they described Kmart to be one of the 'worst' places to buy electronic appliances. Apparently, many consumers find Kmart's products and customer service to be quite unreliable.
We advise our members to double-check and thoroughly research the products they wish to purchase to avoid the inconvenience of having to return them to the store. Or, worse yet, be subjected to the dangers of it breaking down!
If you want to check out the list, go to the link provided below:
What are your thoughts, folks? Have you had any similar experience with your Kmart rice cooker or any kitchen appliance from the store? Share them with us in the comments!
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