Walmart Expert Grill brush recall (Oct 2026): 4.4 million brushes, model numbers, refund

On October 1, 2026, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Walmart is recalling about 4,477,655 Expert Grill metal wire bristle grill brushes. The reason given is that small wire bristles can come off the brush, stick to the grill or to food, and be swallowed. ShopperCove did not examine any of these brushes. Everything below comes from the CPSC recall notice (recall number 27-010), USA TODAY’s 2 October report, and a CDC case report on wire bristle injuries, all read on 5 October 2026.

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The recall at a glance

From the CPSC notice:

• Product: certain Walmart Expert Grill metal wire bristle grill brushes, with black plastic or stainless-steel handles. Some have a metal scraper attached.
• Hazard: small metal wire bristles can detach and stick to the grill or food. CPSC calls this an ingestion hazard with a risk of serious internal injuries that could require surgery.
• Units: about 4,477,655.
• Remedy: refund. CPSC says you can get a full refund or a credit to use at any Walmart store or on Walmart.com.
• Sold: at Walmart and online, including Walmart.com, from January 2021 through August 2026, for between 28.
• Injuries: none reported.
• Importer: Walmart, Inc., of Bentonville, Arkansas. Made in China.
• Recall number: 27-010.

Which model numbers are included

CPSC says the model number is on the packaging or on a sticker or tag attached to the brush. These five models are listed in the notice, with the distribution dates CPSC gives for each:

• EX5607031616002: Expert Grill 16-inch Steel Fiber Scrub Brush and Scraper for Grills. January 2025 to August 2026.
• EX5607031616003: Expert Grill Handheld Steel Fiber Scrub Brush with Ergonomic Handle for Grill Cleaning. January 2025 to August 2026.
• XG1310700206: Expert Grill 21” 3-head Grill Brush with Stainless Steel Bristles and Soft-Grip Handle. January 2022 to August 2026.
• XG1136178597003: Expert Grill Long Handle Grill Brush with Scraper, 17.7”. January 2021 to August 2026.
• XG1410700124: Expert Grill Grilling Accessories BBQ Grill Tools Set, 10 Pieces Stainless Steel Grill Kit. December 2023 to August 2026.

Note the last one. The recall is not only for loose brushes. It also covers the 10-piece Expert Grill tool set, so check your grill kit as well as any brush you bought on its own.

If your brush says Expert Grill but the model number is not on this list, or the tag is gone, contact Walmart (details below) rather than guessing. CPSC’s notice only names these five models.

What to do if you have one

CPSC’s instructions are short:

1. Stop using the brush now. Do not use it for “one last clean.”
2. Contact Walmart for a refund or store credit. CPSC says you can get a full refund, or a credit for use at any Walmart store or Walmart.com.
3. Return it or throw it away. CPSC says you will be asked to return the recalled brush to Walmart or discard it.

How to reach Walmart, as listed by CPSC:

• Phone: 800-925-6278, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday.
• Online: walmart.com/help or corporate.walmart.com/recalls, or click “Product Recalls” at the bottom of walmart.com.

The CPSC notice does not say whether a receipt is needed. Have the model number, and a receipt or Walmart.com order if you still have one, ready when you call.

Why loose bristles are a real risk

This is not a new kind of hazard. In 2012 the CDC published a case report on six people treated at one hospital system in Providence, Rhode Island, between March 2011 and June 2012 after swallowing wire bristles from grill-cleaning brushes. The report says those bristles had come loose from the brush and ended up in grilled food. All six patients reported grilling at home and using commercially available wire brushes.

The injuries in that series ranged from a bristle stuck in the soft tissue of the neck, causing severe pain on swallowing, to perforation of the intestine that needed emergency surgery. Three patients had a bristle in the throat area. The other three had severe abdominal pain, and two of them needed emergency abdominal surgery. The CDC says all six recovered fully after treatment.

The CDC also noted that these bristles are small and can be hard to see even on X-rays and CT scans. The report could not say which brush brands or designs are safer, because detailed brand information was not available.

That older report is background, not part of the Walmart recall. CPSC says no injuries have been reported for the recalled Expert Grill brushes.

If you grill this week

The CDC report gives two plain prevention steps. Before cooking, look over the grill grate carefully for any bristles that may have come off the brush. Or consider a different way of cleaning the grill. CDC did not name a specific alternative product, and neither does this article.

If someone develops sudden pain when swallowing, or sudden abdominal pain, after eating grilled food, the CDC report says doctors should consider a swallowed wire bristle. Mention the grilled food and the wire brush when you see a doctor. This article is not medical advice.

The CDC report asks medical professionals and consumers to report these injuries to CPSC at SaferProducts.gov.

Also at Walmart this week: a pasta recall

A separate recall, posted by the FDA on 1 October, also involves Walmart shelves. Food Safety News reported on 2 October that Gias Foods of New York expanded its recall to all lot codes of bettergoods Authentic Italian Lemon Alfredo Fettuccine because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

• The product is frozen, in 22-ounce yellow plastic bags, with UPC 194346442706.
• It was distributed nationwide at Walmart stores.
• No illnesses had been reported, according to the report.
• The problem was found through routine sampling by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Food Safety News adds that symptoms of listeriosis can take up to 70 days to appear after exposure. Pregnant women, older adults, young children, and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk. If you have this pasta in your freezer, do not eat it.

Quick checklist

• Find every Expert Grill brush and any Expert Grill 10-piece tool set at home.
• Match the model number to the five on the CPSC list.
• Stop using any match. Call 800-925-6278 or use walmart.com/help for a refund or store credit.
• Return the brush to Walmart or throw it away, as Walmart directs.
• Look over the grill grate for loose bristles before the next cook.
• Check the freezer for bettergoods Lemon Alfredo Fettuccine, UPC 194346442706.

This article will not be updated automatically. For the current recall wording, go back to the CPSC notice.

Sources