MOORESVILLE, N.C., July 11 (Nationwide Times) — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled about 554,780 Kobalt 24V and 48V yard power tools because their USB-C rechargeable lithium-ion batteries can short-circuit and catch fire when they are charged while still inserted in the tool.
The recall covers tools sold at Lowe’s stores nationwide and at Lowes.com from January through May 2026. Greenworks North America LLC, doing business as Greenworks Tools, of Mooresville, North Carolina, imported the products, which were manufactured in China and Vietnam.
What products are included?
The recall applies to several Kobalt-branded yard tools, including:
- string trimmers
- leaf blowers
- lawn mowers
- chainsaws
- pruning saws
- power cleaners
- bristle brush kits
The affected batteries came in 3.0Ah, 4.0Ah, 5.0Ah, 6.0Ah and 8.0Ah sizes and included a USB-C charging port.
What is the hazard?
According to the CPSC, charging the batteries through the USB-C port while they remain inserted in the yard tool can cause the battery to short-circuit. That creates a fire hazard.
Greenworks Tools said it had received 34 reports of batteries smoking, sparking or catching fire during that charging setup. No injuries or property damage had been reported in the CPSC notice.
What should owners do now?
Consumers should stop charging the recalled batteries through the USB-C port while the batteries are inserted in the tools. Greenworks Tools is offering a free replacement battery without a USB-C port, along with a charger adapter, updated product manual, warning label and prepaid shipping label to return the recalled battery.
The CPSC recall number is 26-611.
Why this recall matters
USB-C is a common charging standard, but the CPSC says the problem here is not the connector itself. The issue is the way these batteries are charged while still inside the tool. For owners, the key step is to stop using that charging method until the replacement battery and recall materials arrive.
Because the products were sold nationwide at Lowe’s and online, the recall reaches households across the United States, not just customers in one region.
