Unsafe-electrical-goods-hero

A cheap, unsafe electrical appliance could kill you. Is the price worth paying?

We're a trading nation. That means all manner of goods come and go over our borders. And coming over our borders recently have been some illegal and unsafe electrical goods.

Our investigations reveal that, despite a recent crackdown by Energy Safety, unsafe electrical goods are still available, particularly on online auction sites such as Trade Me.

Highlights of this report


What's the problem?


Unsafe products at low-price retailers Read more

What we found


No safety markings, illegal plugs, incorrect voltage ... Read more

Our advice


Tips for buying a safe appliance Read more

Join Consumer now and make your decisions easy on a huge range of products and services

  • Over 500 reports, plus interactive tools and calculators
  • Independent advice from NZ's trusted source of information
  • Join over 65,000 members who help us get all NZers a fairer deal

from just $28

Join now
Read what our members say