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Amazon Recalls 260,000 Portable Power Banks For Fire Hazard (cnbc.com)
Amazon is recalling 260,000 AmazonBasics portable power banks that can "overheat and ignite," according to a release by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The company has received more than 50 reports of the power banks overheating in the U.S., causing chemical burns and property damage. CNBC reports: "Consumers should immediately unplug and stop using the recalled power banks and contact Amazon for instructions on how to return the unit and receive a full refund," the release says. Amazon is contacting everyone who purchased one of the affected devices. The recall covers six versions of the AmazonBasics portable battery: 16,100 mAh; 10,000 mAh; 5,600 mAh; 2,000 mAh with micro USB cable; 3,000 mAh; and 3,000 mAh with USB micro cable.
Amazon Basics came about because Amazon got jealous of all the fly by night companies that were creating storefronts on Amazon and eBay for dropshipping from aliexpress. The bigger players in this space actually get the Chinese manufacturers to slap their logo on the product / box. Other than that, the item you get from any of the dozen companies (including Amazon) is identical.
It's true for everything from portable battery packs, to USB power adapters, to primary cell batteries, to "hover" boards, to solar lights, to RGB light strips, to mandolin slicers, to slow cookers, to beard trimmers, to everything else made in China.
The only reason to buy the Amazon Basics brand is if it is somehow cheaper after considering tax and shipping (occasionally even Amazon needs to clear stock), or if you expect it to fail soon and want the more generous return/refund policy of a "shipped and sold by Amazon" item.