Consumer Reports warns that dressers with a higher risk of tipping over are still on sale despite changes in the law

Are there any dangerous products hiding in plain sight in your child’s room? It could be the dresser you use every day.

Many dressers are safer than before thanks to new safety standards, but older models can still pose a deadly risk.

Consumer Reports breaks down what you need to know to keep your kids safe.

For years, falling furniture has injured and even killed many children.

“Our family woke up on the morning of December 18, 2004, to every parent’s nightmare,” said Kimberly Amato. “Our beautiful 3-year-old twin daughter, Megan, was found lifeless under the dresser. It dawned on her.

Since her tragic loss, Amato and other parents have been fighting for change. They finally won the hard-fought victory when the STURDY Act went into effect late last year, establishing stricter rules for furniture manufacturers to avoid tipping.

The good news is that all of the dressers tested by CR and made after September 2023 have passed the rigorous tipping tests, and Amato is thrilled.

Consumer Reports’ tests include pulling out drawers and hanging 60-pound weights from one of the top drawers for at least 10 seconds, simulating a child climbing or hanging on furniture. If the dresser stays upright, it passes.

But that doesn’t mean every dresser in every room is safe. Older, tip-prone dressers are still on the market.

In fact, two dressers manufactured before September 2023 failed recent CR tests. Both Ashley and Bassett confirmed that their dressers were built before the new standard went into effect.

The new rule only applies to dressers built after September 1, 2023. Anything built before that date doesn’t have to meet the new requirements, but can still be sold.

Responses from retailers have varied. IKEA announced in April that all of its dressers in the US now meet the new standard, while Bassett Furniture told CR that 10% to 20% of its dressers currently sold were built before September 2023.

Target said it expects all dressers it sells to pass the new tipping tests, and Amazon said all of its dressers comply with the STURDY Act.