Crock-Pot Burn Injury Lawsuit Claims Product Defects Resulted in Pressure Cooker Explosion

Lawsuit cites prior Crock Pot recall involving more than 900,000 pressure cookers, with reports of potential lid failures and burn injuries.

A Kentucky couple has filed a lawsuit claiming they suffered serious burn injuries when a Crock-Pot Express pressure cooker unexpectedly released scalding contents during use.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Ariel Tinsley and James McFarland in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on December 12, naming Sunbeam Products Inc. and Newell Brands Inc. as defendants.

The Crock-Pot Express is a popular brand of pressure cookers, which are appliances that trap steam to cook food quickly. Like many modern pressure cookers sold in recent years, the Crock Pots were marketed as featuring a number of safety features and locking mechanisms, which are supposed to prevent the lid from opening while the unit is pressurized.

However, a growing number of pressure cooker lawsuits have alleged in recent years that these built-in safety mechanisms do not always operate as intended, allowing lids to be removed while the appliance remains pressurized. Plaintiffs say there are often no clear warning signs before hot food and liquid are suddenly released, resulting in severe burn injuries.

According to the lawsuit, Tinsley and McFarland were injured in January 2025 while operating a Crock Pot Express Crock Multicooker, model SCCPPC600 V2, during normal and foreseeable use. The complaint alleges that the device’s lid could be removed while pressure, heat and steam remained inside the unit, causing scalding contents to be violently expelled.

Tinsley and McFarland claim the pressure cooker was defectively designed and unreasonably dangerous. The filing further alleges that safer, economically feasible alternative designs existed that could have prevented the lid from being opened while the unit remained pressurized.

The lawsuit points to a prior Crock-Pot recall issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in November 2020, which involved more than 900,000 Crock-Pot Express pressure cookers. According to the recall notice, the CPSC received at least 119 reports of lid detachment, resulting in 99 burn injuries ranging from first- to third-degree burns.

Despite that recall and knowledge of similar incidents, the complaint alleges the defendants continued to market and sell pressure cookers without adequately warning consumers of the risks, or correcting the underlying defect. The plaintiffs contend the companies placed profits over consumer safety by failing to redesign the product or remove it from the market in a timely manner.

“At the time of Plaintiffs’ injuries, Defendants’ pressure cookers were defective and unreasonably dangerous for use by foreseeable consumers, including Plaintiffs.”

 — Ariel Tinsley and James McFarland v. Sunbeam Products Inc. et al

The lawsuit brings claims of strict product liability, negligence, breach of implied warranty of merchantability and punitive damages, alleging the pressure cooker was not fit for its ordinary and intended use. 

Tinsley and McFarland are seeking compensatory and punitive damages for medical expenses, physical pain, mental anguish and other losses tied to the incident.

Pressure Cooker Recalls

In addition to the recall Tinsley and McFarland reference, which affected only Sunbeam Crock-Pot pressure cookers, the CPSC has overseen multiple other large-scale pressure cooker recalls, many of which have resulted in additional lawsuits being filed.

In 2024, Best Buy recalled about 930,000 Insignia Multi-Function electric pressure cookers and separately sold inner pots after determining that incorrect volume markings could allow the units to be overfilled. The affected products included several models sold under the Insignia brand. Federal regulators warned that overfilling increased the risk that hot contents could be expelled under pressure, and the CPSC reported 31 incidents, including 17 burn injuries, some classified as second-degree or more severe.

A separate recall issued in August 2023 involved roughly 860,000 electric pressure cookers manufactured by Sensio and sold under the Bella, Bella Pro Series, Crux and Cooks brands, along with certain Bella stovetop models. According to the CPSC, the lids on the recalled products could unlock and be removed during use, allowing hot food or liquid to escape unexpectedly. Regulators received 63 incident reports tied to the defect, including 61 burn injuries, some involving second- and third-degree burns to the face, torso, arms and hands.

Similar safety concerns have also been reported with pressure cookers sold under other well-known brands, including Crock-Pot, Farberware, Ninja Foodi and Instant Pot. As a result, individuals who suffered burn injuries in pressure cooker incidents have pursued legal claims seeking compensation for medical costs and other losses. Pressure cooker injury attorneys continue to review potential cases.

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