3M is recalling about 53,634 Scotch thermal laminators sold on Amazon because they can overheat and start fires. Owners can get a refund, and the money comes as a check in the mail. The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall on October 15.
The laminators sold for between $44 and $56. The commission lists 63 reports of units smoking, melting or overheating, including five reports of fires. No injuries have been reported. Anyone who owns one should unplug it now.
Which Scotch laminator is recalled
The recall covers the Scotch Thermal Laminator, model TL1302Z, according to the commission’s recall notice. The model number is printed on a sticker on the bottom of the unit and on the packaging. The laminator is light gray and white with gray accents, and “Scotch” is printed in gray on the front.
It has a laminating slot about 13 inches wide and a carrying handle on the right side when viewed from the front. The units were sold only on Amazon.com, from June 2024 through September 2026. 3M Company of St. Paul, Minnesota, is the importer, and the laminators were made in China.
The commission’s warning is direct: the recalled laminators “can overheat, posing a fire hazard.” Beyond the five fires, it counts one report of minor property damage. The notice calls it recall number 27-024 and tells owners to stop using the machine and unplug it immediately.
The question for an owner is how to turn a recalled machine into a refund check, and what it takes to prove the unit is out of use. The answer involves a form, a cut cord and a photograph, and it starts with the model number on the bottom of the machine.
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How the refund works step by step
The commission lists the remedy in order. First, stop using the laminator and unplug it immediately. Second, fill out the online recall registration form and confirm the unit is part of the recall. Third, upload a photograph of the laminator with its unplugged power cord cut.
Once 3M has the form and the cut-cord photo, the refund is issued as a check mailed to the consumer. The commission’s notice says the units should then be disposed of under local and state electronics recycling laws. The notice does not state the refund amount or how long the check takes to arrive.
3M’s own recall page adds detail. After the form, an email arrives with an eight-digit case number. The owner writes that number on the bottom of the laminator in permanent marker and takes two photos, one of the whole underside with the sticker, case number and cut cord, and one close-up of the sticker and number.
Proof of purchase and what to keep
3M asks for proof of purchase if the owner has it. Without proof, the page says to follow the same steps anyway, and the owner may still be eligible. An Amazon order confirmation or a credit card statement showing the purchase is the likely place to look, though 3M does not say which records it accepts.
The page also says to hold on to the laminator and the cut cord until 3M confirms it has received everything. That means the machine should not be thrown out the day the photos go in, even though it is unplugged and unsafe to use. Only after the confirmation does the disposal step in the commission’s notice apply.
Other Scotch laminator models
3M’s page treats other model numbers differently. Owners of a TL1302 use a separate recall form. The model TL1302X “is not subject to any recalls,” the page says. Anyone with a Scotch laminator should check the sticker on the bottom before cutting a cord, so a cord is not cut on a machine that is not covered.
People who cannot take photos or want help can call 3M customer service at 800-772-4337. The commission lists hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central, Monday through Friday. The number is printed on the commission’s notice, and it is the one to use rather than a number from an email or text message.
Where recall refunds are posted and what stays open
Recalls like this one are listed on the commission’s recalls page, which is the free place to confirm a notice is real. The recall number here is 27-024. A refund offer that arrives by text or from a caller who asks for payment or bank details does not match the process described in the notice.
Two things are still open. Neither the commission nor 3M has published how large the refund is, whether it matches the price paid, or how many weeks the check takes. 3M’s page also lists no deadline for registering. Owners who want the check should register soon and keep the case number and photos until the money arrives.
Waiting on a Scotch laminator refund check?
A recall refund has several loose ends: a case number, two photos, a machine that must be kept until 3M confirms, and a check with no published arrival date. It is easy to lose track of whether the refund was ever sent.
The Settlement & Refund Recovery System includes a claim log and payment tracker, so the case number, photo upload date and expected check sit on one page. It also comes with how to get an expired or uncashed settlement check reissued.
Log the laminator refund request and the day the check arrives in a payment tracker →
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This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
Warren Cohen is a finance writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, covering personal finance topics including credit, banking, and beginner investing. He earned his degree in business administration from Arizona State University and began his career working in consumer finance, where he gained direct experience with lending and credit systems. He now writes for personal finance websites and fintech platforms, focusing on clear, practical content that helps readers make informed financial decisions.
