Any Sharper Image US owners ever have this happen? Pic inside . . .

[Christa]

Hi everybody! I haven''t been around here much lately, but when this happened I had to share.

Any one ever had this happen? I left my beloved US plugged in with solution (and my jewelry!) in it overnight (not intentionally, just went to bed and forgot) and in the morning the underside looked like this and my kitchen smelled like burning plastic.

 

[Christa]

Here''s the top with the smoke marks. It''s not the first time I''ve accidentally left it overnight, but the only thing I can think of is that there was a tiny crack in the tank and it leaked enough over night to short it out. Waaah!

 

[Maisie]

Gosh! You were very lucky there wasn''t a fire! I think there is a lesson for us all here..... switch everything off before bed.

Bless you that you need to go and buy a new one though!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Holy cow! I guess the bright side is that if the thing really did catch on fire the vessel with the liquid in it would have probably melted or cracked and the fire would have been put out by the solution. But this is scary--I leave mine plugged in (but not turned on) all the time. Not anymore!!

 

[Harriet]

Eeks! i hope no damage was done to your jewellery. What happened to you has not happened to me. But, mine's sprouted uniform cracks on either side of the container.

 

[Christa]

I know, I''m mourning the loss of my US, but I''m thankful nothing else was damaged! No fire, my jewelry is fine, and it was sitting on a tile countertop, so even the melted plastic scraped right off.

I had a couple of little cracks, too, but I didn''t think it was actually leaking. If I get a new one I probably won''t use almost-boiling water in it any more.

Anyone have an small, not-too-expensive US that they like better than the SI? I guess I''m in the market . . .

 

[Ellen]

I have this one and like it a lot.

http://www.gesswein.com/catalog/catalog.cfm?cat=5&sub=6&subsub=72&catalog=1&CFID=1114561&CFTOKEN=47319977

 

[Christa]

Date: 7/2/2007 3:45:42 PM
Author: Ellen
I have this one and like it a lot.

http://www.gesswein.com/catalog/catalog.cfm?cat=5&sub=6&subsub=72&catalog=1&CFID=1114561&CFTOKEN=47319977

Thanks for the rec! My first US *looked* like that (but was probably a crappy replica), and it died after 3 months, so I''m leary. How long have you had yours? Oh, and the other concern was that it wasn''t easy to empty and the solution would kind of slop over the outside when I dumped it out.

 

[Ellen]

Well, lol, not that long (I'm on a second one), the first one was funny almost from the beginning. The ON button started getting to the point where I'd have to press it several times before it clicked on, then it died. But I also had the one you have before that, and it NEVER worked right, and then died. So I think I'm just cursed with these things.

But the company was great about replacing it.

 

[Christa]

Date: 7/2/2007 4:11:56 PM
Author: Ellen
Well, lol, not that long (I''m on a second one), the first one was funny almost from the beginning. The ON button started getting to the point where I''d have to press it several times before it clicked on, then it died. But I also had the one you have before that, and it NEVER worked right, and then died. So I think I''m just cursed with these things.

But the company was great about replacing it.

Sorry about all the questions, but did you get yours from this company? Does it have a brand or maufacturer''s name on it?
That sounds like what my old one did--it started not staying on for the whole cycle, and then I had the same problem with the button.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 7/2/2007 4:15:32 PM
Author: Christa

Sorry about all the questions, but did you get yours from this company? Does it have a brand or maufacturer''s name on it?
That sounds like what my old one did--it started not staying on for the whole cycle, and then I had the same problem with the button.

No problem. I got mine from Dave Atlas, but if you can order it from here (don''t see why not, they replaced it, and asked if I wanted to order more cleaning solution), it''s cheaper by 20 bucks.

The brand is Gesswein, that''s their company in the link.

I wonder if any of these things are truly made to last, the cheaper ones anyway...

 

[FireGoddess]

I''ve never seen that happen. But I keep mine empty and unplugged when not in use.

 

[Christa]

Date: 7/2/2007 4:34:22 PM
Author: FireGoddess

I''ve never seen that happen. But I keep mine empty and unplugged when not in use.

I normally do, too, but I never would have guessed that forgetting would do this!

 

[Mara]

Date: 7/2/2007 4:41:38 PM
Author: Christa

Date: 7/2/2007 4:34:22 PM
Author: FireGoddess

I''ve never seen that happen. But I keep mine empty and unplugged when not in use.

I normally do, too, but I never would have guessed that forgetting would do this!

Me too, I rinse mine out and uplug it ASAP....but yikes on forgetting, now I will have to doubly remember!

 

[snlee]

Wow, glad nothing more serious happened! That is scary! I leave mine plugged in but not turned on all the time. I''m going straight home and unplugging it! Never again am I going to leave it plugged in when I''m not using it!

