Pressure Cooker

A growing number of lawsuits have been filed across the country by people who were severely burned when their defective pressure cookers exploded.

Our law firm is currently filing cases Nationwide and would like to help you and your family if you have been the victim of an pressure cooker explosion.

Schmidt & Clark, LLP logo

Do I have a Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit? If you or a loved one was injured or burned by a pressure cooker that exploded — even if the pressure cooker has not been recalled yet — you should contact our law firm immediately for a free case consultation. If you file a lawsuit, you could receive compensation for your injury, medical expenses, and more

Pressure Cookers Linked to Injuries

Some of the most common pressure cookers linked to injuries include:

UPDATE: Georgia Woman Files Power Pressure Cooker XL Lawsuit

A woman who was severely burned by an explosion of hot food from her Power Pressure Cooker XL has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer, Tristar Products, the “As Seen on TV” company. Click here to read more.

Instant Pot Lawsuit Filed in California

In March 2020, a woman from Louisiana who suffered 2nd-degree burns from an exploding Instant Pot pressure cooker filed a lawsuit (PDF) against the Canadian manufacturer, Instant Brands Inc. The woman says she was severely burned when her Instant Pot exploded as soon as she opened the lid. Click here to read more.

$27 Million Settlement Awarded to Toddler Severely Burned by Pressure Cooker Explosion

December 2018 — Lawyers for a 2-year-old girl who was severely burned by an exploding pressure cooker have achieved a $27 million settlement on her behalf.

Links to Pressure Cooker Recalls

In recent years, recalls have been issued for the following pressure cookers:

What is a Pressure Cooker?

Pressure cookers are useful kitchen appliances that use steam to cook food faster and more efficiently. Pressure cookers can be electric or stove-top, but both types work by trapping hot steam inside a pot with a locked-on lid.

As the heat causes liquids to boil, steam accumulates inside the pot and the pressure increases. This increases the temperature inside the pot to at least 250ºF, which is about 40º hotter than the boiling-point of water (212ºF).

Popular Brands of Pressure Cookers

  • ALDI Chef’s Collection Pressure Cooker
  • Bella Cucina “Zip Cooker”
  • Breville Fast Slow Cooker
  • Cook’s Essentials
  • Crock Pot Express
  • Crofton
  • Cuisinart
  • Elite Bistro 8-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker
  • Fagor America
  • Instant Pot (also called the “Insta Pot”)
  • Maxi-Matic Pressure Cooker
  • Manttra Pressure Cooker
  • Nattork Pressure Cooker
  • NuWave Nutri-Pot
  • Power Pressure Cooker XL
  • Prestige
  • QVC Electric Pressure Cooker
  • Sunbeam Products
  • Tabletops Unlimited (Philippe Richard)
  • Tristar Products
  • Ultrex
  • Vasconia
  • Wolfgang Puck Pressure Cooker
  • And more

Dangers of Pressure Cookers

You may be surprised to learn that the pressure inside a pressure cooker is not generally any higher than a can of soda — but just like shaking up a can of soda and popping the top, you will get a big mess if the liquids explode out of the container before the pressure is at a safe level. The difference is that pressure cooker explosions are far more dangerous because they involve boiling-hot liquids, sticky foods, and steam.

Why Do Pressure Cookers Explode?

There are generally two reasons why pressure cookers explode:

  • Vent is clogged and the pressure forces the lid to open too soon, or it fails to release enough pressure at the end of cooking
  • Lid opens before the pressure is reduced because the lock was defective, or a person unlocked it too soon

What Happens When a Pressure Cooker Explodes?

Here is a picture of what can happen when a pressure cooker explodes. You can see the metal lid embedded in the ceiling and hot food splattered all over the kitchen. The force of the explosion shattered the cooktop and caused the pressure cooker to fall into the stove.

Steam Explosion & Scald Burns

Pressure cooker explosions are actually “steam explosions,” in which boiling-hot steam under pressure is suddenly released. This creates a rapidly-expanding cloud of steam that can cause extensive scalding burn injuries to anyone nearby. Scalds are not very deep burns, but they are extremely painful and can cover large areas of skin.

