It hasn’t been a great June for Anker, as the giant accessory company has been forced to issue another product recall for a number of its most popular power banks (via MacRumors). This is the second such recall for Anker’s power banks this month alone.
According to Anker, the recalls are being undertaken because of “a potential issue with common, lithium-ion battery cells from a single vendor”. While it claims the risks of fire are minimal, Anker has done the right thing and is offering to replace the items concerned, or offer a voucher for a similar amount.
Recall hits a number of products
Five power banks are affected
Lithim-ion batteries are dangerous at the best of times, but when a fault is discovered, it behooves manufacturers to move fast to fix the situation. That’s exactly what Anker has done, and has issued a worldwide recall on five different power banks. The recall is for the following products, purchased between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022:
- Anker Power Bank (10K, 22.5W) — model number A1257
- Anker Power Bank (20,000mAh, 22.5W, Built-In USB-C Cable) — model number A1647
- Anker MagGo Power Bank (10,000mAh, 7.5W) — model number A1652
- Anker Zolo Power Bank (20K, 30W, Built-In USB-C and Lightning Cable) — model number A1681
- Anker Zolo Power Bank (20K, 30W, Built-In USB-C Cable) — model number A1689
If you purchased an Anker power bank at any time, not just the dates above, it’s worth checking out the list above. You can find the serial number on the back of your power bank, but be warned, the serial number text on the back of the accessory can be small, so you may need your reading glasses to see it properly. I’ve just checked my stack of power banks, and this recall applies to a power bank I’ve previously bought, so even if you don’t think your power banks are hit by this, it’s always worth checking.
If the recall applies to one of your power banks, then head over to Anker’s recall page, and fill out the supplied form. You’ll need to take a few pictures of the item in question, and you’ll need to scrawl on it with a permanent marker too, so make sure you have everything you need before you begin. You’ll be able to choose between a voucher to use on Anker’s website, or a replacement product shipped straight to your door. It seems the replacement in question is a 10,000mAh power bank, which is likely to be less than most of the recalled options, but that’s better than a faulty product starting a fire. Anker is usually found in our best power banks list, so it’s hard to complain.
Unfortunately for Anker, this isn’t the first recall it’s had to deal with this month. Only two weeks earlier, it issued a recall for over 1 million PowerCore 10,000mAh power banks. However, it’s hard to fault Anker’s actions here, having recalled the affected products as quickly as possible.
