How Many Pressure Cooker Explosions Have There Been?

In the United States, retailers sell hundreds of thousands of pressure cookers per year.

In fact, in 2019, more than 545,000 pressure cookers made their way into home and business kitchens.

It’s hard to know for sure how many explosions have occurred.

However, we can estimate the number of Instant Pot explosions that have taken place.

One way to estimate the number of Instant Pot pressure cooker explosions that have taken place is to look at the number of companies named in the lawsuits.

To date, several manufacturers of pressure cookers have been the target of many Instant Pot lawsuits.

These are the companies against whom lawsuits have been filed:

• Bella
• Breville
• Costway
• Crock-Pot
• Cuisinart
• Elite Bistro
• Fagor EZ Lock
• Instant Pot
• Ninja Foodi
• NuWave
• Phillipe Richards
• Power Pressure Cooker XL
• Presto
• Wolfgang Puck

These companies have sold and recalled thousands of their Instant Pots, pressure cookers, and multi-cookers.

Based on the recalls and the number of companies named in the lawsuits, we can expect the number of explosions to be in the thousands.

The Aftermath of the Instant Pot Explosions: Thousands of Instant Pot Product Recalls

Between 2015 and 2021, manufacturers took thousands of their pressure cookers, Instant Pots, and multicooker products off shelves in an attempt to stave off further legal battles.

Notable 2015 and 2018 Recalls: Breville and Instant Brands Inc.

In 2015, Breville recalled more than 35,000 units of its Slow Cookers.

In that same year, Instant Brands Inc., the manufacturer of Instant Pot, recalled more than 1,000 units of its popular multi-cooker product.

However, the company’s recall of its flagship product didn’t stop there.

In 2018, the company took roughly 104,000 multi-cookers off the shelves due to lawsuits concerning electrical burns.

According to Consumer Report, the company faced lawsuits from plaintiffs who sustained electrical burns from operating safety features like the automatic pressure control and automatic temperature control.

Worse yet, the excess pressure protection of Instant Pot’s products did little to prevent the lid from exploding and hitting users.

The company recalled numerous lines of its popular pressure cookers.

The recalled products included various electric pressure cookers and Instant Pot models, including:

• Instant Pot Duo
• Instant Pot Lux
• Instant Pot Viva
• Instant Pot Ultra

Notable Pressure Cooker Product Recall in 2020: Crock Pot

In 2020, Crock-Pot took nearly a million units of its flagship pressure cooker off shelves in response to mounting incidents of explosions from excess pressure and the lawsuits resulting from them.

Crock-Pot recalled their electric pressure cookers because of pressure and lid lock issues.

More specifically, the company found that the electric pots reached high pressure and temperature even when the lid lock wasn’t secure.

Surely enough, nearly 100 cases of burns from using Crock-Pot’s traditional pressure cooker products occurred.

The burn injuries ranged from second-degree to third-degree burns to the hands, chest, and facial areas.

Severe Injuries Resulting from Defective Pressure Cookers

Plaintiffs who have filed Instant Pot Lawsuits for explosions sustained a range of severe injuries.

These injuries include, but are not limited to:

• Severe burns
• Cuts, lacerations and bruises
• Eye injuries
• Hearing loss
• PTSD

File your pressure cooker lawsuit with us if you have sustained any of the following injuries resulting from faulty Instant Pot safety features and components.

Severe Burns

Modern pressure cookers can reach temperatures of up to 266 F.

At these temperatures, anyone in the immediate radius of an Instant Pot explosion can sustain second to third-degree burns.

Second and third-degree burns are some of the most disfiguring types of burns.

Any victim of these burns will require extensive skin grafting, surgery, and intravenous hydration.

Cuts and Bruises

When an Instant Pot explodes, it can launch all sorts of scalding debris.

Some of the debris will include glass or metallic shards that can puncture the skin.

Duller types of debris will cause extensive bruising upon impact.