Boiling Hot Food – Major Burn Hazard

The force of the exploding pressure cooker will also eject burning-hot food that sticks to a person’s skin and clothing, often resulting in severe 2nd- or 3rd-degree burns that cause scarring or require skin graft surgery. Pieces of metal shrapnel flying through the air can also cause severe cuts, bleeding, or even blindness if they hit a person’s eyes.

Pressure Cooker Injuries & Accidents

  • Burns
  • Skin graft surgery
  • Steam burns
  • Scalds
  • Permanent scarring
  • Bleeding
  • Eye injuries or blindness
  • Traumatic brain injuries (concussion)
  • Infection
  • Amputation
  • Disfigurement
  • Hospitalization
  • Property damage
  • Death

Elite Bistro Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit

Elite Bistro Pressure Cooker ExplosionIn September 2015, a lawsuit was filed by Gene and Bridget Iovino of Canyon Country, California.

On March 6, Bridget was severely burned when her Maxi-Matic Elite Bistro 8-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker exploded while she was cooking chicken stock.

According to the lawsuit:

“[Bridget] Iovino walked two steps away from the pressure cooker before it exploded, covering (her) with hot water and steam and leaving her with second- and third-degree burns.”

The lawsuit was filed in the California Superior Court of Los Angeles — In RE: Bridget Iovino et al. v. Kohl’s Department Stores Inc. et al. — Case No. BC596416.

Toddler’s Leg Amputated After Burned by Pressure Cooker

A 2 year-old girl from Florida had to have her left leg amputated after suffering severe burns over 60% of her body when a pressure cooker exploded and overflowed at her grandmother’s house.

The girl, Samantha Gonzalez, was hospitalized at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami for the treatment of 2nd- and 3rd-degree burns. Her grandmother was bathing the child in the sink on September 14, 2015 when the pressure cooker exploded steam and boiling-hot liquid.

Despite the doctors’ best efforts, she may need additional surgeries, including having some of her fingers or arms amputated. The family also said her kidneys and liver are failing as a result of her injuries.

Source: Toddler’s left leg amputated after burned by pressure cooker

Power Pressure Cooker XL Lawsuits

Tristar Products Inc., the “As Seen on TV” product company, is facing several lawsuits from people who were injured when their Power Pressure Cooker XL exploded after it was unplugged. One lawsuit (PDF) was filed in June 2015 by a woman from Florida who was burned when her pressure cooker exploded — Case No. 1:15-cv-22364.

Another lawsuit (PDF) was filed in June 2015 by a woman from Texas who bought the Tristar Power Pressure Cooker XL after seeing a commercial on TV. The first time she used it, approximately 2 hours after unplugging the cooker, the lid blew off and hot pinto beans exploded out of the pot and landed on her body. She was hospitalized for 20 days and continues to suffer pain and permanent scarring — Case No. 1:15-cv-00108.

Wolfgang Puck Pressure Cooker Class Action

A class action lawsuit was filed by a woman in Texas who was severely burned by a Wolfgang Puck Pressure Cooker. The lawsuit was filed in August 2017 by Tabitha M., a woman who suffered 2nd- and 3rd-degree burns when her “Automatic Rapid Pressure Cooker” exploded boiling-hot gumbo all over her body at the end of its cooking cycle.

Pressure Cooker Explosion Burns Man’s Face

Clark Bailey, 28, suffered 3rd-degree burns when he opened a pressure cooker too soon and it exploded hot foot into his face. When he forced open the lid, it hit him in the forehead. He was severely burned by boiling-hot water that landed on his face, arms and hands.

Bailey told The Daily Mail he was lucky his injuries were not permanent “Luckily I had my glasses on – otherwise I could have lost my sight. … It was my own silly fault. But it could have been a lot worse.”
Pressure Cooker Steam Explosion

Breville Pressure Cooker Explosion in Australia

On September 8, 2016, a mother suffered 2nd-degree burns over 10% of her body when her Breville pressure cooker exploded at her home in Australia.

Pressure Cooker Burn Injury - Carizza

The woman, Carizza Borderos, was cooking beef in her Breville Fast Slow Cooker (Model No. BPR200) when it suddenly exploded boiling-hot water, beef, and fat onto her arm and neck.

