Safe Grabs Microwave Mat Update | Shark Tank Season 8

Cyndi Lee created Safe Grabs to solve a problem she knew all too well—burning her fingers on hot dishes. Her journey wasn’t easy; she faced setbacks, including unsuccessful attempts to pitch on Shark Tank in Season 1 and financial hurdles. However, her determination ultimately landed her a spot on the show, where she now seeks an investment to take Safe Grabs to major retail stores. Let’s see if the sharks were interested in her company in our Safe Grabs update and pitch recap.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Safe Grabs after Shark Tank.

Cyndi appeared on Shark Tank Season 8 to pitch Safe Grabs seeking $75,000 for 12% equity. After her pitch, she made a deal with Lori Greiner for $75,000 for 25% equity.

In terms of a Safe Grabs update, the company leveraged the deal with Lori Greiner and her network to achieve rapid growth, expanding into major retail stores and generating significant revenue.

Shark	Result
Lori Greiner	Accepted offer of $75,000 for 25% equity
Kevin O’Leary	No offer
Robert Herjavec	No offer
Mark Cuban	No offer
Daymond John	No offer

Shark Tank Safe Grabs Pitch

• Entrepreneur: Cyndi Lee
• Business: Multi-purpose BPA free kitchen tool
• Ask: $75,000 for 12% equity
• Result: $75,000 for 25% equity
• Shark: Lori Greiner

Cyndi kicked off her pitch to the sharks by introducing Safe Grabs, a silicone mat she designed to protect hands from burns while offering a secure grip on hot dishes.

She was looking for an investment to help expand the reach of her product and scale up production to meet the growing demand.

Safe Grabs is a circular silicone mat, perfect for safely removing hot items from the microwave.

It’s heat-resistant, slip-resistant, easy to clean, non-toxic, and BPA-free, making it a practical addition to any kitchen.

Available in two sizes—10 inches and 12 inches—Safe Grabs is a versatile tool for preventing burns and accidents in the kitchen.

Once Cyndi handed out samples, the sharks quickly started scrutinizing Safe Grabs. Throughout the pitch, Cyndi stayed upbeat, enthusiastic, and professional.

However, she revealed that despite the 10-inch version selling for $12.85 and costing just $2.75 to make, she was barely breaking even.

To add to her challenges, she was still working on patenting Safe Grabs’ flexibility. Slthough it was the only silicone product of its kind on the market, similar items were already available.

Mark Cuban felt that Safe Grabs didn’t have enough growth potential, so he exited the negotiations.

Barbara Corcoran agreed with Mark’s sentiments and also decided not to invest.

Kevin O’Leary told Cyndi she needed to make some packaging improvements and said that the product would do well on QVC. He’s out.

Robert Herjavec praised Cyndi for her efforts but explained that the product just didn’t interest him personally. He’s out too.

With only Lori Greiner left, it was make or break for Cyndi.

Luckily, Safe Grabs piqued Lori’s interest. She believed she could help Cyndi get the product into big-name retailers. 

She was also willing to provide the necessary funding for future purchase orders. However, she requested 30% equity in the business in exchange for the value she could bring.

After some back-and-forth, Lori and Cyndi settled on a 25% equity deal for $75,000.

Let’s see how Cyndi and Lori’s partnership eventually played out in our Safe Grabs update.

Shark Tank Safe Grabs Update

Our Safe Grabs update found that the deal with Lori Greiner successfully closed. 

Further, Lori’s extensive network, particularly her connections with QVC, proved invaluable in expanding Safe Grabs’ visibility and reach.

After airing, Safe Grabs quickly gained traction, with the silicone mats selling out on QVC just a day later. In just 10 minutes, Cyndi sold over $300,000 worth of products.

By 2017, Safe Grabs had expanded into major retail stores like Bed, Bath & Beyond and Home Depot.

Our Safe Grabs update found that Cyndi reported $2.4 million in sales a year after her appearance on Shark Tank. Three years later, the company had reached $5 million in revenue.

Even during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Safe Grabs continued to thrive, generating $4 million in annual revenue by 2022 and surpassing $24 million in lifetime sales.

During this time, the company also supported the medical community by matching donations to purchase up to 50,000 medical masks for hospitals in need.

Cyndi returned to Shark Tank in Season 9 for a special reunion, celebrating the success of entrepreneurs who had appeared on the show.

Since Shark Tank, Cyndi has introduced new products like pinch mitts and themed kitchen towels.

We’re calling this Safe Grabs update a success.

In the meantime, be sure to check out some of our other Season 8 Episode 5 company updates:

• SandiLake Clothing Update
• Parker’s Real Maple Syrup Update
• SiliDog Silent Pet Tag Update

Before you go, check out our Shark Tank Season 8 page for more updates