Electrical Safety First warns energy-saving devices can explode and start fires
Electrical Safety First says 13 energy-saving devices failed safety tests, two exploded, and shoppers should not buy them as bills rise.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First has warned that some products sold as energy-saving devices are a fire risk and should not be bought. The warning came as rising household energy bills push more people to look for ways to cut costs.
Bills for millions of households in England, Scotland and Wales rose by 4% on average yesterday. The price cap is forecast to jump another 16% in January, which would mean the equivalent of hundreds of pounds more on the typical household bill.
Products that promise instant savings when plugged in are easy to buy online, and genuine smart plugs can turn off unused devices. But the charity tested 13 other so-called energy-saving products bought from online marketplaces and social media shops. It said they failed basic safety tests. Two exploded during testing.
Campaigners said the whole idea of plugging something in to save energy is dubious. They said the devices can use energy while also being dangerous. Tests found weak plug pins. If a pin breaks off in a socket, a person's instinct may be to grab it, and it will be live, they said. The devices also contain no components that could save money. In the worst cases, they can explode, cause a fire or give an electric shock. The charity's message is clear: these are devices consumers should not buy.
Amazon and TikTok Shop both said the items in question had been removed from sale. AliExpress said it had removed the products and contacted affected customers.
Campaigners want tighter controls. A government-led product safety review is due to report back later this year. Until then, the advice is buyer beware. People who want to save energy and money should focus on behavioural changes, such as:
- turning down the boiler flow temperature
- managing drafts
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| A safety charity warned that some energy-saving devices pose a fire risk. | |
| Amazon, TikTok Shop and AliExpress said the affected products had been withdrawn from sale. | |
| Testing found that 13 products bought from online marketplaces and social media shops failed basic safety checks, with two exploding. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West led its coverage with a consumer safety warning tied directly to rising energy bills. It gave the story a practical, urgent tone, using the correspondent package to explain how the devices fail, why they are dangerous, and what viewers can do instead. It also included platform responses and the forthcoming government safety review, making the warning feel both immediate and policy-linked.
- “The charity Electrical Safety First gave the advice as rising household bills prompt more people to try and save money.”
- “So these devices are essentially a scam. They are made to deceive vulnerable consumers into believing they can save electricity.”
- “These are devices that you should not buy.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.