Lawsuit Information Center
Many brands of electric pressure cookers have dangerous design flaws that can cause the device to malfunction and eject boiling liquid, leading to severe burns and disfigurement.
Our national product liability lawyers are actively seeking new cases from individuals who have been seriously burned or injured by a defective pressure cooker. If you have been harmed by an instant pressure cooker, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Contact a pressure cooker lawyer today to determine if you can file a lawsuit for the injuries you have suffered.
Call our pressure cooker injury attorneys at 800-553-8082 or contact us online for a free consultation.
đ Pressure Cooker Lawsuit Claim Table of Contents
- Pressure Cooker Brands Named in Lawsuits
- Pressure Cooker Injury Lawsuits Usually Result in Settlement
- Why They Fail and What That Means for Your Case
- Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit FAQ
- Estimated Settlement Value of Pressure Cooker Lawsuits
- Pressure Cooker Lawsuit 2025 News and Updates
- Contact Us About Pressure Cooker Lawsuits
Design Flaws Make Pressure Cookers Dangerous
Pressure cookers can be potentially dangerous, and for very obvious reasons. These handy little appliances can rapidly heat liquid in their pots to temperatures over 250 degrees. Water at that temperature can cause severe burns. What is even more potentially hazardous is that this scalding hot liquid is pressurized, so any leak or crack will shoot it out.
To accomplish this primary goal, pressure cookers are equipped with multiple safety components and design features. Of these design features are intended to prevent the ultra-hot pressurize liquid in the pot from shooting out and burning anyone in its path. That is there 1 and only objective.
To accomplish this goal, most safety features are aimed at preventing the lid from opening while the pot is pressurized. However, defects in these features can lead to severe consequences. Faulty designs related to these safety mechanisms have caused many pressure cooker lids to malfunction, ejecting their boiling contents and severely burning anyone nearby.
Design flaws in pressure cooker safety features tend to fall into one of three categories:
- Faulty Pressure Check Valves: the pressure valve is very important because it is the party of the device that enables pressure to be released and the pot to depressurize slowly, without a dangerous blowout. The problem is that one small flaw in the design or manufacturing process with this critical part can lead to disaster.
- Poorly Designed Safety Locks: Pretty much every brand and model of pressure cooker has some type of safety lock feature. Their function is to prevent the lid from simply popping off if the device is moved, or jolted, or someone attempts to open the lid with the contents are under pressure. Flawed safety lock design are a major cause of pressure cooker injuries.
- Bad Gaskets: The gasket is a circular rubber ring that enables the pressure cooker to create an airtight seal. If the gasket is defective or poorly designed, it can cause a blowout and injuries.
Pressure Cookers Can Cause Very Serious Injuries
When pressure cookers malfunction due to defective safety features, they can cause devastating physical injuries with lifelong consequences. These appliances heat their liquid contents well above boiling temperatures. When safety features fail, the pressurized boiling liquids can be ejected at high velocity, affecting anyone and anything within a 5-10 foot radius.
The most common injury resulting from defective pressure cookers is burns. The high-temperature liquids can cause second and third-degree burns when they come into contact with skin. Severe burns, especially those on the face, are frequently cited in product liability lawsuits involving defective pressure cookers and often lead to permanent disfigurement. Consequently, the average compensation for burn injuries in personal injury settlements is typically very high, with facial burns and disfigurement increasing the potential value of the claim.
Additionally, boiling liquids ejected from a defective pressure cooker can cause severe burns and damage to the eyes, potentially leading to permanent vision loss or blindness.
Pressure Cooker Product Liability Lawsuits
Pressure cooker manufacturers have a legal duty to ensure their products meet minimum safety standards. This includes ensuring that their pressure cookers do not explode and cause severe burns to users. Manufacturers who fail to meet this obligation by selling pressure cookers with dangerous design flaws can be held liable for injuries caused by their products.
If you have suffered serious injuries due to a malfunctioning pressure cooker, contact a pressure cooker lawyer to determine if you can file a product liability lawsuit and seek significant financial compensation.
Pressure Cooker Brands Named in Lawsuits
These are the most common pressure cooker explosion lawsuit defendants:
| Instant Brands | NuWave LLC | Sunbeam Products (Crock Pot) |
| Costway | Maxi-Matic U.S.A., Inc. | Midea America Corp. |
| Amazon | Best Buy | Tristar Products |
| Pick Five Imports, Inc. | Wolfgang Puck | Cuisinart |
| Presto | Ninja | Instant Pot |
What Are the Ingredients of a Strong Pressure Cooker Lawsuit?
