Google and HP put Chromebook 11 sales on hold due to overheating charger reports

Google and HP are putting sales of the HP Chromebook 11 on hold after a “small number” of users reported that their chargers had overheated. Existing owners are advised not to use the Chromebook’s included charger.

Here is the joint statement from the companies:

Important update on the HP Chromebook 11

Google and HP are pausing sales of the HP Chromebook 11 after receiving a small number of user reports that some chargers included with the device have been damaged due to overheating during use. We are working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to identify the appropriate corrective action, and will provide additional information and instructions as soon as we can.

In the meantime, customers who have purchased an HP Chromebook 11 should not use the original charger provided with the product. In the interim they may continue using their HP Chromebook 11 with any other Underwriters Laboratories-listed micro-USB charger, for example one provided with a tablet or smartphone. We apologize for the inconvenience.

The Verge reported earlier on Wednesday that Best Buy had received an urgent notice to halt sales and pull Chromebook 11 units off the floor.

When the $279 HP Chromebook 11 went on sale last month, our first impressions were that it felt cheap, though still worth the price. Acer and Samsung have made lower-priced Chromebooks in the past, but HP’s latest offering represented a more ambitious attempt to up the hardware quality without compromising on price.