Instant Pot Lawsuit

In short, yes, Instant Pot’s affected models can explode. The company marketed its product as safe to use, but many unsuspecting consumers found this was untrue and sustained serious injuries. Although only the IP-DUO60 V2 is confirmed to contain the defects, all Instant Pot products purchased before October 2017 are potentially dangerous to consumers. The safety mechanisms that failed in the defective units could also characterize their other models, and it’s better to stay away from all their products until they’re properly investigated.

The affected model, the IPDUO60 V2, has safety mechanisms that were designed to prevent over-pressurization and keep the lid of the unit secure during operation. However, the components were defective upon entering the market, which caused the appliance to build up pressure and expel its hot contents onto innocent consumers. Their mistake caused many injuries, including serious burns that required the victim to seek medical treatment. Instant Pot has since recalled this product, but that doesn’t excuse the severity of their mistake. 

Pressure cookers, along with all other kitchen appliances, aren’t supposed to cause injury to their user. In most cases, the products you buy from shelves are safe to use for their intended purpose, but negligence can result in a dangerous product. When companies fail to properly safety test their product before it ends up in the hands of consumers, Morgan & Morgan is here to hold them accountable.

Instant Pot products were marketed to consumers as safe to use for their intended purpose. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and many innocent individuals have endured painful injuries as a result of their negligence. Although they may not have used the defective components on purpose, proper safety testing would have discovered the error and saved their customers from harm. The company led their customers into a false sense of security, which is unacceptable when there are product liability laws that protect you from such unethical behavior. 

A manufacturing defect within a pressure cooker product can cause the unit to malfunction during normal operation and potentially explode. If the liquid explodes from the unit, it can cover the entire room and everyone in it, often resulting in burn injuries when the hot contents come in contact with skin. Here are a few examples of injuries that victims of pressure cooker explosions seek medical attention for:

• Burns (second degree, third degree)
• Eye injuries (loss of vision, total blindness)
• Concussions
• Brain injuries
• Shrapnel injuries (cuts, broken bones)
• Infections from food content entering new wounds
• Blood-loss
• Scarring and disfigurement

The victims who walked away with these injuries likely thought nothing of using their pressure cooker product. They turned it on, prepared their food, and in the end, they were left with serious, painful injuries, all for using a product for its intended purpose. Negligent manufacturers sell dangerous products every day, but that doesn’t mean we have to stand for the consequences. By taking a stand against their injustices, you hold the manufacturer accountable for their actions and, most importantly, set a positive example for other organizations to follow in the future, one where they don’t endanger the lives of their customers to earn a quick dollar.

Pressure cookers gained significant popularity after the Covid-19 lockdowns, as more and more families were cooking in their kitchens like never before. Unfortunately, some families purchased defective products unknowingly, causing them to endure a nightmare situation if and when the product malfunctioned during use. While many brands of pressure cookers are safe to use, here are a few that have been recalled due to the risk of injury they pose to the user:

• Crock-Pot Express Multi-Cooker
• Breville Fast Slow Cookers
• Gourmia Express Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
• Instant Pot “Smart” Model Pressure Cooker
• Nutrex Pressure Cooker
• Sunbeam 6-Pot Pressure Cooker
• Tristar Power Pressure Cooker
• Tristar Power Pressure Cooker XL
• Ultrex-Brand Pressure Cooker

Some of these brands are said to contain safety precautions that can prevent the unit from exploding if there’s a malfunction. However, many defective pressure cookers explode despite the safety precautions, as the unit’s defect is significant enough to bypass these features. In some cases, the safety features are the problem itself, and if the unit builds enough pressure, it can explode and injure the user. 

