Hamilton McBride

Hamilton McBride is a maker of electric blankets sold in the UK. Its products that this site mentions are the Single, Double and King Size Electric Blankets: white electric blankets sold in single, double and king sizes, packaged in a white and orange rectangular cardboard box¹. If you are preparing your household for emergencies, this is the one thing you need to know about the brand: on 31 October 2024 its electric blankets were recalled from end users because of a fire risk¹.

What the recall means for your household

The affected blankets do not meet the requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, and the risk type given in the notice is fire². The recall was notified by Local Authority Trading Standards, and the products have been recalled from end users, which means the notice is aimed at people who own them, not just shops¹.

Check your blanket against these details from the notice¹:

The notice gives the recall reference as PSD Number 2410-0164². If your blanket matches, stop using it immediately and return it to your nearest store for a full refund¹. For anything else, contact the Quality Discounts customer services team on 0331 630 0695, Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm and Friday 8.45am to 4pm¹.

Electric blankets and emergencies: the wider picture

An electric blanket is a heating product, and heating is one of the things a household most needs when the supply fails. During a power cut an electric blanket stops working along with everything else plugged into the mains, so it should never be your only plan for keeping warm. Our guides on heating and cooking without mains power, power cuts and gas and heating failures cover what to have ready instead, and our emergency kit page sets out the whole household kit.

Two habits from fire and rescue services apply to any electrical item you keep for emergencies. Register your appliances so manufacturers can contact you about faults or recalls³, and check for recalls or safety notices using Electrical Safety First's online product checker⁴. When you register, you typically need the model name or number, the serial number and the purchase date⁵. Make sure any appliance you buy has a British or European safety mark⁶.

When you replace the blanket, do not bin the old one. Take electrical items to your local recycling centre for household waste, where there are dedicated bins for small electrical items and lithium-ion batteries⁷. If yours is a recalled Hamilton McBride blanket, return it to the store instead, as the notice asks¹.