These overpriced airport battery chargers have been recalled for a fire risk

A company called iStore has issued a recall for its 5,000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank (model IST-09991/W05) because its lithium ion battery can “overheat and ignite while charging,” posing a fire and burn risk. iStore has received three reports of the power banks exploding during charging resulting in a minor burn for one user and around $15,000 of property damage, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Approximately 8,520 of the power banks were sold in the US, plus an additional 6,400 in Canada, through the company’s online store and airport vending machines between February 2023 and May 2025. Pricing varied between $46 and $65.

The recalled units can be identified by the iStore logo engraved on the front and the model number printed on the back. Some units may also have the iStore printed above the model number. The magnetic power banks also feature a USB-C port for charging them back up.

iStore warns consumers with a recalled unit to stop using the power bank immediately and properly dispose of it after submitting a claim for a refund by emailing two photos to recall@istore.co. One photo should feature the front of the power bank with “recalled” written on it with a permanent marker, and the second should show the model number on the back. A copy of the purchase receipt is also being requested, but is not mandatory to receive a refund.

As we’ve recommended before, sticking to reputable and known brands can help reduce the risk of power bank overheating issues. However, brands like Anker or Ugreen aren’t yet household names, and most consumers will probably assume that a power bank sold in an airport vending machine will be from a reputable company. Thousands of these power banks were purchased and potentially used on flights. Although the number of passengers who charged them while in the air was potentially low, there’s good reason to be especially alarmed by this recall given the history with battery fires on planes.