The encyclopedia · Product & Design · Product decision · 2023–2026
TOMY's Boon PIVOT tower: 116,908 toddler towers that can tip
The collapsible tower can tip in use — fall hazard. 116,908 US + 2,033 Canada units, Jan 2023–Jun 2026; 11 instability reports; free stabilizing part.
TOMY · 2026-07-16
What happened
TOMY International recalled the Boon PIVOT Collapsible Toddler Tower Kitchen Step Stool on July 16, 2026 — 116,908 units in the US and about 2,033 in Canada, sold online at Target.com, Amazon and Babylist from January 2023 through June 2026 for about $150 — because the tower can tip over while a child stands in it.
Eleven reports of instability, shifting or leaning; no injuries. Owners stop use, store it away from children, and contact TOMY for a free stabilizing repair part with installation instructions.
A Japanese toy company's collapsible design folds for storage — and, in eleven homes, leaned while occupied.
Why it happened
- Tower can tip in use — fall hazard; 116,908 US + 2,033 Canada units sold Jan 2023–Jun 2026; 11 instability reports; recalled Jul 16, 2026
- The pivot that collapses the tower for storage is a joint in the stance — the convenience is the weakness
- The fix mails as a stabilizing part — the geometry stays, the base widens
The lesson
A tower that folds is a tower with a hinge in its spine. The part that makes it easy to store is the part that lets it lean — three years of sales before the stabilizer shipped.
Sources
spotted an error? The club wants to know.
More like this
Cainz floor cushions: a sewing needle possibly sewn inside
Yamazen EKS-V3: a steam humidifier whose lid can erupt in boiling water
Kumon's Kurukuru Chime: a baby toy that can shed its screw
Somewhere, someone solved the problem this company failed at. 2nd Opinion →
Comments · 0
Sign in to join the comments.