A natural gas patio heater sold on Amazon for about $346 is being recalled because parts inside can malfunction and let gas escape. About 100 VQQQ heaters are covered, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says owners should stop using them right away. The numbers are small, but the season is not: late October is exactly when backyard heaters come out of the garage.
What can go wrong with the VQQQ patio heaters
Components on the recalled heaters can malfunction and release gas, creating fire and burn hazards, according to the CPSC recall notice posted Oct. 22, 2026. The agency’s notice describes the risk as one of serious injury or death from fire and burns. It listed the action as a Fast Track recall, number 27-039, and said no incidents or injuries had been reported.
Outdoor heat has become a bigger part of how Americans use their yards, a shift the site explored in why backyards are turning into everyday living rooms. Homeowners weighing other ways to stay warm this winter can also look over these energy-efficient home improvements.
The heaters were sold only on Amazon.com from July 2024 through August 2026, the CPSC says. The seller is Shanxi Yuhe Sheng Maoyi Youxian Gongsi, which does business as VQQQ, and the heaters were made in China. The notice lists an email address, not a phone line, as the way to reach the seller, so owners should expect to handle the whole recall in writing.
How to spot a VQQQ heater on the patio
The recall covers two model numbers, VQQQ-A1 and VQQQ-001. The CPSC describes a heater with a bronze pole, a round base and a silver, mushroom-shaped top. The height adjusts from 55 to 78 inches, and a 24-foot gray gas hose is attached to the base.
There is a catch for anyone hunting for a label. The brand name and model numbers are printed on the purchase receipt, the CPSC notice says, so the Amazon order history is the fastest place to confirm. Plenty of patio heaters share the bronze-pole, mushroom-top look, which is why the order record matters more than the silhouette.
A heater that turns out to be a different brand is not part of this recall. Owners who are unsure can search the SaferProducts.gov database, where the CPSC posts product safety reports from consumers and takes new reports, or the government-wide Recalls.gov portal, which pulls together recalls from several federal agencies.
Getting the refund for a recalled VQQQ heater
VQQQ is offering a full refund. The CPSC lays out the steps in order. First, stop using the heater, shut off the valve at the portable gas source and disconnect the gas hose. Then contact VQQQ by email at vqqqrecall@163.com.
To qualify, owners write “Recalled” on the base of the heater in permanent marker, email a photo of the marked heater to the company and then dispose of it. The same mark-it-and-photograph routine shows up in other online-only recalls the CPSC announced the same day, including one for CIYTI light-up princess costumes, where buyers were told to write “RECALLED” on each piece and email a photo.
Once the heater is disconnected and out of service, the corner of the patio or garage it occupied frees up. Anyone reorganizing that space for winter can borrow a few ideas from this guide to seasonal storage.
Another small fire-risk recall for outdoor heat
The VQQQ heater is not the only backyard warmth product with a recent recall of about 100 units. On Oct. 8, 2026, Snow Peak recalled about 100 Takibi propane inserts and lava rocks used with its Pack & Carry Fireplace, because the lava rocks can ignite and explode when heated in the insert, according to a separate CPSC recall notice. Snow Peak received one report of lava rocks exploding and causing minor property damage.
Snow Peak sold those inserts on its website in July 2026 for about $350 and is offering a refund or replacement lava rocks. Both recalls show how small batches sold online still get the same federal treatment as big-box products, and both are posted alongside the agency’s other announcements in the CPSC newsroom.
More heat-season recalls worth checking
Patio heaters join a run of cold-weather products pulled this fall. The site has tracked the JKMAX heated blanket and heating pad recall and the HotHands rechargeable hand warmer recall, both tied to overheating. Recall trackers such as Recall Bench also mirror the VQQQ notice for readers who follow several agencies at once.
For cozier evenings indoors while the patio sits dark, these simple cozy crafts for a hygge winter make a lower-stakes project than anything involving a gas line.
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: CGP Grey – CC BY 2.0/Wikimedia Commons
