Is your fridge a fire risk? Watchdog publishes list of 250 'don't buy' models

Fires due to faults with refrigeration appliances cause 8% of domestic fires. Credit: PA

A watchdog has called for plastic-backed fridges to be "urgently" removed from sale after finding they pose a fire risk and could even hasten the spread of a blaze.

Which? said an industry-wide investigation of more than 500 of the most popular refrigeration appliances on the market found that backing material on 45% of them was made of unsafe plastic which posed a potential fire risk.

The research also found that a number of models backed with plastic which manufacturers previously claimed was flame-retardant could speed up the spread of a fire, the consumer group said.

All plastic-backed fridges, freezers and fridge-freezers on the market pass existing safety standards but Which? said the tests were "inadequate, not fit for purpose and do not come close to replicating the source of a real house fire".

The current British Standard requires refrigeration appliances to pass a glow wire test to assess their fire resistance, involving putting a hot wire through a sample of the fridge or freezer backing material and seeing if it catches alight.

  • What is the advice from Which?

However, Which? said its own, more stringent, tests found that no plastic backing sample was able to withstand a flame for 30 seconds, indicating that in the event of a fire it would not sufficiently prevent the flame from reaching the flammable insulation used in all refrigeration appliances.

Similar testing of metal and aluminium laminate-backed refrigeration products found that none caught alight after the 30-second test, with samples of metal and aluminium laminate-backing less than 1mm thick able to withstand an open flame for a full five minutes, the group said.

It has now labelled 250 models "don't buys" and is recommending consumers do not buy plastic-backed models. The list is below.

