--- description: The offending products seem to have non-compliant UK plugs title: Amazon Told Customers to Throw Out Some of Those Cool Hoverboards image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt01edb31390cbd20e/698875aa0a4a2287b89c789d/hoverboard.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Technology](/tag/technology/) ## Technology Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Amazon Told Customers to Throw Out Their Hoverboards Because They Might Explode by [Sarah Begley](/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 16, 2015 6:51 PM CUT  A youth poses as he rides a hoverboard, which are also known as self-balancing scooters and balance boards, on October 13, 2015 in Knutsford, England. A youth poses as he rides a hoverboard, which are also known as self-balancing scooters and balance boards, on October 13, 2015 in Knutsford, England.Christopher Furlong—Getty Images by [Sarah Begley](/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 16, 2015 6:51 PM CUT Amazon U.K. has asked customers who purchased certain hoverboards to [throw away](http://www.bbc.com/news/business-35109728 "undefined") their products at recycling centers and expect a full refund. The products in question seem to have non-compliant U.K. plugs that may not function correctly when charging, making it possible for them to explode or catch fire, BBC reports. Amazon has reportedly stopped selling the models in question. Hoverboards have been popular among holiday shoppers, but not among regulators. [Nearly every major U.S. airline](http://time.com/4145653/hoverboards-airlines-ban-delta-american-southwest-jetblue/ "undefined") has prohibited bringing these self-balancing scooters on board due to the risk of fire. \[[_BBC_](http://www.bbc.com/news/business-35109728 "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4151954/amazon-uk-hoverboards/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4151954/amazon-uk-hoverboards/"},"headline":"Amazon Told Customers to Throw Out Their Hoverboards Because They Might Explode","datePublished":"2015-12-16T18:51:12.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T13:26:28.264Z","description":"They seem to have non-compliant U.K. plugs","url":"https://time.com/4151954/amazon-uk-hoverboards/","keywords":["Technology"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt01edb31390cbd20e/698875aa0a4a2287b89c789d/hoverboard.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sarah Begley","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt01edb31390cbd20e/698875aa0a4a2287b89c789d/hoverboard.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"CPS Confirms Hoverboards Are Illegal To Ride On The Pavement And The Road","caption":"CPS Confirms Hoverboards Are Illegal To Ride On The Pavement And The Road","creditText":"Christopher Furlong—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/technology/","name":"Technology"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4151954/amazon-uk-hoverboards/","name":"Amazon Told Customers to Throw Out Their Hoverboards Because They Might Explode"}}]}] ```