Whatever Works Recalls 8,709 Microwave Grills After Three Fires
Whatever Works is recalling about 8,709 microwave grillers because, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, they can overheat and ignite. The company has received three reports of grills igniting, and all three became fires. Stop using it today. The remedy is a full refund, and the return label is prepaid.
The recall was announced on October 29, 2026 (CPSC recall number 27-050). No injuries have been reported.
Which grills are covered
The recall covers Whatever Works Microwave Grillers, model K4001. The grill is a white plastic rectangle with black locking clips on the side and hinge tabs at the rear. Inside are two non-stick black metal plates.
There is one catch when checking the model number. CPSC says model K4001 is printed on the purchase receipt, not on the product. To confirm it, find your receipt instead of turning the grill over. CPSC lists only one place the grills were sold: online at Whateverworks.com.
The grills sold from January 2025 through June 2026 for about $22. They were made in Taiwan. CPSC lists the seller as Potpourri Group, Inc., doing business as Whatever Works, of Billerica, Massachusetts.
What to do
- Stop using it now. CPSC's instruction is to stop using the grill immediately, so don't save it for one last meal while the refund is processed.
- Contact Whatever Works for a refund. Call 877-756-5053, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, or go to
whateverworks.com/recall. On the main site the recall is under "Customer Service/Product Recall". - Mark it, photograph it, send the photo. Whatever Works will ask you to write "Recalled" on the grill in permanent marker and email the company a photo of it. CPSC's recall notice, linked below, gives the dedicated address for that photo.
- Ship it back on the prepaid label that Whatever Works sends you. Returning it costs you nothing.
Why we are running this
We don't rate Whatever Works, and this recall doesn't change any score on this site. We are running it for two reasons: the price and the way it was sold.
It is the same pattern as the Panasonic toaster oven recall in July. That oven was sold online, the remedy is a refund rather than a repair, and owners have no reason to expect the notice to reach them. A $22 kitchen gadget bought on one website is not a product many people register. The only record of the purchase is a receipt, and CPSC says the model number is on that receipt. That makes finding the receipt worth a minute's search.
Price is also the reason people ignore a recall like this, as we said about Cooluli's minifridges in August. A cheap appliance doesn't feel worth a phone call. But this one has three reported fires behind its recall, the refund is free, and the return label is prepaid.
There is nothing to repair, and no part to buy. Do not look for a fix.