Neighbouring Country to Indonesia Bans Sales of Electric Stoves, Here's Why!
Singapore has banned the sale of electric fire stoves or plasma stoves because they are considered to pose a high risk to safety. The local consumer protection authority has also asked the public who have already purchased the device to use it at their own discretion.
Through a statement from the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) last April, the product is not allowed to be sold or advertised domestically. The CCS itself is the agency overseeing the Consumer Product Safety Office (CPSO), which serves as the product safety authority.
Citing The Straits Times, this policy refers to a CPSO circular dated 15 April stating that the stove does not meet the requirements for obtaining Safety Mark registration. As such, the product cannot be supplied or distributed legally in Singapore.
The CPSO explained that the electric fire stove uses very high electrical voltage to generate an open plasma flame effect with temperatures far hotter than conventional gas or electric stoves. This condition raises additional safety considerations because current international standards are not yet adequate to assess the risks of this technology.
As a good categorised as controlled goods, this product must be tested, certified, registered, and bear the Safety Mark label before being sold. This rule is applied to minimise potential hazards such as fires, electric shocks, and explosions.
Previously, on 23 April, the CCS also advised consumers to only buy products with a valid Safety Mark label. The use of unregistered products is said to carry inherent risks and is entirely the user’s responsibility.
The CCS added that it will update testing and certification requirements if more appropriate standards become available to address the safety risks of this type of stove. The authority also stated that it is communicating with relevant suppliers to follow up on the issue.
Although not officially mentioned, a search shows that the Egnite electric stove seller’s website is currently undergoing operational repairs and its social media accounts are not publicly accessible. Based on previous descriptions, their product is claimed to reach temperatures of up to 1,300 degrees Celsius, far exceeding common induction stoves which generally only reach 60 to 600 degrees Celsius.
In its response on 24 April, Egnite stated that it has temporarily halted sales and marketing in Singapore while awaiting the necessary certification, including the Safety Mark. The company also claims to have submitted technical documents and test reports to the authorities and is committed to ensuring the technology meets all safety provisions before being reintroduced.