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PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk
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See my previous posts in this thread. But, I know you still won't understand. Just think about the recalls for so many other companies and products...food, cars, toys, etc., etc, and apply your "logic" to them.
The reason for the recall is very simple. Anker discovered a problem with components from a 3rd party. There was a risk to those products, and Anker acted responsibly by recalling them. Not everything is a conspiracy.
They’ve shown their true colours after the spy camera fiasco dubbed AnkerGate: https://www.theverge.com/23573362/anker-eufy-security-camera-answers-encryption
From my own testing with their cables and chargers, they use the same internals as ugreen or equivalent. There is nothing special about their chargers and the gimmicks they market about “intelligent charging” are just that. They function the same as any cheap charger off AliE.
Who said anything about a conspiracy? It seems you don't understand how corporate risk management works. Anker is in business to make maximum profits at minimum cost. If they had used a better quality supplier, they wouldn't be in this situation. Anker isn't going to issue a voluntary recall to lose millions unless there was a risk of being fined and forced to issue a larger recall at a bigger loss. Their messaging is just an attempt at trying to spin the narrative in their favor.
At least on the back of my recalled A1689 Zolo 20,000mAh bank, there was a QR code with the serial number, in addition to the dark-gray-on-black two-point-type version. The builtin iPhone Camera app even recognized it.
I got my revenge on Anker, though, as I wrote RECALL in black Sharpie on the gloss-black product, just as instructed.
I got my revenge on Anker, though, as I wrote RECALL in black Sharpie on the gloss-black product, just as instructed.
Apple would like a word. https://support.apple.com/15-inch-macbook-pro-battery-recall
"will blow up" is doing a lot of work here 🤣
Ah, “general design aesthetics”. I must have missed that topic in Product Design 101.
Good on Anker for at least suggesting this! I'm not entirely sure why some comments here say this is poor policy.
This is now the 3rd recall for one and the same powerbank and whilst I was previously told my serial number weren't affected now it finally is. For over a full year Anker let me lug around a fire hazard in my backpack 5 times a week and even left me reassured that my specific powerbank was not actually affected only to turn around and claim the opposite as of today.
I mean don't get me wrong I am glad they do not hide the problem but how is this supposed to inspire confidence in Anker products? I have another Anker powerbank that could have been affected by a recall as well but it turned out this specific serial number was not affected at the time.
Does this mean my other Anker powerbank could turn out to be a hazard as well and I just have to wait for tomorrow or tomorrow in a year to find out? Quite frankly I find this unacceptable.
/Edit: Even better they require a photo sent in where I write the date and whatnot directly onto the powerbank with a black permanent marker but the entire powerbank is black. I am sure this whole refund thing is going to work out perfectly.
/Edit: Alright I sent it in and there was no option to get my money back. I don't want another Anker powerbank and accepted store credit but why can't I get my money back if I was sold a hazardous product? Guess I'll order something from the shop that can't catch on fire. If I ever get that promised credit. I'll update in this thread and then we'll see if the credit even works for products currently on sale.
I mean don't get me wrong I am glad they do not hide the problem but how is this supposed to inspire confidence in Anker products? I have another Anker powerbank that could have been affected by a recall as well but it turned out this specific serial number was not affected at the time.
Does this mean my other Anker powerbank could turn out to be a hazard as well and I just have to wait for tomorrow or tomorrow in a year to find out? Quite frankly I find this unacceptable.
/Edit: Even better they require a photo sent in where I write the date and whatnot directly onto the powerbank with a black permanent marker but the entire powerbank is black. I am sure this whole refund thing is going to work out perfectly.
/Edit: Alright I sent it in and there was no option to get my money back. I don't want another Anker powerbank and accepted store credit but why can't I get my money back if I was sold a hazardous product? Guess I'll order something from the shop that can't catch on fire. If I ever get that promised credit. I'll update in this thread and then we'll see if the credit even works for products currently on sale.
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Broadly gestures over a range of products. “This is the aesthetic we are looking for.”
I chose the replacement power bank over the gift card, which cost more than the amount of the gift card and was more comparable to the power bank that was recalled. This was just in time before I would need it.
For me the credit seems based on MSRP whereas I originally got mine at 40% off. Hence I'd rather buy another on sale from Amazon or Best Buy and take the credit. But maybe your idea is actually great because that way you can get free replacement powerbanks for life if Anker keeps recalling them.
I purchased the Zolo power bank last year on sale. I chose the replacement power bank since it cost more than the value of the gift card Anker was going to give me. The replacement power bank is comparable to the Zolo power bank. I thought they would try to give me one that wasn’t comparable but Anker made it worthwhile.
Same here. And I also had just bought one for my sister for her birthday, June 23.
Well I was definitely suggesting Satechi, whether or not it was praise, I’m not sure. My experience with Satechi is with three adapters, and the quality is excellent.
