Sunbeam Complaint - Quartz Heater Caught Fire - Tower Quartz Heater Sqh310

Posted by MDSasquatch on 2010-11-15:

I had this happen with the plug of a Sunbeam Warming Blanket; the customer service was very willing to replace it, but they weren't to eager to admit that there might be a problem with the blanket.

Posted by RestaurantGuy on 2010-11-15:

They are offering to replace the defective product for you. What more would you like them to do for you?

Posted by MDSasquatch on 2010-11-15:

When they replaced my warming blanket, I wanted a little bit of assurance that it wouldn't happen again. Is that too much to ask?

Posted by ript on 2010-11-15:

Definitely faulty. Nowadays, most things have an automatic shutoff / fail safe to prevent things like fire and overheating.

Posted by bluediamond98 on 2010-11-15:

New unit or not, I would be afraid to use it.

Posted by dan gordon on 2010-11-15:

I would be letting the Consumer safety commission or similar and notify them of this inciden t. Replacing the unit is nice but others may have had the same situation so contacting another agency and voice your concerns will help others.

Posted by trmn8r on 2010-11-15:

This unit has been sold for a long time now, and I found no other complaints of fire.

An electrical heating device, by its nature, has a higher degree of risk than the average appliance. Think Revlon 1875 hair dryer with sparks and flames (google it). But this heater should be more reliable than a handheld dryer.

I assume you were hoping either to get a refund or find out there is a widespread problem. My guess is you won't and it isn't.

Posted by consciousconsumer on 2010-11-17:

I believe this will be a widespread problem.
Bought my SQH310 8 months ago, used it last winter and this last week for the first time this year. Today, when I turned the power switch to the low wattage setting sparks lit up the inside compartment under the switch then caught fire.

Posted by Okieyankeegirl on 2010-12-10:

I just filed a complaint with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding the near fire with my Sunbeam SQH310 heater. I'm sure they will have to do something about this heater if/when they receive enough complains. I have a second heater (we bought 2) that I'm now afraid to use for fear it too will short.

Posted by C. Spencer on 2012-01-04:

Six week old SQH310 Sunbeam quartz heater. Strong "electrical source" odor from heater and thereafter there was no difference between 750 or 1500 watt heating. It operated at 1500 regardless of setting as evidenced by heat output and the brighter orange color of quartz tubes. At 750 setting the tubes did not glow as brightly. Called Sunbeam and first lady gave me run-around and told me I didn't know how it operated, etc, and that nothing was wrong with it. I knew better! Asked to speak to her supervisor and when I told the supervisor the problem she immediately offered a no cost Holmes heater replacement w/ same 750/1500 watt rating and did not want the Sunbeam heater returned.....kind of tells me there is a manufacturing defect they would rather not admit or deal with, but wanted to have it quietly go away.