Not every pressure cooker injury is a viable lawsuit. Strong claims typically share the following elements:
- Documented Serious Injury: Medical records showing severe burns, disfigurement, or related injuries caused by the pressure cooker malfunction. Lawyers are not filing these lawsuits for minor injuries.
- Defective Product: Evidence that the pressure cooker had a design or manufacturing flaw, such as faulty safety locks, pressure valves, or gaskets.
- Manufacturerâs Negligence: Proof that the manufacturer was aware of the productâs defect but failed to warn consumers or issue a timely recall.
- Compliance with Instructions: Confirmation that the device was used correctly according to its manual.
Pressure Cooker Injury Lawsuits Usually Result in Settlement
Hundreds of pressure cooker product liability injury lawsuits have been filed across the country over the last few years. These lawsuits have been filed against over a dozen different brands and manufacturers, although they all allege similar product defects and injuries.
The overwhelming majority of these pressure cooker injury lawsuits have been resolved by out of court settlements. In fact, as far as we are aware no pressure cooker product liability case has ever gone to trial. Why? The reason the manufacturers prefer to settle these cases quickly and quietly is because they donât want their products to be viewed as potentially dangerous, which would deter consumers from buying them.
Unfortunately, we donât know what pressure cooker injury lawsuits are settling for. The amount of the pressure cooker injury settlements are strictly confidential and the plaintiffs who accept settlements are required to sign confidentiality agreements. We can say, however, that the settlement payouts are pretty high, otherwise you wouldnât see such a high rate of the cases settling.
Pressure Cooker Safety Features: Why They Fail and What That Means for Your Case
Electric pressure cookers are supposed to be safer than their stovetop predecessors. Brands like Ninja, Instant Pot, and NuWave advertise complex safety systems in models like the Instant Pot Duo, Instant Pot Duo Crisp, and Insta Pot Duo Plus, promising consumers peace of mind through advanced technology. But in case after case, those same features are failing, and people are getting seriously hurt.
Our pressure cooker attorneys have seen the same story unfold across hundreds of pressure cooker lawsuits. The design is marketed as âfail-safe,â but the devices can still explode. Whether it is a Ninja Foodi, Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus, or another model, these units share the same critical failure points. That failure is what turns an ordinary cooking session into a medical emergency.
Here is what our team looks for when building a strong pressure cooker lawsuit:
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Lid Lock Failures: These devices often rely on sensors and mechanical locks to prevent opening while still under pressure. But in many casesâlike those involving the Instant Pot Duo Crisp or Instant Pot 7-in-1 Pressure Cookerâthose locks disengage too early. This makes it possible to twist the lid off while the contents are still superheated and pressurized.
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Pressure Indicator Malfunctions: Many models feature visual or electronic indicators that are supposed to signal when it is safe to open the lid. We have found that some units, including those in the Instant Pot Duo Plus line, give a false sense of safety, showing the pot is depressurized when it is not. These failures are a recurring issue in instant pot explosion injury claims.
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Gasket and Seal Issues: A key part of the safety system is the silicone or rubber gasket that seals the pot. When this failsâas has happened in both Instant Pot and Ninja Foodi modelsâscalding food and steam can violently eject.
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False Marketing Claims: Some product manuals and advertising materials for pressure cookers like the Duo Plus Instant Pot or Instant Pot Duo Nova include blanket statements such as âpressure will not build unless the lid is safely sealed.â That is pretty strong, and it is just plain wrong. Our lawyers have seen multiple cases where that turned out to be false. These types of misstatements are often cited in product liability lawsuits.
So why does all this matter in court? Because when a manufacturer advertises a product like the Instant Pot Duo 3 Qt or Insta Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid as safe and easy to use, but then allows it to ship with critical safety flaws, that can be the foundation of a very strong legal claim. We show how these failures connect to the injuries our clients suffered. And when patterns emerge across modelsâwhen we see the same safety flaw in case after caseâit becomes very difficult for the manufacturer to deny responsibility.
Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit FAQ
Can I file a lawsuit for a pressure cooker explosion injury?
What is the average pressure cooker lawsuit settlement amount?
What should I do if I was injured by an Instant Pot pressure cooker?
Do I need a pressure cooker lawyer to file a claim?
Is there a class action for pressure cooker explosions?
Estimated Settlement Value of Pressure Cooker Lawsuits
If you were burned by a defective pressure cooker, one of the first questions you are probably asking is this: How much is my pressure cooker injury case worth? It is the right question. Civil lawsuits are about money.