Fridges

  • AEG S74010KDW0

  • AEG S74010KDX0

  • Hoover HL54WE

  • Hotpoint RLAAV22P

  • Hotpoint RLAAV22K

  • Indesit TFAA10S

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  • Indesit TLAA10S

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  • Lec L6014W

  • Lec R5511W

  • Lec R5511S

  • Lec R5511B

  • Zanussi ZQA14030DA

  • Zanussi ZRG16601WA

  • Zanussi ZRG11600WA

  • Zanussi ZBA15021SA

  • Zanussi ZRG16606WA

  • Zanussi ZRG15805WA

  • AEG SKS58210F0

  • Smeg FAB28QP1

  • Smeg FAB28YP1

  • Ikea Svalna

  • Zanussi ZQA14031DA

  • Zanussi ZRA40102WA

  • Zanussi ZRA40113WA

  • Bush BTL55143W

  • Zanussi ZBA32050SA

  • Bush BUCL5585W

  • Gorenje ORB153C

  • Gorenje ORB153C-L

  • Gorenje ORB153O

  • Gorenje ORB153X

  • Gorenje ORB153R

  • Gorenje ORB153R-L

  • Gorenje ORB153BK

  • Gorenje ORB153BK-L

  • Gorenje ORB153RD

  • Gorenje ORB153RD-L

  • Gorenje ORB153BL

  • Gorenje ORB153BL-L

  • Gorenje ORB153CO

  • Smeg FAB28QNE1

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  • Hotpoint CTL55K

  • Hotpoint CTL55G

  • Hotpoint HFA1

  • Hotpoint HLA1

  • Hotpoint HS1801AA

  • Hotpoint SDAH1832K

  • Indesit DLAA50

  • Indesit SIAA55

  • AEG S74020KMX0

  • Gorenje R6193LX

  • Logik LUL55S16

  • Hotpoint HSZ12A1D.UK

  • Zanussi ZRG14800WA

  • Smeg UK35PX4

  • Candy CRU160EK

  • Hoover HBRUP160K

  • Hisense RL423N4AC1

  • Whirlpool ARG18083A++

  • Hisense RL170D4BC2

  • Smeg UKUD7122CSP

  • Gorenje RBIU6F091AWUK

  • Zanussi ZBA32056S1

  • Liebherr UIK1550

  • Gorenje RBO6153C

  • Gorenje RBO6153BK

  • Gorenje RBO6153R

  • Gorenje RBO6153BL

Freezers

  • Hotpoint FZA36P

  • Hotpoint FZA36G

  • Indesit TZAA10

  • Hotpoint RZAAV22P

  • Hotpoint RZAAV22K

  • Zanussi ZQF11430DA

  • Zanussi ZFT10210WA

  • Lec TU55144W

  • Smeg CVB20LP1

  • Zanussi ZFG06400WA

  • Zanussi ZFT11105WA

  • Zanussi ZFT11105XA

  • Hoover HZ54WE

  • AEG A72700GNX0

  • Zanussi ZQF11432DA

  • Zanussi ZQF11431DA

  • Bosch GCM34AW20G

  • Zanussi ZFT11112WE

  • Bush BUCF5585W

  • Zanussi ZBF22451SA

  • Indesit UIAA55

  • Hotpoint UH6F1CW

  • Hotpoint UPAH1832K

  • Hotpoint CS1A300H

  • Logik LUF55S16

  • Smeg CVB20LR1

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  • Smeg CVB20RP1

  • Smeg CVB20RR1

  • Smeg CVB20RNE1

  • Whirlpool AFB1843/A+

  • Smeg UK26PXNF4

  • Zanussi ZFU20223WA

  • Hisense FV105D4BC2

  • Hoover HBFUP130K

  • Hisense FV306N4BC1

  • Smeg S7220FNDP

  • Gorenje FN6192PXUK

  • Gorenje FN6192PBUK

  • Indesit UI6 F1T W UK

  • Indesit UI6 F1T S UK

  • Whirlpool UW8F2CXBUK

Fridge Freezers

  • Hotpoint RFAA52P

  • Hotpoint RFAA52K

  • Hotpoint RFAA52S

  • Indesit CAA55

  • Indesit CAA55SI

  • Indesit CAA55K

  • Indesit NCAA55

  • Indesit NCAA55S

  • Indesit NCAA55K

  • Zanussi ZRB23200WA

  • Zanussi ZRB23200XA

  • Zanussi ZBB27650SA

  • Hotpoint NRFAA50P

  • Hotpoint NRFAA50S

  • Smeg FAB30RFC

  • Smeg FAB30RFA

  • Smeg FAB30RFB

  • Smeg FAB30RFG

  • Smeg FAB30RFN

  • Smeg FAB30RFO

  • Smeg FAB30RFP

  • Smeg FAB30RFS

  • Smeg FAB30RFW

  • Hotpoint FFAA52P

  • Hoover HVBF6182WFHK

  • Hotpoint FFAA52K

  • Hotpoint FFAA52S

  • Hoover HVBF6182XFHK

  • Hotpoint QuadrioFFU4DX

  • Hotpoint QuadrioFFU4DK

  • Zanussi ZBB28651SA

  • AEG S53520CTW2

  • Hotpoint FFU3DWTRIO

  • Hoover HVBF5172WK

  • Hoover HF18XKWiFi

  • Hotpoint FSFL58G

  • Indesit LD85F1W

  • Zanussi ZBB27640SA

  • Ikea Kylig(502.823.56)

  • Ikea Kylslagen403.127.59)

  • Ikea Frostkall(803.127.57)

  • Zanussi ZRB23055FW

  • Zanussi ZRB23055FX

  • Whirlpool BLF8121OX

  • Bush BSFF50152W

  • Gorenje ONRK193BK

  • Gorenje ONRK193C

  • Gorenje ONRK193R

  • Hisense RB320D4WG1

  • Zanussi ZRB35224WA

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  • Zanussi ZRT23103WA

  • Zanussi ZRB35224XA

  • Zanussi ZRB38224XA

  • Hotpoint HMCB50501AA.UK

  • Hotpoint HM7030ECAAO3

  • Hotpoint LAO85FF1IW

  • Hotpoint SMX85T1UG

  • Indesit IB7030A1D

  • Indesit XD95T1IW

  • Currys Essentials C55CW16

  • Hotpoint LC85F1W

  • Hotpoint LC85F1G

  • Hotpoint LC85F1K

  • Ikea Isande(002.823.73)

  • Zanussi ZBB28441SA

  • Ikea HÄFTIGT(202.823.67)

  • Bush BFFF55174W2

  • Bush BFFF55174B2

  • Logik LFC55W16

  • Logik LFC55B16

  • Logik LFC55S16

  • Candy CSC1365BE

  • Candy CSC1365WE

  • Candy CSS5175WE

  • Smeg FAB32RNC

  • Hisense RB385N4EW1

  • Smeg C7280NLD2P

  • Smeg FAB32LNC

  • Smeg FAB32LNG

  • Smeg FAB32LNN

  • Smeg FAB32RNN

  • Smeg FAB32LNR

  • Smeg FAB32RNR

  • Gorenje RKI4181AWV

  • Hotpoint XUL85T3Z XOV

  • Hotpoint XUL85T3Z KOV

  • Hisense RB335N4WB1

  • Hisense RB335N4WG1

  • Hisense RB335N4WW1

  • Kenwood KNF55X17

  • Kenwood KNF55W17

  • Kenwood KNF55B17

  • Smeg FAB50LCR

  • Smeg FAB50LBL

  • Smeg FAB50LPB

  • Smeg FAB50LPG

  • Smeg FAB50LSV

  • Smeg FAB50LWH

  • Kenwood KNFD55W17

  • Kenwood KNFD55B17

  • AEG RCB53724MX

  • AEG SCE81864TC

  • AEG RCB53724MW

  • AEG RCB53725MW

  • AEG RCB53725MX

  • AEG RCB83724MX

  • AEG RCB83724MW