“It was surprising to me. I had never heard of such a thing."

The 26,300 glass cooktops -- sold under the Whirlpool, KitchenAid and JennAir brands -- were recalled Wednesday by Whirlpool, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The cooktops pose a burn and fire hazard, but the recall notice doesn't explain how the cooktops turn themselves on. The glass cooktops were manufactured from December 2016 through July 2019 and sold at Lowe's, Home Depot, Best Buy and other stores from March 2017 through August 2009. Whirlpool said it has received 133 reports of cooktops turning on by themselves, resulting in 14 reports of fire or heat damage. Go to the Consumer Product Safety Commission website for a complete list of the model numbers and serial numbers of the cooktops affected by the recall.

A new tax on foreign-made washing machines means U.S. companies like Whirlpool now face a little less foreign competition. LONDON - Home appliance maker Whirlpool has launched a recall of hundreds of thousands of tumble dryers from UK homes, years after it emerged they are at risk of catching fire. "Safety is our top priority and tackling the issue with our tumble dryers has been one of the biggest challenges we have ever faced," Jeff Noel said in a statement. Customers with affected dryers will be offered a free replacement or modification, or a refund based on the age of the model, the company said. Britain's Press Association news agency reported that executives from the company told lawmakers the true number of affected units could be 800,000.