Among the biggest news from last week’s recalls is a portable generator that can amputate fingers. Generac and DR 6500 Watt and 8000 Watt portable generators have caused 37 injuries, 24 resulting in finger amputations and five in finger crushing, according to reports to Generac. The problem is an unlocked handle can pinch consumers’ fingers […]
Big product recalls from last week included an exploding aerosol air freshener for linens, an exercise bicycle with loose pedals, canvas shoes with toxic chemicals, and a garment cleaner that can cause burns. I’m sharing details about the largest one, the garment steamer that has burned 32 people, two of which were second-degree burns. Empower […]
When I switched from Verizon to T-Mobile, it wasn’t a problem to cancel once I finally got the correct information on what to do. However, some consumers have found it difficult or nearly impossible to cancel a service because companies illegally trick or trap people who use their services. An example is Vonage, a phone […]
Being a consumer and personal finance journalist has many rewards. However, the consumer safety part of it can be gut wrenching. Reading about how the intestines of kids can be sucked out by spa and swimming pool drains, how kids who slump over in an inclined sleeper can die from suffocation, and how kids can […]
After a loved one dies, going to a funeral home to make arrangements for a burial or cremation is extremely difficult. Fortunately, in the 1980s I wrote an article on how to pick out funeral goods and services. I learned a lot. I did a survey after funeral directors in the area told me consumers […]
Recalls were in the news last week more than usual. Italian pork sausage contaminated with thin blue rubber. Catastrophic engine failure on some Ford Broncos. Pine-Sol cleaners that may contain bacteria. Nearly every vehicle Rivian has produced this year. I picked out a wall-mounted basketball hoop to write about because it caused the death of […]
For years, I’ve suggested that consumers consider banking with a credit union rather than a bank. Why? Consumers often can’t trust banks not to gouge them with high interest rates and fees. It was great to listen to President Biden speak on the radio and on television about the action his administration is taking on […]
Do you know what a toy gel gun is? They shoot gellets, small, colorful water-hydrated balls that pop on contact and immediately begin to disintegrate, leaving no stain, no mess, and no clean up. Toy gels guns are being used for games like paintball and have gained popularity because they make less mess. However, […]
It’s good news that a new federal safety standard for clothing storage units has finally been adopted that will reduce injuries and deaths from dresser and other clothing storage unit tip-overs. In writing about consumer product safety for decades, it’s been discouraging to read about and report on tip-over deaths through the years, the U.S. […]