The truth is, there is no single answer. Pressure cooker lawsuit settlement amounts can vary widely depending on the severity of the injuries and their impact on your life. But there are patterns, and our attorneys have seen enough of these cases to provide realistic estimates based on past results and current trends.
What Determines the Value of a Pressure Cooker Injury Lawsuit?
In almost all pressure cooker product liability lawsuits, the core allegation is the same. The device exploded or released scalding hot contents because of a design defect or safety failure, often while being used exactly as intended. Most plaintiffs suffered thermal burns caused by steam or boiling liquid shooting out of the cooker.
Several key factors will influence your potential compensation:
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Severity of burns: Third-degree burns that destroy multiple layers of skin and tissue are far more serious than first-degree burns. The deeper the injury, the higher the settlement compensation payout.
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Area of the body burned: Burns to the face, chest, hands, or other visible areas often result in higher payouts due to disfigurement, emotional trauma, and the need for future cosmetic procedures.
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Extent of the burn: A small, localized injury is valued differently than burns covering 20 percent or more of the body.
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Impact on daily life: Some victims require skin grafts, hospital stays, and weeks or months of recovery. Others suffer permanent damage, disability, or psychological harm that never fully goes away.
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Age and long-term consequences: Injuries to young children or teens can result in higher compensation, especially if there is scarring or trauma that will affect them for life.
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Medical treatment and future care needs: The cost of treatment, therapy, surgery, and future care is a major factor in determining your case value.
Estimated Pressure Cooker Injury Settlement Ranges
Based on our legal experience and comparisons to similar product liability claims, here is what plaintiffs may expect depending on injury severity:
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Severe injury cases
Victims who suffer third-degree burns, permanent disfigurement, or facial injuries, especially children, could see settlements between $450,000 and $1,000,000 or more. A few cases may exceed this if the damage is particularly extreme. -
Moderate injury cases
Second-degree burns, partial scarring, and significant time missed from work may fall into a range of $75,000 to $350,000, depending on medical costs and overall impact. -
Minor injury cases
First-degree burns that heal without surgery or scarring may result in settlements of $50,000 or less. These are still real cases with real harm, but the damages are more limited.
But the cliche is true here: no two injuries are exactly alike. That is why we want to avoid combining pressure cooker injury claims with a class action lawsuit or pooled litigation. Every client we represent has a separate, individual case. We look at your specific injuries, your recovery process, and your personal losses to make sure you receive the compensation you truly deserve.
Pressure Cooker Lawsuit News and Updates
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker Recall Announced
May 2025: Federal safety regulators have announced a SharkNinja’s Ninja Foodi pressure cookers recall, following more than 100 reports of burn injuries caused by a dangerous defect that allows the lid to open while the contents are still under pressure.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the recall on Thursday, citing 106 injury reports, including at least 50 cases involving second- and third-degree burns. The defect can result in the sudden ejection of scalding hot food, posing a serious risk to consumers and has already led to dozens of pressure cooker lawsuits.
The recall affects approximately 1.85 million units in the U.S. and an additional 184,000 in Canada. Impacted models include all Ninja Foodi OP300 Series Multi-Function 6.5-quart pressure cookers, which feature both pressure cooking and air frying capabilities. The recall also covers any replacement lids sold for these models.
Affected model numbers include: OP300, OP301, OP301A, OP302, OP302BRN, OP302HCN, OP302HAQ, OP302HW, OP302HB, OP305, OP305CO, and OP350CO.
Units with additional digits (e.g., “OP301 107”) are still covered under the recall.
These products were sold from January 2019 through March 2025 through major retailers including Costco, Walmart, Amazon, Sam’s Club**,** and Target, as well as online direct from Ninja.
New Best Buy Lawsuit
April 2025: In a new lawsuit, a Baltimore, Maryland resident has brought a products liability action against Best Buy in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. The plaintiff alleges that she sustained serious burn injuries when the lid of an Insignia 6 Qt Multi-Function Pressure Cooker, model number NS-MC60SS9, unexpectedly opened while still under pressure during normal use.
The complaint contends that the pressure cooker, designed and sold by Best Buy, was defectively manufactured and dangerously designed, allowing users to remove the lid while the contents remained pressurizedâcontrary to the productâs marketed safety features. According to the plaintiff, the cookerâs lid could be rotated and opened despite appearances that all pressure had been released, causing scalding contents to eject and inflict substantial bodily harm.