All manufacturers must follow rigorous guidelines and safety regulations to sell their products in the market, ensuring that any product that lands in the hands of consumers is safe to use for its intended purpose. Product liability laws exist to protect consumers from the consequences of defective products and allow the victims to hold the organization behind the product responsible for their actions. A defective pressure cooker that results in injury calls for a product liability lawsuit, and you could go down any of the following routes, depending on the specific circumstances of your situation: 

• Defectively Manufactured Products: The manufacturing process for an item must be airtight to ensure that no inconsistencies exist in the finished product. In some cases, mistakes during the production process or somewhere along the chain of distribution can cause the final product to arrive in the hands of consumers with defects, exposing them to a risk of injury.
• Defectively Designed Products: Products containing design flaws are always defective regardless of how sound the manufacturing process is. For example, if a pressure cooker’s design includes a lid that doesn’t fit on the product, all items made using that design will be defective as a result. 
• Failure to Provide Proper Instructions or Warning Labels: Otherwise referred to as “defective marketing,” a manufacturer who fails to provide accurate information regarding how to use the product or the potential risks of use could be held liable for the consequences of their actions.

No one should suffer an injury from a product they found on a store shelf. However, filing a product liability lawsuit is often complicated due to the possibility of multiple parties contributing to the defect. Some lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers, quality control engineers, as well as the design team of a product, making it difficult for someone without legal experience to file a lawsuit accurately. Fortunately, our attorneys are well-versed in product liability law, and we’re uniquely capable of helping you hold a negligent organization responsible for a defective product that’s caused you harm.

While most pressure cooker products are safe to use for their intended purpose, others may contain defects that can cause the device to malfunction and explode during use. These defective devices are seriously dangerous to the user. If the device explodes, it can expel the hot contents in a large area, causing serious injury if the contents are to come in contact with the skin. Additionally, the hot contents that have covered the room become a slippery surface and a hazard for those traversing through the area. In some cases, individuals have slipped after their pressure cooker exploded, which only makes the extent of their injuries even worse. 

Before you purchase any product, you should research extensively to ensure that the device doesn’t contain any known defects or isn’t recalled. This extra step might seem tedious to some, but it can prevent you from sustaining a painful injury from a product you might not know is dangerous. 

Instant pots are usually safer than pressure cookers due to their included safety features, but that doesn’t mean they’re all perfectly safe. Much like any other product, negligence or a mistake during the manufacturing process can cause the product to arrive in the hands of consumers as defective or dangerous. In 2018, over 100,000 Instant Pot products were recalled after numerous users reported that their device would overheat, with five cases resulting in property damage. Once the device overheated, the underside of the unit would melt and cause the contents to spill out onto the surface on which the unit was placed. The five cases that dealt with property damage likely experienced a fire from the unit, as any overheating electrical device has the potential to ignite.

Instant Pot marketed their product as having “safety mechanisms” that would prevent the unit from over-pressurizing and prohibit the user from opening the lid during use. While this may have worked in theory, the safety components were defective upon entering the market and resulted in traumatic injuries for unsuspecting consumers. You were told that the product you purchased contained these safety measures, so why should you have to endure the expense of their mistake and shoddy craftsmanship?

By teaming up with an experienced attorney, you can fight for the compensation you need to heal. Our attorneys have years of experience in product liability cases and can ensure your restitution won’t be devalued by a third party.

While these defects are specific to the IP-DUO60 V2 model, anyone who purchased an Instant Pot product in or before October 2017 is at risk for injury. You shouldn’t have to fear your kitchen appliances, and our attorneys are determined to hold the manufacturer accountable for putting you through this traumatic experience. If you’ve been injured by your defective pressure cooker, you can expect to recover:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering damages
• Punitive damages

The true value of your case will depend on the circumstances surrounding your situation, but you can rest assured that our attorneys won’t settle for less than you deserve. Pain and suffering damages are often difficult to prove in liability cases, but our attorneys have proven experience and will fight tirelessly for the full value of your injuries.

In the most difficult moments of your life, Morgan & Morgan is ready to stand up for you. Instant Pot endangered thousands of innocent consumers by offering a false sense of security, and they should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law for their negligence. Our attorneys are ready and eager to enforce the rights that protect you and to fight for the full value of the compensation you deserve.

Complete a free, no-risk case evaluation to get started.