Shock Hazard Sparks Recall of 25,000 National Presto Smokers

by Matt Schmitz
camo design smoker appliance

That new meat smoker you got for Christmas may pose a greater danger than overcooking your brisket. Eau Claire, Wis.-based National Presto Industries Inc. is recalling some 25,000 Presto Indoor Electric Smokers sold through December 2020 for a shock hazard.

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According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the heating element and wiring on affected smokers is defective, and could result in a user suffering an electrical shock. The manufacturer, CPSC noted, has received reports of five smokers tripping circuit breakers and GFCI outlets, though it was unaware of any related injuries.

The involved smokers, priced between $70 and $110, were sold from June 2018 through December 2020 at Shopko, Sears, Kmart, Belk, Veterans Canteen Store and other home-appliance retailers across the nation, as well as on Amazon.com, Wayfair.com, Kohls.com, Walmart.com and other online dealers. The China-manufactured smokers came in both black stainless steel and camouflage finishes with “Presto” appearing on the top of the side-mounted digital display.

If you own one of the affected smokers, National Presto advises that you stop using it immediately and contact the manufacturer to receive return instructions, or return the product to the store where it was purchased for a refund. To determine if your smoker is in the potentially defective group, check the model number displayed on a sticker found on the underside. All model-number 0601304 and 0601405 units are covered by the Feb. 17-announced recall, and the UPC codes 075741060132 and 075741060149 are printed on the packaging.

To use National Presto’s lookup tool to determine if your smoker is affected, and to fill out an online form to have a prepaid shipping label sent to your address for the return of your unit via FedEx, go here. The manufacturer will mail owners a refund check for $100 within two weeks of receiving the returned smoker.

To contact National Presto Industries Inc., call 833-909-1524 or email smoker@gopresto.com. For more consumer product safety information, go to https://www.cpsc.gov.

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