 

[chiefneil]

I would be willing to bet that Sharper Image would replace that for you if you took it in. Not that I''d want a replacement if that happened to me....

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I have never seen that! I am glad nothing worse happened. How very strange!

 

[VegasAngel]

Oh my goodness! Scary

While I like the way the SI cleans my jewelry, I had to replace it 3?x because the small tank kept cracking. It actually cracked again but my warranty is up so I cant replace it. This cracking only happens with the small tank not the larger tank. What''s up with that, maybe because it''s thicker? One time I got shocked because of cracks I didnt notice which allowed the cord to get wet. needless to say I am NOT going to buy another one. Also, my husband bought me a wireless key locator which broke as well. Sorry, but I think SI products are terrible quality.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

Oh my goodness! That is terrible, but thank God you did not have a fire! Sorry that your SI died, though

.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 7/2/2007 9:53:48 PM
Author: Diamond*Dana
Oh my goodness! That is terrible, but thank God you did not have a fire! Sorry that your SI died, though

.

''Ditto here. Glad you are safe.

 

[marcy]

That is horrible. I leave mine plugged in but not on. I know it leaks a little bit. I''m unplugging mine all the time now. I''m glad you didn''t have a fire or hurt your jewelry.

 

[monarch64]

That stinks! I have one but don''t use it all that often so it''s never left plugged in. I haven''t noticed any cracks in the tank or anything, I have just chipped the lid from dropping it on the tile floor in the bathroom so far. But I''ll keep an extra cautious eye on it when using it in the future!

 

[IrishAngel7982]

Yikes Christa! I''m so sorry this happened but I''m relieved no one was hurt. I can''t believe that happened just from having the unit plugged in! I''ve never had any problems with mine...but I think we''ll all be extra careful now!

 

[Christa]

Date: 7/2/2007 8:40:41 PM
Author: chiefneil
I would be willing to bet that Sharper Image would replace that for you if you took it in. Not that I''d want a replacement if that happened to me....

I know, I''m torn on whether to buy a new SI or go with another manufacturer when I replace it. I didn''t buy it from SI, either, so I doubt they''d replace it.

 

[phoenixgirl]

Mine started smoking once and then didn't work anymore. I never saw where it was sparking/burning but it sure smelled like it was. I returned it to SI for a full refund -- they were easy to work with. I bought it through Amazon.com, so I found the old order (which was definitely past any warranty) and emailed them through Amazon. They emailed me a UPS sticker to cover shipping costs to return it.

And I had three Haier ultrasonics go kaput on me before that. I guess they have a shelf life? Most people probably don't use theirs almost every day.

 

[UCLABelle]

WOW! Thank you for posting this. I leave mine plugged-in all the time (but never on)....No longer!

Sorry about your SI

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/2/2007 3:32:36 PM
Author: Maisie
Gosh! You were very lucky there wasn''t a fire! I think there is a lesson for us all here..... switch everything off before bed.

Bless you that you need to go and buy a new one though!

I wouldn''t get another SI US though... try one of the gem oro ones. Scary christa!! I''d show the pics to SI

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/2/2007 3:45:42 PM
Author: Ellen
I have this one and like it a lot.

http://www.gesswein.com/catalog/catalog.cfm?cat=5&sub=6&subsub=72&catalog=1&CFID=1114561&CFTOKEN=47319977

this is the one I have - there is a generic version that is identical but that you can find for under $20.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/4/2007 4:11:14 AM
Author: Christa

Date: 7/2/2007 8:40:41 PM
Author: chiefneil
I would be willing to bet that Sharper Image would replace that for you if you took it in. Not that I''d want a replacement if that happened to me....

I know, I''m torn on whether to buy a new SI or go with another manufacturer when I replace it. I didn''t buy it from SI, either, so I doubt they''d replace it.

Just say you no longer have the receipt but they might want to investigate the cause of this and may ask you to ship it to them. I''d raise the flag in terms of safety much more than in terms of being ripped off.

 

[Christa]

Date: 7/4/2007 1:52:40 PM
Author: Cehrabehra

Date: 7/2/2007 3:45:42 PM
Author: Ellen
I have this one and like it a lot.

http://www.gesswein.com/catalog/catalog.cfm?cat=5&sub=6&subsub=72&catalog=1&CFID=1114561&CFTOKEN=47319977

this is the one I have - there is a generic version that is identical but that you can find for under $20.

Hi Cehra! I had an identical-looking one that came from Harbor Freight, believe it or not, and it was the one that died in a month. I took it back, got a replacement, and the replacment lasted about three months.