Rechargeable lithium-ion cells power almost every aspect of our portable lives, as they can be found in practically every smartwatch, phone, laptop, and handheld gaming PC. We use them constantly and rarely experience problems, but given how much energy they store, when they [[link]] do go wrong, you need to get them replaced pronto. [[link]] That's exactly why Anker has issued a global voluntary recall on specific production runs of five of its power bank models.
Anker has issued two separate recalls (via ), one for its power bank sold in the US and :
- Power Bank (10K, 22.5W)—Model A1257
- Power Bank (20,000mAh, 22.5W, Built-In USB-C Cable)—Model A1647
- MagGo Power Bank (10,000mAh, 7.5W)—Model A1652
- Zolo Power Bank (20K, 30W, Built-In USB-C and Lightning Cable)—Model A1681
- Anker Zolo Power Bank (20K, 30W, Built-In USB-C Cable)—Model A1689
However, it's important to note that the "potential issue with common, lithium-ion battery cells from a single vendor" only concerns power banks manufactured during specific production runs, and you'll need to read Anker's recall instructions carefully to find the power bank's serial number, to see if it's one that's affected.
If Anker confirms that your device is indeed one that comes under the recall, then it will either send out a replacement power bank or issue you with a gift card for its online store. Which means you'll be stuck with a potentially iffy power bank, so what exactly are you supposed to do with it?
Most countries list lithium-ion batteries/cells as 'hazardous waste' and one should certainly not be throwing the power bank into a regular trash can. The correct thing to do is to contact your local authorities and ask where the nearest centre is that accepts household hazardous waste, and then check with those about whether they will take the power bank off your hands.
Neither should you ignore Anker's recall, as a faulty lithium-ion cell can potentially overheat, which at the very least could result in plastics melting or at worst, catch fire—and [[link]] if the latter happens, you should really contact the emergency services rather than try to .
This isn't the first problem that Anker has had over battery quality, as just last December, the company issued , after it "received 33 reports of incidents involving the lithium-ion batteries in the speakers overheating, some of those involving incidents of smoking and small fires, including one minor burn injury in connection with an overheating unit."
You might think that I'm being overly dramatic here, but I can assure you that lithium-ion cell fires are no joke. So, if you have an Anker power bank, check the model with the links above, and if you strike gold (or rather, lithium in this case), then stop using it immediately. It's far better to be over-cautious than to be sorry—very sorry—when it comes to lithium-ion batteries.
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