It is interesting that you had such a terrible experience with keyboards that you’d never recommend trying anything Satechi, whereas I had such a great experience with adapters that I would try any of their other products. I would say we need more information.
Mine would to and it would click consistently while charging.I wonder when the MagGo 321 gets recalled - that sucker gets hot when you use it and I have 2!
It was lost in a cross country move. Probably in a hotel or on the ground at the Buc-ee’s where my bag fell out of the car.
Satechi makes amazing products. Their keyboards, however, I've not had luck with as well. A little pricey but high quality in my experience (their other products/batteries).
I pretty much stopped buying small cellphone batteries when Anker decided they wanted north of $40 for 10,000 mAh - after a decade+ of buying 10,000 - 20,000 mAh for around $20... Yeah, I couldn't do that.
My car has a 65w USB C and wireless phone charging. Almost everywhere I go (airplanes included) have USB chargers.
Only thing I bought recently was the LFP Anker C300 for when I need mobile power. The mobile power generator/bank movement seems to be where Anker's focus is right now.
But yeah... $40-$80 for 10,000 mAh? LOL.
My car has a 65w USB C and wireless phone charging. Almost everywhere I go (airplanes included) have USB chargers.
Only thing I bought recently was the LFP Anker C300 for when I need mobile power. The mobile power generator/bank movement seems to be where Anker's focus is right now.
But yeah... $40-$80 for 10,000 mAh? LOL.
To be fair nobody expects you to pay MSRP for these. Anker is one of the worst offenders when it comes to releasing products at unreasonable MSRP and then offering a sale or coupon code every other week. If Anker was more expensive than the competition I'd never have bought any of their products in the first place.
Because let's not forget Anker is really just a chinese brand that got a foothold overseas. It's not a more premium "designed in USA" brand like for example Belkin. That doesn't mean Anker is worse or Belkin is better but generally at least I am more inclined to buy from an American brand. And indeed Belkin products usually are a bit more pricey than Anker.
Right now Anker still has the advantage of being a well known brand with reasonable street pricing. If quality drops or prices rise I might just try out Belkin for a change. I am not inclined to switch to satechi or ugreen and all these others unless I hear a compelling argument why they're worth it. In fact, in most power supply testing I've seen Apple and Google come out on top with their USB-C power supplies, Anker coming in second with overheating when drawing the max rated power through their GaN units and everyone else overheating even worse and outright failing.
And now the conclusion: One week after raising the request with Anker I just received my order that was entirely free with the credited 60 bucks. It must have been dropped off before 6am which is rare and of course only happens when it isn't an urgent delivery at all. In any case, their recall process worked for me without giving me a headache.
I still would have liked to see an option to get cash back but the credit combined with items on sale did make up for that so I got no complaints.
I still would have liked to see an option to get cash back but the credit combined with items on sale did make up for that so I got no complaints.
Yes, because the fact is that the device would be a risk in transit back to Anchor . This recall forced me to Google lithium ion batteries, and it just had never occurred to me that these devices are a risk even when not in use, but that of course is the case.
So a little off topic but ... I'm someone who is fairly technically inclined. I used to replace batteries in old iPhones, upgrade iPod storage, and I feel fairly comfortable doing that stuff.
When it came time to replace the battery in my ancient yet beloved Logitech K811 keyboard a week ago, I figured it wouldn't be a big deal. However, that sucker was welded onto the plastic backing and ... somehow I punctured the battery trying to remove it. Within 2 seconds I heard a loud hiss and it spewed out a shower of sparks and then tons of smoke. Before I could get it outside it had smoked the entire place out - despite it being a tiny little 1200 mAh. The heat output was crazy... (Turned on fans - that smell was strong and probably not healthy).
(It's an empty old bird cage waiting for the trash just fyi).
What the back looked like (serious heat came out of this thing):
Before this I had never seen a thermal runaway in person - it was a bit of a wakeup - my room is packed with batteries of significantly more capacity than this tiny little 1200 mAh battery. lol
When it came time to replace the battery in my ancient yet beloved Logitech K811 keyboard a week ago, I figured it wouldn't be a big deal. However, that sucker was welded onto the plastic backing and ... somehow I punctured the battery trying to remove it. Within 2 seconds I heard a loud hiss and it spewed out a shower of sparks and then tons of smoke. Before I could get it outside it had smoked the entire place out - despite it being a tiny little 1200 mAh. The heat output was crazy... (Turned on fans - that smell was strong and probably not healthy).
(It's an empty old bird cage waiting for the trash just fyi).
What the back looked like (serious heat came out of this thing):
Before this I had never seen a thermal runaway in person - it was a bit of a wakeup - my room is packed with batteries of significantly more capacity than this tiny little 1200 mAh battery. lol