In a precautionary move, the Yoto Mini children's speaker is undergoing a recall due to potential burn and fire hazards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission revealed on April 11 that the reason behind this voluntary recall is a lithium-ion battery issue that could lead to overheating and fire, posing risks of burns and fires.
Parents are urged to promptly remove the Yoto Mini from their children's access. Fortunately, there is no need to dispose of the recalled units. Instead, owners of the speaker should reach out to Yoto to obtain a complimentary Yoto Mini Smart Cable. This cable is designed to safely charge the speaker battery to prevent overheating incidents. Yoto has made it known that consumers who possess the speaker should sever the charging cable in half and share a photo of it on the Yoto website along with their email and the Yoto Mini serial number, located at the base of the speaker. Once this is done, they will then qualify for the free smart cable.
Yoto stated, "Anyone who has a Yoto Mini can now register to receive one Yoto Mini Smart Cable per device through our dedicated website. The Yoto Mini Smart Cable will keep the battery charge within safe limits and prevent it potentially overheating by stopping charging when it reaches a certain point." The company has also implemented an automatic software update on all Yoto Mini speakers to enhance battery management.
Acknowledging the inconvenience and worry the situation may have caused their customers, Yoto emphasized their unwavering commitment to product safety. The Yoto Mini, a Bluetooth speaker crafted for children aged 3 to 12, facilitates the enjoyment of audiobooks, music, radio, and podcasts. Utilizing physical Yoto cards that slot into the speaker device, children can access various audio content such as audiobooks and songs.
Thankfully, no injuries have been reported thus far. Yoto received seven complaints—six from US customers and one from a UK customer—regarding the speaker overheating or melting, as per the CPSC. Around 251,165 speakers are part of the recall in the United States, with approximately 18,932 affected in Canada.
The Yoto Mini was available for purchase online at us.yotoplay.com, maisonette.com, and prominent retailers such as Amazon.com and Target.com. The product was also sold in toy and gift stores nationwide between November 2021 and April 2024. To identify the recalled units, look for the SKU PRPLXX00860 on the base of the product.