WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. (To access color photos of the following recalled products, see CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.)

Name of Product: KitchenAid® ProLine® Toasters

Units: About 40,000

Importer: Whirlpool Corp., of Benton Harbor, Mich

Hazard: An interruption of power to the toaster can cause the heating elements to unexpectedly self-start and could ignite any flammable items left on top of the unit, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Whirlpool® has received three reports of incidents involving heating elements unexpectedly self-starting, including one case outside the U.S. in which items on top of a toaster caught on fire. There are no reports of personal injury or property damage.

Description: The recalled KitchenAid® ProLine® countertop toasters are painted die-cast metal or stainless steel and come in 2-slice or 4-slice models. The model and serial numbers, which are on labels affixed to the bottom of the toasters, include:

Sold through: Various catalogs and specialty retailers nationwide from August 2003 through January 2005 for between $250 and $300.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately unplug and stop using the toaster and contact KitchenAid® to arrange for a free replacement. Consumers should not return the toaster to the retailer where it was purchased, as retailers are not prepared to take them back.

Consumer Contact: Consumers should call KitchenAid® at 1-800-874-0608 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, or go to the firm’s Web site at www.KitchenAid.com/repair.

Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.