I just received a counter-top air fryer/toaster as a gift. The appliance works great with cool features features, but it is not UL listed (and made in China). How important is it to be UL listed, and am I being foolish to keep it?

Thanks

 

How important is it to be UL listed, and am I being foolish to keep it?

Technically, it's okay to use it, but UL certification means that it's been tested and complies with UL safety standards.

Personally, I want all of my tools and appliances to be UL certified.

I've gotten refunds for some things from China that didn't have UL certification.

 

UL is mostly a fire safety organization. If you want the peace of mind that a UL listing provides then I would bin it. Watching your house burn down would be upsetting enough, but having an insurance company deny your claim because you knowingly used an unsafe (not UL listed) product would be devastating. Maybe you could restrict the use to outside only like a grill (charcoal or propane). Maybe you institute other safety measures - I don't really have an answer.

The small company I worked for once upon a time purchased a product from us and wanted a UL listing. We jumped through the hoops, got the cert, and let it lapse when they stopped ordering the product. You need to pay the bounty every 90 days to keep the listing. It was good money while the orders came in. Not so much when they stopped.

 

Keep an eye on it while you're using it and unplug it when done. I know it's not the best indicator, but the manual is put together well which would leave me to believe they put some effort into producing a safe (relative) product.

 

Take it from a person who has just seen a deadly house fire, get a UL (or country specific safety certification) listed one.

 

It's all about risk assessment and comfort level.

Having a UL-listed appliance is not a guarantee that it won't burn your house down, but the risk of that happening is a lot less.

Using devices that are not UL-listed increases the chance of that (or something else bad) happening, but by an unknown amount.

There are practices you can do that lessen the danger, such as not leaving the device plugged in when not in use, using it in places where the bad things that can happen are not so bad if they happen, and monitoring it when it's in use so that bad things can be nipped in the bud before they get out of hand. You could/should do that even with appliances that are UL-listed, it's just more relevant when using higher-risk appliances.

If you are comfortable that you are taking adequate precautions when using a non-UL-listed appliance of suspect quality, then go for it, being aware that you can still get bit, but it's unlikely.

If you are not comfortable taking that approach -- for instance, if you are concerned that others that use it might not take the precautions that would make you comfortable -- then it's not worth it. Get rid of it and get something that you will have confidence in, being aware that you can still get bit, but that it's considerably more unlikely.

 

UL is mostly a fire safety organization.

Ha. If only.

They are a major brand marketing corporation. Like Coca Cola and Disney.

There are other organizations that test to the same standards at half the price and half the time.

But UL pretty much has a monopoly due to their successful brand marketing strategies over many decades.

Full disclosure: I am a UL customer. I've tried to get my customers to accept other than UL (for their benefit and mine). No takers.

 

Wow! a lot of good info, some of you guys are scaring the heck out of me.

I was getting ready to return it but noticed a logo on the back sticker that I am unfamiliar with. Looks like "ETL" in a circle. Is this a different certification company? If it is, should I be more comfortable using it, or still not worth it?

 

Wow! a lot of good info, some of you guys are scaring the heck out of me.

I was getting ready to return it but noticed a logo on the back sticker that I am unfamiliar with. Looks like "ETL" in a circle. Is this a different certification company? If it is, should I be more comfortable using it, or still not worth it?

This might help:

https://www.racksolutions.com/news/blog/ul-vs-etl-certifications-whats-the-difference/

 

This might help:

https://www.racksolutions.com/news/blog/ul-vs-etl-certifications-whats-the-difference/

"Some critics of ETL say that while they use the UL certification standards, they are not as stringent as UL is."

I know who they are. Take this statement with the full grain of salt it deserves.

 

The ETL (Electrical Testing Laboratory) mark is Intertek’s NRTL approval mark – the equivalent of UL.

 

While a UL certification is better than no UL certification, bear in mind that the company doesn’t have to continue to produce compliant devices after they get the initial ones certified. This mostly affects the quality of components, and the presence of some protective components, since it doesn’t make sense to redesign the geometry aspects.

