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If you’ve ever worried that your electronics have a mind of their own, this story may assuage your fears Hazards of home appliances. In June 2026, Customer reports (CR) issued a safety alert that certain Toshiba microwave units are causing alarming problems such as smoking, sparking and catching fire. This was caused by overheating of the microwave or air fryer and microwave combo. Reports indicate that these units start on their own or add heat time without pressing a button.
Between January 2023 and April 2026, consumers filed 28 incident reports about the devices with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, according to CR. Owners of the devices are also turning to social media to warn about these security issues. Consumer Reports urges people who own this microwave to be extremely careful. Toshiba air fryer and microwave combination models ML2-EC10SA, ML2-EC10SA(BS), and ML2-EC09SA are the concern. Regular microwaves with model numbers EM131A5C and EM925A5A-SS were also reported.
Juan Alberto Arguello, PhD, CR’s Test Program Leader for Product Safety, explained the risks of this defect and the precautions to take. “If you have one of these devices, your safest bet is to monitor it while it’s in use, don’t leave it unattended while in use, avoid storing things inside the microwave and unplug it after use,” he added. “Plastics and insulation overheating can produce hazardous fumes, including formaldehyde or other toxic compounds, depending on the plastics and coatings involved.”
Concerns related to Toshiba microwaves and airfryer appliances
Waking up in the middle of the night to find your microwave on and nothing is heating up sounds like a nightmare. Unfortunately, that’s just what one does Redditor Reported with their Toshiba microwave and air fryer model ML2-EC10SA. Others in the post’s comments agreed that their device exhibited strange behavior, with one noting that automatic turn-on eventually led to a fire.
Despite both models having 4 or more stars on Amazon, reviews of Toshiba appliances support these same horror stories. continued AmazonOne reviewer wrote, “I bought this Toshiba EM131A5C-SS about 2 years ago, and it worked fine at first. Then one day it started running even with the door open; the turntable spins and the interior light turns on as soon as you open the door. This is a serious safety issue with door interlock switches.” Other reviews on Amazon’s listing The ML2-EC10SA(BS) does not claim that microwaves produce smoke and pose a fire hazard.
Midea, the maker of Toshiba microwaves and air fryers, insisted the appliances were safe to Consumer Reports despite confirming its knowledge of the incidents. In addition to publishing a safety alert, the CRA also sent a letter To the Acting Chairman of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The formal letter urges the agency to investigate the Toshiba devices and take steps to protect the public, such as a possible recall. If you want to Choose the best kitchen appliancesYou may want to avoid these Toshiba microwave models. And whatever brand you buy, you should Stop using your microwave immediately If it smokes or creates sparks.
