An urgent 'do not use' order has been issued for almost 60,000 air fryers due to a significant risk of overheating and potential fire.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) issued the urgent warning for specific Tower air fryer models, following a company recall.

The CCPC said that a manufacturing defect could cause the appliances to dangerously overheat, posing a serious threat of fires, injury, or even death.

Nearly 60,000 affected units were sold across retail outlets in the Republic of Ireland.

'Although no incidents have been reported in Ireland to date, there have been reports in the UK of these products catching fire,' the CCPC said.

People have been advised to unplug their air fryer and check the appliance rating label underneath it. The affected model number will begin with the letter T, the CCPC said.

The affected products were manufactured between 2020 and 2024 and were sold in various retailers including Argos, Tesco Ireland, DID, Dealz, Lidl, Amazon and the Tower Housewares website.

'Consumers who have one of the affected air fryers should stop using the product immediately, unplug it and contact Tower Housewares,' a spokeswoman for CCPC said.

'They can do this on the website or by emailing towerproduct@customersvc.co.uk.'

Grainne Griffin, director of communications at the CCPC, said: 'This recall covers five Tower air fryer models with a dangerous manufacturing defect that could cause the models to overheat. 

'Almost 60,000 affected units have been sold in Ireland so it's vital that consumers who have a Tower air fryer check their model. If their model is affected, it is not safe to use.' 

People are reminded to always follow manufacturer, health and safety instructions when operating any electrical appliances, the CCPC added. 

Anyone concerned about a product safety issue can contact the CCPC's national consumer helpline on 01 402 5555 from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, or email ask@ccpc.ie.