Starbucks Announces Recall of 8-Cup Coffee Brewers Due to Possible Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the manufacturers named below, today announced voluntary recalls of the following consumer products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. (To access color photos of the following recalled products, see CPSC's Web Site at www.cpsc.gov.)

Name of product: Starbucks Barista Aroma Stainless Steel 8-Cup Coffee Brewers
Units: About 73,000
Distributor: Starbucks Coffee Company, of Seattle, Washington

Incidents/Injuries: The coffee brewer has defective electrical wiring that can result in overheating, smoking, burning and melting, posing a possible fire hazard. Starbucks has received 23 reports of melting in the plastic housing of the brewers. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall includes the Starbucks Barista Aroma 8-Cup Coffee Brewer only. "Starbucks Barista Aroma" is embossed on the front of the brewer and the brewer has silver control panel buttons and a chrome finish. The Starbucks Barista Grande 12-Cup Coffee Brewer and Starbucks Barista Solo Coffee Brewers are not included in this recall.

Sold at: Starbucks company-owned and operated stores nationwide between March 2005 and September 2006 for about $100.

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled coffee brewers immediately and contact Starbucks for a full refund. Consumers will receive a postage-paid package along with instructions on how to return their brewer. Starbucks is also offering a coupon (valid through 1/31/07) for a free pound of coffee as an incentive to return the recalled machine.

Manufactured in: China

Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers should contact Starbucks Customer Service by phone at (800) 782-7282 (Monday-Friday 5 a.m. to 8 p.m PST/ Saturday-Sunday 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST), or visit the company's website at www.starbucks.com. Consumers may also write to Starbucks Customer Service, PO Box 6363, Dover, DE 19905-6363.

To see a picture of the recalled product(s) and/or to establish a link from your web site to this press release on CPSC's web site, link to the following address: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07006.html. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at http://www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's web site at http://www.cpsc.gov.