The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Sears Canada has been advised by The Holmes Group Inc., manufacturer of the Rival 4.5 qt. slow cooker, that the handles on the base of the slow cookers can break, posing a risk of burns from hot contents spilling out. There have been no reported incidents in Canada. Sears is issuing this notice to alert customers to a possible safety issue. The slow cookers were sold nationwide from January 1999 through May 2002 with model No. 5445-BC written on the plug. A date code is also stamped on the prong of the plug at the end of the power cord attached to each unit. The first two digits represent the week of manufacture and the last two digits represent the year of manufacture. Any plug prong with a date code from Y 0199 (1st week of 1999) to Y 1802 (18th week of 2002) is included in the recall. Only date codes that begin with the letter Y are affected. Although there have been no reported injuries, customers who purchased the slow cooker should return it to their nearest Sears store for an exchange or refund. Sears Canada will be posting signs in all of its retail stores to advise customers of this safety notice.