The plaintiff’s claims center on strict liability for defective design, manufacturing defect, and failure to warn, as well as negligence in the design, testing, and marketing of the product. She asserts that safer, economically viable alternative designs were available and that Best Buy failed to adopt or implement them.
Supporting her claims, the complaint references an October 2023 recall by the Consumer Product Safety Commission involving over 900,000 units of the same model pressure cookers after reports of similar incidents, including several resulting in second-degree and severe burns.
The plaintiff seeks compensatory and punitive damages for her injuries, including medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Expanded Insignia Pressure Cooker Recall
March 2025: The CPSC expanded its October 2023 recall of Best Buy’s Insignia pressure cookers in March 2025 to include an additional 250,000 units. This action followed 23 new reports of severe burn injuries related to the product’s defective safety mechanisms.
$55 Million Pressure Cooker Verdict
December 2024: Two pieces of news this month. This litigation has really found new energy in recent months.
$55 Million Verdict
A Colorado federal jury has awarded $55.5 million in damages to a Denver woman who suffered severe burns when her Sunbeam pressure cooker exploded, though the jury determined she was 10% responsible for the incident.
After a weeklong trial, the jury found Sunbeam Products Inc., doing business as Jarden Solutions, and its parent company, Newell Brands Inc., liable for the injuries sustained by the plaintiff. The incident occurred on June 3, 2019, when food burst from the plaintiff’s Express Crock Multi-Cooker, leaving her with second- and third-degree burns on 13% of her body. She required extensive skin grafts and continues to face difficulties regulating her body temperature due to damaged sweat glands.
The jury awarded the plaintiff $3.5 million for noneconomic damages and $2 million for physical impairment. It also sent a loud message of anger at how this pressure cooker was made and marketedâ$50 million in punitive damagesâ$15 million against Sunbeam and $35 million against Newell. It assigned responsibility as follows: 63% to Newell, 27% to Sunbeam, and 10% to the plaintiff.
The case highlighted safety concerns surrounding the product. Nearly one million units of the SCCPPC600V1 model were recalled in November 2020 after reports of lid detachment and burns. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission documented 99 burn injuries from 119 incidents involving the cooker. Plaintiffs’ pressure cooker attorneys argued the manual misrepresented the product’s safety features, including claims that pressure would not build if the lid were improperly sealed.
New Lawsuit
This week, a new pressure cooker injury lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The lawsuit alleges that the plaintiff was seriously injured when the lid of her Crock-Pot Express Crock Multicooker malfunctioned, causing scalding hot liquid to spray out of the device. The Crock-Pot Express Crock Multicooker was actually recalled by the CPSC back in November 2020 after over 100 reported incidents of lid malfunction.
Elite Platinum Pressure Cooker Lawsuit
November 2024: In a new lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of Michigan, an Ohio woman alleges significant injuries caused by an Elite Platinum 8-Quart Digital Electric Pressure Cooker, manufactured and marketed by Pick Five Imports, Inc., doing business as Maxi-Matic U.S.A., Inc., and unnamed defendants. The suit claims the pressure cooker was defectively designed, allowing its lid to detach under pressure, resulting in the release of scalding contents.
The incident occurred in Dearborn, Michigan, where Allen was using the device to prepare a meal when the lid allegedly exploded off the cooker, ejecting hot liquid and food onto her. She sustained second- and third-degree burns across her face, neck, arms, torso, and foot. These were awful burns. Emergency care and subsequent treatment at a Detroit area burn center were required, followed by further medical care when she went back to Ohio. Of course, the injuries of this magnitude caused permanent physical and emotional damage.
Her pressure cooker burn lawsuit contends the product’s safety features were misrepresented as preventing lid detachment under pressure. The complaint asserts multiple causes of action, including negligence, failure to warn, design defects, and breaches of warranty. The lawsuit also alleges the company prioritized profits over consumer safety by continuing to market and sell the pressure cooker despite its known risks. She seeks compensatory and exemplary damages exceeding $75,000 for her injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and diminished quality of life.
NuWave Pressure Cooker Lawsuit
October 2024: A new pressure cooker lawsuit has been filed shortly before the statute** of limitation expired in Illinois federal court on behalf of a plaintiff who alleges she was seriously injured in 2022 when the lid of a NuWave 6Q Nutri-Pot Digital Pressure Cooker malfunctioned.
According to the complaint, the lid failed to function properly, allowing it to be rotated and opened while the device was still under pressure. This failure allegedly caused the cooker’s scalding contents to eject, resulting in severe injuries to the plaintiff.