Injuries to Eyes

In many Instant Pot accidents, the excess pressure that built up in the pressure cooker caused the appliance to explode.

The explosion can launch shrapnel at high velocities, hitting vital body parts like the eyes.

In many cases of Instant Pots exploding, victims sustain injuries to the eyes.

Some even go blind because of extensive retinal damage.

Hearing Loss or Tinnitus

If you hear an Instant Pot explode, it will be loud.

As a result, anyone near the pressure cooker or Instant Pot will risk tinnitus or ringing in the ears.

In the worst-case scenario, an exploding pressure cooker can be so loud that it damages the eardrums, causing hearing loss.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Being in a pressure cooker explosion can be a traumatic experience that causes anxiety, a persistent sense of danger, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

With PTSD, a victim can experience recurrent flashbacks, nightmares, and other distressing symptoms.

Treatments for Victims of Instant Pot Accidents

Victims require various types of treatment following an Instant Pot explosion.

If you have sustained injuries from a defective pressure cooker, you might need the following types of treatment:

• Burn care
• Skin grafts and surgery
• Physical therapy

Burn Care

Burn care will include debridement, the removal of burned or dead skin.

This will prevent infection and promote skin healing.

Physicians may also provide intravenous hydration to prevent cellular dehydration and apply ointments to hasten the regeneration of the skin.

Skin Grafting and Surgery

In the case of third or fourth-degree burns, the burns will be so extensive that they involve the deeper layers of the skin.

In such situations, physicians will perform skin grafting.

Skin grafting is a procedure that involves harvesting healthy skin from one part of the body and transferring it to the burned area.

By introducing healthy skin onto a burned area, the area can heal faster.

Most importantly, the skin will heal in a way that the skin matches the rest of the victim’s body.

Physical Therapy

Sustaining third and fourth-degree burns could result in movement limitations.

To restore mobility and function to the affected burn areas, victims may have to undergo physical therapy.

Physical therapy not only helps restore function to certain limbs; it also prevents muscle atrophy.

What To Do if You've Been Injured by Exploding Pressure Cookers

If you’ve sustained injuries from defective pressure cookers, you need to file a pressure cooker lawsuit.

A pressure cooker lawsuit will entitle you to financial compensation that offsets your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Follow these steps to maximize your chances of a successful pressure cooker lawsuit.

Seek Medical Attention

Getting medical attention must be your priority.

Gather all receipts and medical records as you are recovering from your injuries.

Gather and Retain Records

Gather receipts of your pressure cooker purchase.

This will come in handy in proving negligence and causation.

Also, seek a medical diagnosis.

Having one will prove your injuries and help establish the settlement you deserve.

Take Photos or Videos of Your Injuries

Having photographic or video evidence can go a long way in building a compelling pressure cooker case.

When taking photos and videos, ensure that you indicate the date you took them.

The date will be essential during the pre-trial and discovery phases of your Instant Pot lawsuit.

TorHoerman Law: Your Pressure Cooker Lawyer

If you or a loved one have suffered serious burns, serious injuries, or other harm from a defective Instant Pot or any other faulty pressure cooker, contact an experienced Instant Pot attorney who can help protect your rights and seek financial compensation. 

The expert lawyers at TorHoerman Law can assist you in filing a lawsuit to seek proper financial restitution for the pain, suffering, medical expenses, and other losses caused by defective Instant Pots.

We can evaluate your case and explore all of your legal options.

The numerous safety components on a pressure cooker’s design should prevent boiling liquid, hot food, hot steam, and other extremely dangerous contents of a pressure cooker from exiting the slow cooker.

Defective pressure cookers can potentially explode, causing extreme physical pain, thermal burns, and other painful bodily injuries.

Pressure cooker manufacturers need to provide proper instructions to handle potentially dangerous pressure cookers.

If your pressure cooker exploded and you’ve been injured, you may be eligible to file a Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

You can also use the chatbot on this page to find out if you qualify for a Pressure Cooker Lawsuit instantly.