Popular $14 Kmart product bursts into flames without warning prompting dire warning from worried grandfather

A concerned grandfather is calling for a recall of a popular kitchen appliance sold at Kmart after it caught fire without warning.

Nick Morgan bought the Anko 7-cup rice cooker for $14 at the discount chain’s Chermside store in Brisbane, only to find it steaming in his kitchen.

The device, which he had used sparingly, caught fire in his north Brisbane home, which he shares with his daughter and eight-month-old granddaughter.

Mr Morgan said his daughter’s quick thinking helped prevent the loss of the family’s entire home.

He said she left the kitchen momentarily and returned to the smell of burning plastic and smoke coming from the rice cooker.

“(Then) she took the bowl out and saw there was a flame at the bottom of the cooker,” Mr Morgan said.

It is understood this is not the first time the Anko device has caught fire, with many product reviews stating the item “exploded” and “needs to be recalled immediately”.

Kmart said it takes the quality and safety of all our products “very seriously” and “encourages” customers who have an issue to contact their customer service team.

“While this product meets all required standards, we investigate any quality issues reported to us,” a spokesperson said. Yahoo News.

On its product review page, the company said it was “concerned” by the number of customers saying the product is “very dangerous.”

“A huge spark came out of the button area and knocked out the power to my house,” said one dissatisfied customer.

Another said: “Don’t buy this rice cooker, it will catch fire.” »

“I’ve bought three in the last five months. All three burned on first use, with the last one smoking the house so much we had to rush it out,” a third person wrote.

It is believed that the rice cooker heating element may overheat if the inner pot is damaged or if it is not placed flat on the heating plate during use.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kmart for further comment.