NuWave has marketed its Nutri-Pot as “one of the best and safest on the market,” emphasizing its proprietary Sure-Lock System. The company claims that the system prevents the lid from opening until all pressure is released, boasting that if “all the steam’s not out, you’re not opening this unit.” NuWave also highlights additional safety features, presenting the product as engineered to ensure user safety.
The allegations in this case challenge those claims, suggesting a fundamental failure of the device’s much-touted safety features. The plaintiff specifically alleges that the Sure-Lock System did not perform as promised, allowing a dangerous release of pressure and superheated contents.
Pressure Cooker MDL Discussions
September 2024: With increasing filings across multiple states, discussions about the potential for consolidated litigation or MDL proceedings have surfaced. Some plaintiffs’ attorneys are advocating for centralization to streamline discovery and coordinate claims about similar defects across various manufacturers. This approach could allow for faster resolutions and more consistent outcomes for victims. The downside? There are a lot of manufacturers and the processes are all very different.
Instant Pot Lawsuit Against Amazon
August 2024: A San Antonio, Texas, woman filed a lawsuit against Amazon and Midea America Corp. The plaintiff alleges that an “Instant Pot Duo” pressure cooker, purportedly designed and manufactured by the defendants, was defectively constructed, leading to injuries. Instant Brands, the manufacturer of the Instant Pot, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June 2023. So that leaves Amazon and Midea as the deep pockets that could pay a settlement or verdict.
Court Rejects Pressure Cooker Arbitration Clause
June 2024: Tristar Products, which is a major manufacturer of pressure cookers, recently tried to get a pressure cooker product liability lawsuit against it dismissed on the grounds that the dispute was subject to arbitration. Tristar argued that all of its pressure cooker devices contain an “arbitration agreement” inside the box along with the product manual. Amazingly, lawyers for Tristar claimed that including** this unilateral agreement in the product box meant that purchasers agreed to waive their right to a jury trial in favor of arbitration. Not surprisingly, a federal judge flatly rejected that argument, explaining that customers did not actually assent to the arbitration agreement.
NuWave Nutri-Pot Safety System Lawsuit
March 2024: A new pressure cooker injury lawsuit was filed in federal court** against NuWave LLC alleging that the company’s NuWave Nutri-Pot 6Q Digital Pressure Cooker was defective. Specifically, the lawsuit claimed that the device’s “Sure-Lock Safety System” was defectively designed and that defect caused the lid to blow off resulting in serious injuries to a Maryland woman.
Insignia Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit
January 2024: Best Buy and Midea America Corp. were named as defendants in a recently filed pressure cooker injury lawsuit involving an Insignia brand electric pressure cooker. The specific model named in the complaint was the Insignia 8 Qt Multi-Function Pressure Cooker. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Minnesota, claimed that defects in the device design caused it to explode, resulting in major facial burns.
California Pressure Cooker Consumer Fraud Case
December 2023: A new pressure cooker consumer fraud lawsuit was filed in California. The lawsuit alleges that Maxi-Matic USA, Inc. violated California consumer protection laws by making various misrepresentations about the safety of its Elite Bistro brand electric pressure cookers. The lawsuit was filed as a state class action and seeks economic damages on behalf of all consumers** in California that purchased the devices.
Instant Pot Class Action Lawsuit
August 2023: The maker of the popular Instant Pot Duo and other electric pressure cookers, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This means the company is seeking to reorganize its debts and continue operations under court supervision. While the Instant Pot remains one of the most recognizable names in the market, the bankruptcy filing complicates Instant Pot lawsuits for consumers who were injured by these devices.
Filing a pressure cooker lawsuit against a bankrupt manufacturer is possible. But it comes with major challenges. When a company enters bankruptcy, any lawsuits against it are paused, and future claims must typically be handled through the bankruptcy court process. That often means injured consumers may need to file a claim with the bankruptcy trust rather than pursue a traditional lawsuit in civil court. These types of claims are usually resolved for far less than what a jury might award in a personal injury trial.
If you were harmed by an Instant Pot pressure cooker, including models like the Duo, Duo Crisp, or Duo Plus, it is important to understand the bankruptcy’s impact on your case. While other brands remain viable targets for traditional litigation, claims against Instant Brands may follow a very different path. Knowing how the bankruptcy process affects pressure cooker settlement amounts will help set realistic expectations as to what the process will look like, and if you have lawyers, you should be talking to them about the path ahead now.
Contact Us About Pressure Cooker Lawsuits
Contact our national pressure cooker injury lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.