As the weather heats up, the ability to make your own ice cream in the kitchen comes in handy! But any electrical gadget comes with safety risks – we’ve put together a guide to help you stay safe.
Ice Cream Maker Safety
Safety First
- When buying a new ice cream maker, always buy from a reputable dealer, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Always register a new ice cream maker with the manufacturer. That way you can be contacted easily if a safety notice or recall is required. While the chances of a faulty product causing serious damage are small, the risk is still there and returning a faulty product or ordering its repair is very easy to do. To register all your appliances, regardless of age, visit our Product Registration page.
- Use our Product Recalls checker to see if you have any recalled electrical items.
- Check that your appliance has a UK plug, but if it doesn’t, do not use a UK travel adaptor, but rather seek advice from the retailer.
- Do regular checks of the plug and socket for burn marks, sounds of ‘arcing’ (buzzing or crackling) or if it feels too hot to touch. If you have fuses blowing or circuit-breakers tripping then contact a registered electrician to investigate.
- Ensure your home is fully protected by an RCD (residual current device), which can be found in your fuse box (also known as a consumer unit). An RCD is a life-saving device that protects against dangerous electric shock and reduces the risk of electrical fires.
- If you don’t have RCD protection in your fuse box for your sockets, consider installing an RCD socket or use an RCD plug to protect you and your property from serious appliance faults.
- Sometimes, appliance fires are caused by something beyond your control. Smoke alarms and heat detectors are essential in keeping you safe by raising the alarm in the event of a fire. There should be a minimum of one alarm/detector per floor and fit enough to cover all areas where a fire could start, and make sure they are tested regularly.
- If a fire does start, don't try to fight the fire. Get out and call 999 immediately.
Safe Use
- If you notice a burning smell or any unusual noises, switch the ice cream maker off immediately and contact the retailer and/or manufacturer.
- Don’t overfill your ice cream maker – check the manufacturer’s instructions for safe limits.
- The components may not all be dishwasher-safe – the instruction manual should tell you which ones need to be washed by hand.
- Always turn off the ice cream maker at the socket when not in use.