YETI Is Recalling Millions Of Coolers And Gear Cases. Here's What You Should Know

At first glance, a cooler isn't anything you'd put on the list of "dangerous tools" or things that are the subject of an emergency recall. In its most basic form, it's pretty much just a box on wheels that you dump ice and bottles of soda or beer in– not exactly something that screams danger. But just because something may not look dangerous doesn't mean that it always isn't, especially when it comes to small children. This is why YETI Coolers has begun a massive recall of nearly 2 million of its coolers and gear cases. 

This may sound rather strange, coming from a company such as YETI. One of YETI's main selling points is that its coolers and freezers are designed to be incredibly durable and efficient, being able to withstand extreme conditions without suffering damage. Insider's review of the coolers noted that, while they were considerably more expensive and bulkier than coolers you would find in most stores, they were very good at keeping items cold for long periods of time and were admittedly very durable. 

Yet if YETI's products are well-known for being so durable, why exactly is there a recall? The answer isn't that you could get injured or hurt using one of its coolers, but a certain manufacturing defect could lead to some of the youngest individuals getting sick or worse. 

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced that over 1.9 million YETI-brand soft coolers and gear cases are being recalled due to a manufacturing flaw in their magnets. These high-powered magnets can easily detach and could be consumed by infants or animals if left unattended. Should an infant accidentally consume one of the magnets, they would be at serious risk of choking. If two or more magnets were swallowed, the magnets may attempt to "attract" each other through the digestive tract, potentially leading to internal injuries. Other symptoms, such as infections and blood poisoning from the metals could also occur.

If you own a "YETI Hopper M30 Soft Cooler 1.0," a "2.0, Hopper M20 Soft Backpack Cooler," or a "SideKick Dry Gear Case," you are welcome to send the product in question back to YETI in exchange for a free replacement product or a YETI gift card of equal value with an extra $25 bonus.

While this may seem like fear mongering, accidents involving children and large coolers are not too uncommon. A young child, one who may not know any better, may climb inside of a particularly large cooler in an act of childhood curiosity and find themselves stuck, as was the case of one young boy in Florida in 2019, according to ABC News. It's better to be safe than sorry, after all.