This means there is some protection if they ever passed the UL certification. And, that’s another problem. The UL logo can be easily printed on anything. Real UL certification includes holographic labels for a bit more protection against fraud. (The labels are made in China, I believe, so do the math on how effective the idea is...)

ETL should afford similar protection. It will be 80%+ of the UL mark, if not 100% all things considered. That is, the ETL mark should be, even if critics of the organization have a point, functionally equivalent to the UL.

Since you are dealing with an appliance designed to use as much current as practical, you are right to be concerned. But, if the ETL mark is genuine you should be, practically, as safe as if the device was UL certified. All of this said, UL devices, even genuinely certified ones, can have problems so don’t consider it a guarantee and follow clearance requirements of the manufacturer when placing the device.

 

As I said, the ETL (Electrical Testing Laboratory) mark is Intertek’s NRTL approval mark – the equivalent of UL.

All NRTL marks are equivalent, overseen by OSHA. Not only are the products tested to a UL standard, but as part of the NRTL approval scheme the manufacturing operations are subject to regular independent audit (normally 4 times a year), to ensure the product build is as that originally type tested.

So you can buy an electrical product with an NRTL safety mark (whether it is UL, ETL, CSA, TUV etc) knowing that it has been subject to an independent type test and factory audits.

https://www.osha.gov/nationally-recognized-testing-laboratory-program/current-list-of-nrtls

 

Checking the ETL directory I can’t immediately find your oven in it. There is one product made by “Kalorik MAXX” but not that one. There should be a number with the ETL mark, is there?

You can inquire about particular products, there is a link on that page.

 

There are several numbers on the sticker. I tried looking them up in the ETL directory, but couldnt find my unit. Which number are you referring to?

 

If you go to the ETL website, they have directories of their various marks. There they provide a phone number and e-mail address where you can request verification of a product that doesn't appear in the directory.

 

ETL replied to my email. Yes, it is listed.
Thanks everyone for your help & comments

 

ETL replied to my email. Yes, it is listed.
Thanks everyone for your help & comments

That’s excellent news. Enjoy your new air fryer. I really love air fryers—they are a great invention.

Not many people know that William Maxon, an American, invented the proto-air-fryer in 1944 (with the US Navy) for heating airline meals. It was a convention oven, not yet an air fryer, but the circulating air idea was rooted in it.

Then in 2005, Fred Van Der Weij, a Nederlander, took the idea and developed the actual air fryer. Philips introduced the first one in 2010–and, as they say, the rest as they say, is history.

But there’s been quite a spate of innovation by so many companies since then and these toaster oven style air fryers are really nice. Though I do believe the basket style air fryers like the original Philips are better at the air fryer part, they oven type are more efficient in the use of counter space.

Anyway, I think of the air fryer as the anti-microwave-oven but I do often use the microwave first followed by the air fryer. Back in about 1990 or so, we have a really nice Kenmore combination convention-microwave built like a tank. It didn’t have a turntable but instead had a “stirrer“ mounted in the top of the chamber which was a four-bladed aluminum fan-like device that rotated about 8RPM to scatter the microwave radiation.

They used to be common but they must cost more because they perform better and have the advantage of leaving the food standing still, yet turntables are universal at this point.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming, already in progress…

 

Hello,

There are some air fryers that have been recalled due to a problem with something breaking and the hot food being dispensed onto the user and causing burns. You might do a search on the web to see if yours is one of the ones recalled.
Electrically they are ok though

I found this but there may be others...

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What air fryers are on recall?
The recalled products are the PowerXL DUAF-10 Dual-Basket Air Fryer and DUAF-005 Vortex Dual-Basket Air Fryer. According to the recall notice, the issue is with a U-shaped plastic piece that connects the two baskets inside the fryer. Dec 21, 2023
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A UL listing is crucial for ensuring the safety and reliability of kitchen appliances. The absence of a UL listing on your counter-top air fryer/toaster, especially if it's made in China, raises concerns about its compliance with safety standards. UL listing indicates that the product has undergone testing for potential hazards, electrical safety, and performance. It is not advisable to keep an appliance without a UL listing, as it may pose safety risks. Consider opting for products with UL certification to prioritize safety in your kitchen.