Purchase window closes for recalled Anker 321 Power Bank A1112

Anker has begun a recall of its A1112 Anker 321 Power Bank (PowerCore 5K, Black), covering units purchased between 1 March 2023 and 6 June 2024, after the company found that some of the lithium-ion batteries used in the product may pose a fire safety risk due to a manufacturing defect¹.

Anker said the battery in affected power banks "can overheat, potentially causing melting of plastic components, smoke and fire hazards"¹. The company said only a small number of batteries may be affected but that it was contacting all customers who bought the product in the stated period "out of an abundance of caution"¹. Anker said it has reported the issue to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and is working with the recall¹. No figure for the number of units affected, and no reports of injuries or fires in the UK, have been published in the recall notice¹.

Owners can check whether their unit is the A1112 by looking at the bottom of the power bank, which should read: Anker 321 Power Bank (PowerCore 5K, Black), Model: A1112¹. Anker asks owners to store the device in a safe location, stop using it immediately, and verify the serial number through its recall form; where the serial number matches an affected battery cell, Anker says it will send a new replacement unit¹.

Disposal instructions are specific. Anker says the power bank must not go into the trash or a recycling bin, and must be taken to a facility that accepts lithium batteries¹. Recalled lithium-ion batteries should be disposed of in line with local ordinances and the procedures set by the municipal recycling centre for damaged, defective or recalled lithium-ion batteries, because they must be handled differently from other batteries¹. Anker also says the recalled battery should not be deposited in used battery recycling boxes at retail or home improvement stores, and that owners can call their county council or fire service for details¹. For the UK, the notice points to the Recyclenow recycling locator¹.

Why it matters for households

A power bank is often kept for power cuts and other home emergencies, so a recalled unit may be stored charged and in regular use. Anker's instruction is to stop using the A1112 immediately and keep it in a safe location until it has been checked and, where the serial number matches, replaced¹. The recall covers purchases made over a period of more than a year, from 1 March 2023 to 6 June 2024, so households that bought a power bank in that window should check the model and serial number rather than assume a later purchase is unaffected¹. The fire risk described by Anker is overheating with possible melting, smoke and fire, which is why the disposal route differs from ordinary battery recycling¹. UK owners can contact Anker by email at support@anker.com, marking the subject line "Anker 321 Power Bank Recall", or by phone on +44 (0) 1604 936 200¹. Households checking whether an electrical product has been recalled can use our guide to checking whether an electrical product has been recalled, and those replacing a power bank for emergency use can read our guide to power banks for keeping phones charged in an emergency.

What happens next

Anker's notice does not give a closing date for the recall programme or a timetable for sending replacements; it says only that replacement units will be sent where the serial number is verified as having an affected battery cell¹. Owners who have not yet checked their unit can do so through Anker's recall form, linked from the recall page¹.