Anker Power Bank 10K 22.5W (A1257): known problems
3 sourced reports, with what to check before you buy. Each one links to the page it was reported on.
1 of these reports describe a fire, explosion or shock risk.
Costly or dangerous
Anker official global voluntary recall lists A1257 (10K, 22.5W)
This is the manufacturer's own global voluntary recall notice, which names A1257 among the affected models and attributes the issue to lithium-ion battery cells from a single vendor.
What to check. This is the manufacturer's official recall page. It confirms the A1257 is affected and directs owners to verify serial number and submit a recall claim for a replacement or gift card. Affected serial numbers do not contain the letters 'O' or 'I'.
US CPSC recall 25-466: A1257 lithium-ion battery can overheat, fire/burn hazard
Safety risk
This is the US Consumer Product Safety Commission recall notice (recall 25-466, Sept 18 2025) covering model A1257 among five Anker power bank models. It is the primary US regulator source for this subject.
What to check. If you own an A1257, check the serial number against Anker's recall page (anker.com/rc2506). Affected units qualify for a full cash refund or Anker gift card. Stop using the unit immediately and do not throw it in the trash or general recycling — recalled lithium-ion batteries must go to a certified/HHW disposal site. The recall covers units sold Aug 2023–June 2025 for $30–$50.
Taiwan BSMI notice: A1257 defect is a negative-tab welding fault that starts an internal short
This is the Taiwan regulator (BSMI) recall notice for the A1257, which details the root cause: a negative-tab welding fault from a winding machine power fluctuation that creates the starting point of an internal short, leading to local overheating and, in severe cases, thermal runaway. Note this notice is for the Taiwan market, not the US.
What to check. This explains the mechanism behind the A1257 recall: a manufacturing defect in the battery's negative tab weld can initiate an internal short and overheating after long-term use. It is a Taiwan-market notice, so it does not by itself establish a US event, but it corroborates the same model's defect documented by the US CPSC and Anker.
These reports come from the pages linked under each item: owner forums, repair guides and workshops. They are not a diagnosis of any one unit, and a careful check of the one you are buying still applies.
Text from the Kriko Anker power banks catalog, version 0.1.2, under the CC-BY-SA-4.0 license.
