CPSC Recall No. 26-611: Kobalt USB-C Batteries, Confirmed
This is no longer a rumor. On July 10, 2026, the Consumer Product Safety Commission published Recall No. 26-611: Greenworks Tools is recalling about 554,780 Kobalt 24V and 24Vx2 (48V) yard power tools sold with USB-C rechargeable batteries. Greenworks told the CPSC it had received 34 reports of batteries smoking, sparking, or catching fire while inserted in a tool and charging through the USB-C port. No injuries or property damage were reported. If you bought a Kobalt outdoor kit at Lowe’s this year, here’s how to check whether yours is affected and what Greenworks owes you.
Is my battery recalled?
Neither the CPSC nor Greenworks has published a serial-number or model-number list for this recall. They identify affected units by a combination of traits instead:
| Check | Recalled if… |
|---|---|
| Charging port | The battery pack itself has a USB-C port (not just standard slide-on charger contacts) |
| Capacity | 3.0Ah, 4.0Ah, 5.0Ah, 6.0Ah, or 8.0Ah Kobalt 24V battery |
| Where and when purchased | Bought at Lowe’s or Lowes.com between January and May 2026 |
| What it came with | Kobalt 24V or 24Vx2 (48V) string trimmers, blowers, mowers, chainsaws, pruning saws, power cleaners, or the batteries sold on their own |
Standard Kobalt 24V batteries without a USB-C port aren’t part of this recall. If your battery only charges through the tool’s regular charger, with no USB-C port on the pack, you’re not affected. A bare tool sold without a battery isn’t affected either; it’s the battery that’s recalled, not the tool. When in doubt, compare your battery against the photos on Greenworks’ recall page or call the number below.
What Greenworks owes you (free replacement)
- Stop USB-C charging immediately while the battery is inserted in the tool. Charging on a stand-alone Kobalt charger, separate from the USB-C port, isn’t implicated by the recall, but stop using the battery if you’re not sure which method you’ve been using.
- File a claim at greenworkstools.com/pages/kobalt-product-recall, call Greenworks at 888-266-7096 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday), or email [email protected]. Have the battery and your proof of purchase on hand if you kept it.
- Receive a free replacement kit: a non-USB-C Kobalt 24V battery of equivalent capacity, a charger adapter, a warning label, an updated manual, and a prepaid return label for the recalled battery.
How We Got Here
Lowe’s quietly pulled Kobalt 24V and 48V outdoor kits from shelves in late April 2026, telling employees only to stop selling them, with no public explanation at the time. We covered that stop sale below when it broke. The kits in question used the Gen-3 USB-C batteries that launched earlier in 2026, built by Greenworks for Lowe’s under the Kobalt name (we broke down that manufacturing partnership separately). Two and a half months of silence followed the stop sale. Then, on July 10, the CPSC and Greenworks made it official: the USB-C charging circuitry was the problem, and it’s now a formal recall with a claim process, not a stop sale with a guess attached.
What to Buy Instead
Kobalt is a Lowe’s exclusive, and Lowe’s currently pays no affiliate commission on Kobalt links, so we don’t have a Kobalt replacement to point you to here, recall aside. If you’re waiting on a replacement battery, or you’d rather switch platforms while you wait, these are verified picks in the categories the recall hits hardest.
| Category | Model | Price | Why It’s Here | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaf blower | EGO Power+ LB7654 | around $359 at time of writing | 765 CFM turbo mode, up to 90 minutes runtime on the included 5.0Ah battery, standard charging contacts | Buy Now |
| Chainsaw | Greenworks 80V 18″ GCS80420 | around $210 at time of writing | Brushless motor, rated for up to 150 cuts on 4×4 lumber per charge; a Greenworks-branded tool on its own 80V platform, unrelated to the recalled Kobalt batteries | Buy Now on Amazon |
| String trimmer | EGO Power+ ST1521S | around $447 at time of writing | Carbon fiber shaft, POWERLOAD auto line-feed, ships with a 2.5Ah battery and standard charger, shares a battery platform with the LB7654 blower above | Buy Now on Amazon |
| Pruning saw | DeWalt DCCS623B (tool only) | around $143 at time of writing | 8″ brushless pruning chainsaw with an automatic oiler; runs on 20V MAX batteries if you’re already on that platform | Buy Now on Amazon |
Prices change, so check the listing before you buy. For full rankings in each category, see our cordless leaf blower guide, cordless chainsaw picks, and string trimmer comparisons. Deciding whether to stick with your current battery platform or switch entirely? Our battery platform comparison breaks down what each brand’s ecosystem actually costs to build out.
The Original Stop-Sale Story (April 30, 2026)
Lowe’s issued a stop sale on Kobalt 24V and 24Vx2 (48V) outdoor power tool kits in late April, pulling products from shelves and marking them “no longer sold” online. Workers at multiple Lowe’s locations said they were told to pull the kits but given no official reason. Some speculated about a USB-C battery fire issue, but at the time, Lowe’s had made no public statement and no CPSC recall existed yet. That gap between the store-level stop sale and the July 10 CPSC recall is why this page originally ran as a developing story; the recall now confirms what the stop sale was quietly responding to.
Sources: CPSC.gov, Recall No. 26-611; ToolGuyd (original stop-sale coverage, April 2026); Pro Tool Reviews and Fox Business (recall coverage, July 2026).
Is the Kobalt battery recall real?
Yes. It’s an official CPSC recall, No. 26-611, announced July 10, 2026, covering approximately 554,780 Kobalt 24V and 48V yard tools and batteries with USB-C charging ports. This isn’t a store-level stop sale anymore. It’s a formal recall with a manufacturer-run replacement program.
Is there a complete list of affected Kobalt model numbers?
No single published list exists. Greenworks and the CPSC describe the recall by category and battery trait (trimmers, blowers, mowers, chainsaws, pruning saws, and standalone batteries in 3.0Ah through 8.0Ah capacities with a USB-C port) rather than a full model or serial table. Check your battery against the photos on Greenworks’ recall page, or call Greenworks directly, to confirm your specific unit.
Is Lowe’s discontinuing Kobalt outdoor power tools?
Neither company has said that. This recall covers a specific defect in USB-C-equipped 24V/48V batteries, not the Kobalt line as a whole. Kobalt outdoor tools sold without the affected battery are unaffected.
Can I still charge my Kobalt battery on a regular charger?
Greenworks’ guidance targets USB-C charging while the battery sits in the tool specifically. If you’re unsure which charging method your battery uses, stop using it and start the replacement process rather than guessing.
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