Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
A range of cookware made in China and sold in the US is causing concern following reports that its glass lids can explode.
Several people have complained to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission about Florida supplier WP Cookware’s stainless steel cookware, which is sold under the name of US celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck.
One consumer was washing up when one of the glass lids reportedly exploded, shooting pieces of glass around her kitchen and into her living room and cutting her hands. She said nothing was left of the lid in the sink except the stainless steel rim.
In a separate incident involving the same consumer a lid from the same set apparently shattered spontaneously after she had finished washing up and left the room. Another user has reported a lid blowing up whilst the pan was in use on the hob.
A glass expert in the US has confirmed that the Wolfgang Puck lids are made of tempered glass and not annealed glass, which is far more dangerous when broken. He said that tempered glass is also much stronger than annealed.
However, he said tempered glass could explode if put under stress, and he thought the glass in the Wolfgang Puck lids could be fitted too tightly.
In a statement defending his cookware, Wolfgang Puck said: “We’ve sold more than 20m glass lids, and sell more than 1.2m pots and pans every year, with a consumer complaint ratio on broken lids of less than 0.0000012%. In many cases, the broken glass lids are due to either consumers dropping the lids or misuse.”
However, the cookware pages on the website of WP Cookware, which also sells small appliances, are currently withdrawn.
