Nexgrill Industries is recalling about 10 million stainless-steel grill brushes sold across the United States after federal regulators linked the tools to at least five cases in which loose bristles were swallowed or lodged in a person’s throat.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the voluntary recall late Friday, warning that the metal bristles on the “Nexgrill Grill Pro Deluxe” series can detach during use and become embedded in cooked food. Victims ranged in age from 28 to 62 and all sought hospital care to have the fragments removed, the agency said.
The affected brushes were sold between May 2021 and February 2026 at Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ace Hardware and online retailers including Amazon for roughly $15. Each bears a red handle stamped with model numbers 970-0011 and 970-0022. Consumers are urged to stop using the product immediately and contact Nexgrill for a free nylon-bristle replacement or a refund.
“While incidents remain extremely rare compared with total units sold, we take every report seriously,” company spokesman Mark Casey said in an emailed statement. He added that Nexgrill has updated its manufacturing process “to improve bristle retention” and is cooperating fully with regulators.
Ingested wire bristles can perforate the esophagus or intestines and may not show up on routine X-rays, said Dr. Ellen Ko, an ear, nose and throat surgeon at UCLA Health who was not involved in the recall. “We generally have to scope the patient or use CT imaging to locate the fragment, which can turn a backyard barbecue into an operating-room emergency,” she noted.
The recall arrives just weeks before the unofficial start of grilling season, raising questions about potential lost sales at home-improvement chains that depend on spring traffic. Retail analyst David Greene of MarketEdge estimated the cost of pulling existing inventory and issuing refunds could reach $12 million, excluding future liability claims.
Consumer-safety advocates say the move underscores a broader concern about metal-bristle brushes, which have been tied to sporadic injuries for more than a decade. “This isn’t only a Nexgrill issue; it’s an industry-wide design flaw,” said Rachel Conrad of Safe Kitchens, a nonprofit that has pushed for nylon or coil-style alternatives.
Looking ahead, analysts expect the CPSC to revisit voluntary standards for grill-cleaning tools, and at least two senators have signaled interest in legislation mandating warning labels. For manufacturers, that could accelerate a shift toward bristle-free products well before the 2027 summer season.