Urgent recall for 1.5million popular winter gadgets sold on Amazon and Walmart after 350 burn injuries and a reported death

Owners of millions of hand warmers sold through Amazon and Walmart are being urged to stop using them immediately after they were linked to hundreds of burn injuries, multiple fires and one reported death.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced the recall of around 1.5 million Ocoopa rechargeable hand warmers after determining that the products' lithium-ion batteries can overheat and ignite, creating a serious fire and burn hazard.

According to the safety agency, Ocoopa Direct has received 1,480 reports of the hand warmers overheating. Those incidents have resulted in 15 reported fires and 350 burn injuries.

The company also confirmed the death of an 83-year-old consumer in San Jose, California, following a fire involving one of the hand warmers in February 2026.

The recall affects Ocoopa-branded rechargeable hand warmers sold in various colors and designs under model numbers UT3053, UT3056, ZLS-118, ZLS-118S, ZLS-118D, H01 and H01(PD).

The products were sold in packs of two that magnetically attach together and came with a USB-C charging cable. Each hand warmer features adjustable heat settings, LED indicator lights, a silicone lanyard and 'Ocoopa' branding printed on both the device and the packaging.

Consumers can determine whether their product is included in the recall by checking the model number and three-digit batch code printed on the underside of each hand warmer.

The products were sold online through Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Ocoopa.com and Ocoopa.net between September 2018 and May 2026, with prices ranging from $15 to $60.

The CPSC is urging owners to stop using the recalled hand warmers immediately because the defective lithium-ion batteries can suddenly overheat, catch fire and cause serious burns.

Customers are eligible for either a refund to their original payment method or an OCOOPA gift card.

To receive a refund, consumers must write 'recalled' in permanent marker on the device before submitting a photograph showing the marking alongside the model number and batch code through Ocoopa's online recall portal.

The agency is also warning consumers not to throw the devices into household trash, curbside recycling bins or standard battery recycling boxes because defective lithium-ion batteries require special disposal procedures due to the heightened fire risk.

Instead, the products should be taken to a local household hazardous waste collection facility or disposed of in accordance with local and state regulations.

The recall is one of the largest involving rechargeable hand warmers in recent years and comes amid growing scrutiny over products powered by lithium-ion batteries.

In recent years, federal safety officials have announced recalls involving everything from portable power banks and e-bikes to electric scooters and hoverboards after batteries were found to overheat, smoke or burst into flames.

Consumer safety experts have repeatedly warned that damaged or defective lithium-ion batteries can experience what's known as 'thermal runaway,' a chain reaction that can rapidly produce intense heat and fires that are difficult to extinguish.

The CPSC has increasingly urged consumers to register rechargeable products where possible and pay close attention to recall notices, as lithium-ion battery failures have become one of the fastest-growing product safety concerns in the United States.

Anyone who owns one of the recalled Ocoopa hand warmers is being urged to stop using it immediately and begin the refund process before safely disposing of the device. 

Consumers who have experienced an incident involving one of the recalled products are also encouraged to report it through the CPSC's SaferProducts database, helping regulators monitor any additional injuries or fires linked to the devices.