She drove herself to the emergency department and was hospitalized for 5 nights at Cairns Base Hospital. Her doctors were worried that her blisters and burned skin would become infected.

She required pain medication for 5 weeks and described the pain as “unbearable” when she had to change the dressings and remove dead skin underneath.

Afterward, Mrs. Borderos learned that her Breville Fast Slow Cooker had been recalled in 2015 due to the risk of an explosion. She says she never received a recall notice, despite registering her address when she bought it in 2013 — Mum left with second degree burns after pressure cooker explosion.

Pressure Cooker Nearly Blinds Woman

A woman from Ireland was nearly blinded when a pressure cooker exploded the first time she used it to make soup.

The woman, 25 year-old Rumer Priestly of Greyabbey, said she used a wooden spoon to slide open the vent to release some of the pressure so she could add more ingredients. Instead, the lid blew off the top and exploded boiling-hot soup and steam all over her face and chest.

“It felt like someone had thrown acid in my face. I had no idea how dangerous they can be. If you have never used one before then don’t do so without first learning how they work. I have been lucky, but it was a narrow escape.”

She believes she would have been permanently blinded if she had not been wearing her glasses, and her choice of T-shirt likely saved her from being severely scarred on her chest. Her mother, Pamela, was in the other room when she heard a “big bang” and came rushing in to see what had happened. Pamela saw boiling liquid everywhere. She rushed her daughter to the emergency room at a hospital in Belfast.

— Exploding pressure cooker almost blinds Northern Ireland woman

Pressure Cooker Explosion Cuts Off Woman’s Leg

Other victims of pressure cooker explosions were not so lucky. In 2011, a 79 year-old woman in Miami, Florida almost bled to death when her pressure cooker blew up and cut off her leg.

The woman was cooking when the pressure cooker exploded and, sending boiling-hot food and metal shrapnel flying through the air. One piece of the cooker hit her in the leg above her ankle and caused a deep laceration that bled profusely.

She would have almost certainly bled to death were it not for a quick-thinking family member who tied a tourniquet above her wound. The tourniquet likely saved her life, but may have decreased circulation to the leg and caused tissue death that required amputation.

According to Lieutenant Ignatius Carroll, of Miami Fire Rescue, “Right now, we don’t know exactly what happened, but from what we are told, she was cooking, and for some unknown reason, the pressure cooker fell.”

Cafeteria Worker Airlifted to Hospital After Pressure Cooker Explodes

In August 2016, a 48 year-old cafeteria employee was severely burned by an exploding pressure cooker and airlifted to St. Barnabas Burn Center in Livingston, New Jersey. The woman was burned on her hand and arm when the pressure cooker’s lid dislodged and spewed hot rice throughout the cafeteria at Sri Venkateswara Temple in Bridgewater, New Jersey — Exploding pressure cooker burns cafeteria worker at Bridgewater temple.

Exploding Pressure Cooker Causes Death of Pregnant Woman in Spain

An exploding pressure cooker caused the death of a 36 year-old woman in Spain who was 5 months pregnant. The woman, Begoña Muñiz García, was preparing food for her husband and mother-in-law.

Medical officials said Mrs. García died almost immediately as a result of major head injuries. The force of the explosion also destroyed part of the building and shattered the windows. The broken kitchen windows fell from the 4th floor of their apartment to the street below.

The tragedy occurred on Severo Ochoa St. in the Pumarín neighborhood of the city of Gijón, Spain, where she was a teacher — A pregnant 5-month-old teacher dies when a pressure cooker explodes

Industrial Pressure Cooker Deaths

One of the most horrific deaths occurred in 2012, when a 62 year-old factory worker at Bumble Bee Foods named Jose Medina was trapped inside an industrial-sized pressure cooker with 12,000 pounds of tuna as he was cleaning it. Mr. Medina’s coworkers did not notice he was missing until 2 hours later. By the time his body was recovered, the 35 foot-long pressure cooker had reached temperatures of 270ºF. Bumble Bee Foods and 2 managers were charged in his death.

Do I have a Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit?

The Product Liability Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new cases in all 50 states.

Free Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit Evaluation: Again, if you or a loved one was injured or burned by any pressure cooker that exploded — even if that pressure cooker has not been recalled yet — you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit, and our lawyers can help.