5 ON YOUR SIDE: The most risky dressers are still on sale

Are there any dangerous products hidden in plain sight in your child’s bedroom? It could be the dresser you use every day. Many dressers are safer than before thanks to new safety standards, but older models could still pose a deadly risk.

Consumer Reports details what you need to know to keep your children safe.

For years, furniture tip-overs have injured and even killed too many children.

Consumer Reports’ tests include pulling out drawers and hanging 60-pound weights from one of the top drawers for at least 10 seconds, simulating a child climbing or hanging from furniture. If the chest of drawers stays upright, pass.

But that doesn’t mean every dresser in every bedroom is safe. Old dressers prone to tipping over are still on the market. In fact, two dressers manufactured before September 2023 failed CR’s recent tests.

Retailer responses have varied. Ikea announced in April that all of its dressers in the US now meet the new standard, while Bassett Furniture told CR that between 10 and 20% of dressers currently sold were built before September 2023. Target said they expect all dressers sold to pass the new standard. about testing, and Amazon said all of its dressers comply with the STURDY Act.

So what does this mean for you?

If you’re shopping for a dresser, here are some tips: Buy in person. Ask when the dresser was made and whether it meets the requirements of the STURDY Act.

For online buyers, look for a manufacturing date after September 1, 2023.

Even if the furniture meets HEAVY DUTY standards, always use the anchoring kit that comes with your dresser; It is now a legal requirement.

Other retailers contacted by CR include Wayfair, which said some dressers it sells may have been manufactured before September 2023. Costco and Walmart did not respond.

The STURDY Act established stricter rules for furniture manufacturers to prevent tip-overs, but there are still potentially dangerous sideboards for sale.

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