A class action lawsuit accuses the makers of portable personal food blender BlendJet of selling allegedly defective products, including those allegedly containing lithium batteries which can overheat and metal blender blades which can break off and be potentially swallowed by users.
The company has produced the BlendJet 2, is a battery-powered personal portable blender, since 2020, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
Several complaints about the blender have been filed with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the suit states.
" One such complaint stated that the blender’s lithium-ion battery caught fire, then 'exploded and started a larger fire,'” the suit says. "In that case, the consumer reported that the 'the fire chief identified the rechargeable battery as the cause of the explosion.'”
Lead plaintiff Gregory Rittenhouse allegedly bought two BlendJet 2s for his wife as gifts, the lawsuit states.
"In just a matter of weeks, Mr. Rittenhouse experienced the defects detailed above - instances of overheating in the BlendJet 2 and accompanying charger cable and, also, a blending blade assembly that became so wobbly and loose that he had to manually tighten it himself," the lawsuit says.
Rittenhouse noticed the overheating before a fire started, the suit states.
"But Defendant’s defective product remains on the market," the suit says. "It continues to be used by tens of thousands of consumers every day. This presents a fire hazard and unreasonable risk of injury. And if consumers knew the
truth, they would immediately stop using the BlendJet 2. Plaintiff brings this lawsuit to force Defendant to recall its unreasonably dangerous products and issue full refunds to consumers who purchased them."
The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring Blendjet to stop selling the blender until the hazards are fixed, "nominal damages," plus attorney fees and court costs.
The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Christin Choe, of Dovel & Luner LLP; and Aan M. Feldman, Edward S. Goldis and Zachary Arbitman of Feldman, Shepherd, Wohlgelernter & Dodig LLP.
Rittenhouse v. Blendjet Inc., U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 2:23-at-00883