LiCoMnO4 is a spinel material of great interest for possible applications in the next generation of lithium-ion batteries. LiCoMnO4 exhibits electrochemical activity at 5 volts, but samples also often exhibit a small but deleterious capacity at 4 volts.Our work shows this is likely due to (i) oxygen deficiency or (ii) the presence of a small amount of secondary phase, Li2MnO3, which is difficult to observe in lab X-ray analyses. In either case, the defect is likely due to the high temperature synthesis route typically used.We have developed a new low temperature, low cost and fast synthetic route that should avoid these issues, while also producing nanoparticles ideal for battery work. We urgently need to characterise the materials developed by this new route, with particular focus on Li,O contents, atomic positions and thermal parameters.