Pressure cookers are a common and convenient cooking tool, using high temperature steam and high pressure to cook foods quickly.

However, they can also be the source of accidents due to exploding or unexpectedly releasing super-heated steam. These accidents can cause permanent, horrific injuries including severe burns.

According to a 2023 study by the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, 1,667 pressure cooker injuries are treated in emergency rooms in the U.S. every year.

Steam, scalding liquids and food and parts of the cooker itself can injure users because of explosions or ejecting steam unexpectedly.

The injuries can be severe, including:

  • Severe burns, called thermal burns, causing physical and emotional injuries
  • Infections, scarring and disfigurement from thermal burns
  • Damage to muscle and tissue beneath the skin
  • Eye injuries
  • Cuts causing bleeding
  • Traumatic brain injuries

Accidents caused by pressure cookers can be the result of defective products and parts. Some of the defects can include:

  • Defective lids and lid locking mechanisms
  • Faulty rings and gaskets
  • Defective seals
  • Faulty float valves
  • Faulty pressure valves
  • Faulty sensors
  • Defective steam venting
  • Lack of effective warning to consumers

Pressure cookers that have caused injuries and been the subject of lawsuits include:

  • Instant Pot, manufactured by Instant Brands, Inc.
  • Philippe Richard, manufactured by Tabletops Unlimited, Inc.
  • NuWave, manufactured by NuWave, LLC
  • Crock Pot, manufactured by Sunbeam Products, Inc.
  • Prestige Rise ‘n’ Time, manufactured by TTK Prestige Limited
  • Costway, manufactured by Costway.com, Inc.
  • Wolfgang Puck, manufactured by Wolfgang Puck Enterprises, Inc.
  • Elite Bistro, manufactured by MAXI-MATIC U.S.A., INC.
  • Cuisinart, manufactured by Conair Corporation d/b/a Cuisinart
  • Mirro, manufactured by GROUPE SEB USA, INC.
  • Presto, manufactured by National Presto Industries, Inc.
  • Fagor EZ Lock, manufactured by Fenca America. Inc (previously operating as Fagor America, Inc.)
  • Bella, manufactured by Sensio, Inc.
  • Zavor, manufactured by Zavor Versa Express Pressure Cooker
  • Ninja Foodi, manufactured by Sharkninja Operating, LLC
  • Cook’s Essentials, manufactured by Spectrum Brands Holding (owner of Remington and George Foreman)

Kline & Specter, PC, has handled hundreds of catastrophic injury cases, including those involving pressure cookers. Kline & Specter, PC has won verdicts and settlements in the millions in products liability cases.

Kline & Specter, PC, with more than 50 attorneys, five of whom are also doctors, has the experience and track record of success in lawsuits against major corporations. This includes litigating lawsuits against the makers and sellers of pressure cookers.

Kline & Specter has a long history of attaining multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements – and one billion-dollar verdict – in product liability cases against major corporations.

For instance, Shanin Specter won verdicts of $153 million, $52 million and $8.75 million against Ford Motor Co. over defective pickup truck parking brakes that caused the deaths of two people.

The firm won a series of large verdicts in trials over implanted defective vaginal mesh products -- including verdicts of $41 million, $57.1 million, $80 million and $120 million -- and eventually settled hundreds of cases over that defective product.

In cases against the maker of the anti-psychotic drug Risperdal, Tom Kline won an $8 billion punitive damages verdict that led to the settlement of thousands of other cases in which the drug injured boys and young men.

We offer free and confidential case evaluations and promise you sensitive and caring representation. We handle cases in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware and nationwide.

If you or a loved one suffered an injury because of a pressure cooker, please contact us through this website or by calling 215-772-1000.