MOORESVILLE, N.C., July 11 (Nationwide Times) — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says about 554,780 Kobalt 24V and 48V yard power tools are being recalled because their USB-C rechargeable batteries can short-circuit and catch fire if they are charged while still installed in the tool.
The recall affects products sold at Lowe’s stores nationwide and on Lowes.com from January through May 2026. The importer is Greenworks North America LLC, doing business as Greenworks Tools, of Mooresville, North Carolina.
What products are included?
The recall covers a wide range of Kobalt yard tools, including string trimmers, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, chainsaws, pruning saws, power cleaners and bristle brush kits.
The affected batteries were sold in 3.0Ah, 4.0Ah, 5.0Ah, 6.0Ah and 8.0Ah sizes. They have a USB-C charging port.
Why are they being recalled?
According to the CPSC, charging the lithium-ion batteries through the USB-C port while the batteries remain inserted in the tools can cause the batteries to short-circuit. That can create a fire hazard.
Greenworks Tools told the CPSC it had received 34 reports of batteries smoking, sparking or catching fire. No injuries or property damage had been reported in the sources reviewed.
What should owners do?
The CPSC says consumers should stop charging the recalled batteries through the USB-C port while the batteries are inserted in the yard tools. Greenworks Tools is offering a free replacement battery without a USB-C port, plus a charger adapter, updated product manual, warning label and prepaid shipping label to return the recalled battery.
Consumers can check the CPSC recall notice, which is listed as recall number 26-611, for more details on how to get the remedy.
Why this recall matters
Lithium-ion batteries are common in cordless tools because they are rechargeable and portable. But the CPSC warning shows that the charging setup matters as much as the battery itself. In this case, the agency says the danger comes from charging the battery through its USB-C port while it is still inside the tool.
For anyone who bought a Kobalt cordless yard tool at Lowe’s this spring, the key question is not whether the tool still works. It is whether the battery is one of the recalled models and whether it has been charged in the way the CPSC says can create a fire risk.
