These ovens may not be all they’re cracked up to be.
A watchdog has issued a warning after uncovering hundreds of reports of oven doors shattering without warning — even when they were turned off.
According to a Consumer Reports probe, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) received 386 complaints — including 40 injury reports — regarding the potential defect between January 2025 and March 2026. The lion’s share of complaints — 263 — concerned Frigidaire products, although GE (63 incidents), Whirlpool (35), LG (15), and Samsung (10) were also cited.
“It sounded like a small bomb went off,” declared one aghast consumer from Lewisville, North Carolina. “Glass shot all over the floor and across the room. Anyone standing close to the oven could have been seriously injured.”
Another reported waking up to a “loud crash sound” and seeing “glass on the floor,” even though their “oven was cold to the touch.” While there were no injuries “because everyone was asleep,” they said they have “five children who peer into the oven regularly” and could’ve easily gotten glass in their eyes or face.
In some instances, the appliances had been off for days.
The investigation found similar reports dating back more than a decade, including one from 2015 when a couple said their oven door exploded an hour after they’d cooked a pizza and turned it off, ABC’s Philadelphia affiliate reported.
“I hear this crash. I couldn’t believe what I saw … so the whole front of the oven just exploded out … all of the glass just shattered out,” said the family, recalling the “terrifying” incident. “This is the height of my toddler.”
Consumer Reports representatives were quick to hold the companies’ feet to the fire.
“It’s clear that manufacturers should have known about this issue,” said Gabe Knight, a senior safety policy analyst for CR. “No one should have to worry about whether there’s a ticking time bomb in their kitchen.”
He added, “These companies should work with the CPSC, and be transparent with consumers about what steps they’re taking to address this issue.”
CR contacted the companies with the most complaints, but every firm except LG claimed that its ovens adhere to third-party standards.
Meanwhile, LG reps claimed that while it was aware of the incidents, it “has not identified a basis at this time for additional action.”
Electrolux, the parent company of Frigidaire, attributed the defect to imperceptible flaws in the tempered glass, claiming they typically occur early in a product’s life and are therefore covered under warranty.
Fiascos after that grace period are generally due to “damage caused during use,” the company claimed.
“These standards recognize [that] the glass used in every manufacturer’s oven door may infrequently break and so require the glass to break into small fragments with rounded edges,” the company wrote. “Although we know that glass breakage can be startling, our compliance with these standards has ensured that when it does occur, the potential for injury is substantially reduced.”
To curb potential mishaps, Electrolux advises customers to refrain from closing the oven door when the racks are jutting out and to make sure they’re not banging the door with pans or other objects.
Samsung was the only firm to offer free repairs regardless of warranty status. Knight urged the other companies to follow the Korean giant’s lead, and ripped the other tech firms for saying that glass-shattering incidents are rare, or that users are to blame.
“Glass shouldn’t shatter spontaneously, and range owners are justifiably upset,” he declared.
CR’s analysis of consumer complaints pinpointed at least 12 Frigidaire models associated with the mishaps, with model numbers starting with FFEF, LFEF, and FCRE ranking among the most frequently cited.
Affected customers are urged to contact the manufacturer and file a report with the CPSC.
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