Bodum French Press Lawsuit Alleges Shattering Glass Carafe Caused Severe Burns

Lawsuit follows a recall last month that was prompted by reports of dozens of burn injuries from Bodum coffee presses breaking.

A Missouri woman has filed a product liability lawsuit alleging she suffered second- and third-degree burns to her leg when a Bodum French press coffee maker malfunctioned while she was preparing coffee.

The Bodum French press lawsuit (PDF) was brought by Anna Luckey in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri on November 3, naming Bodum USA Inc. as the sole defendant.

Luckey alleges the coffee maker contained a defective plunger assembly that allowed the end of a steel coil to unwind and strike the glass carafe, causing it to shatter and exposing consumers to serious burn injuries and lacerations from hot coffee and broken glass.

Bodum French Press Recall

Bodum French press coffee makers use a glass carafe and a metal plunger fitted with a mesh filter to separate coffee grounds from freshly brewed coffee after they have steeped in hot water.

On October 29, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall of approximately 5.9 million Bodum French press coffee makers, warning that the glass carafes could unexpectedly break during use.

The recall affected eight Bodum French press models sold in 8-cup and 12-cup sizes, amid concerns that the glass containers could shatter and expose consumers to scalding coffee, potentially causing severe burns and other injuries.

According to federal regulators, Bodum received 70 reports of French press coffee makers breaking, including 48 reports of consumers suffering burn injuries.

Consumers are being urged to immediately stop using metal spoons or utensils to stir coffee in the glass carafes and contact Bodum for a free plastic stirring spoon and warning label. The label cautions against using cracked or damaged carafes and warns that metal utensils can damage the glass, increasing the risk of breakage during use.

The coffee makers were sold at Target, Walmart and coffee and home goods stores nationwide, as well as online through Bodum.com, Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com and other retailers from 1974 through October 2026, for between $15 and $65.

Bodum French Press Burn Allegations

According to the lawsuit, Luckey was preparing coffee with a Bodum Brazil French Press Coffeemaker on December 3, 2021, when the glass carafe shattered as she depressed the plunger, sending scalding hot water onto her right leg.

As a result, Luckey suffered second- and third-degree burns to her right leg and required skin grafts. She indicates that she was using the coffee maker as intended and had not misused or altered the device in any way that could have contributed to the incident.

The complaint maintains that Bodum failed to adequately secure the steel coil in the plunger assembly, despite the availability of safer, economically feasible alternative designs that could have prevented the glass carafe from breaking during use.

Luckey alleges other consumers have suffered severe injuries involving Bodum French presses, and that the alleged defects are not limited to the model involved in her incident.

Citing the October 2026 recall, the lawsuit argues that Bodum knew or should have known about the defects but continued selling the coffee presses without adequately warning consumers of the risks, placing profits ahead of safety.

“The aforementioned coffee press was defectively and negligently designed by Bodum in that it failed to properly function and was capable of shattering and breaking during the ordinary, foreseeable and proper use of the product; placing the Plaintiff, her family, and similar consumers in danger while using the coffee presses.”

— Anna Luckey v. Bodum USA Inc.

The complaint raises allegations of strict products liability, negligence, negligent manufacturing defect, negligent design defect and breach of implied warranty of merchantability. It seeks compensation for permanent bodily injuries, past and future medical expenses, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, lost wages, diminished enjoyment of life and other damages.

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