CPSC: Oster French-Door Countertop Ovens Pose Burn Hazard

Sunbeam Products and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently announced the recall of more than 1.28 million Oster French-Door countertop ovens in the U.S. and another 100k in Canada. This occurred after receiving multiple reports of the ovens’ doors unexpectedly slamming shut and causing burns.

Understanding the defect 

According to the recall, the recalled ovens use spring-loaded, bilateral glass doors that open outward from the center. A design flaw in the oven allows the doors to close unexpectedly while a user is reaching inside, presenting a substantial burn hazard. The CPSC reports that there were 95 incidents in which the doors caused burn injuries. This includes two reports of second-degree burns.

The ovens were sold between August 2015 and July 2025 at major retailers such as Walmart, Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond, and via Amazon and Overstock, at prices between $140 and $250.

Recall remedy and consumer obligations 

Sunbeam is offering consumers a free repair kit, which includes a clip-on device that provides extra holding force to keep the doors open while the user accesses the interior. The installation is intended to be tool-free, and instructions and an installation video (via QR code) are provided. The company is urging consumers to immediately stop using the ovens until the clip-on device is installed. Notably, Sunbeam is not offering full refunds or replacements, relying instead on this supposed “fix” for the entire recall.

Consumers can contact Sunbeam at 1-800-334-0759 or visit the recall website recall.oster.com for model verification and kit requests.

Product liability 

This recall centers on a potentially defective door mechanism. If you’ve been injured or burned by a defective product, you may be entitled to compensation. A plaintiff can argue that a safer product would have prevented the doors from closing unexpectedly. The clip-on magnet is itself a post-sale retrofit, which raises questions about whether the original design was “reasonably safe.”

In addition, there is a question as to whether or not Sunbeam provided adequate warnings concerning the doors’ hazard. A plaintiff could argue that a warning could have mitigated the harm posed by the oven. If warnings did exist, there may be some question as to how effective they were.

In litigation, proving that a particular burn resulted from the design defect (as opposed to misuse) will matter. The fact that the design failure occurs during normal use (such as reaching into the oven) strengthens the causation claims that potential plaintiffs can make. The timing of the failure (doors slamming) may leave little room for alternative causes.

There is also some question as to whether the company’s remedy is adequate or whether or not a full refund should have been offered. Consumers could argue that Sunbeam’s remedy is insufficient to eliminate reasonable risk.

Talk to a Florida Product Liability Lawyer Today 

Halpern, Santos & Pinkert represent the interests of Florida residents who have been injured by dangerous or defective products. Call our Florida personal injury lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin investigating your case right away.