Instant Pot Safety Lawsuit Claims Defective Pressure Cooker Caused Burn Injuries

Dozens of lawsuits allege safety features on popular brands of pressure cookers can fail and cause users to suffer severe burns and other injuries.

An Alabama woman has filled a lawsuit alleging she suffered severe burns when an Instant Pot pressure cooker opened while still pressurized, ejecting scalding contents at her.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Alexis Williams in the U.S. District Court of Illinois on July 9, naming IB Appliances US Holdings LLC, doing business as Instant Pot Brands, Instant Brands LLC, Corelle Brands LLC and Instant Brands Inc. as defendants.

Williams alleges Instant Pot Brands knew about the defect in its products’ safety features, yet failed to issue a recall and continued to sell the devices. She claims the company chose to put profits over customer safety.

Instant Pot Safety Risks

The Instant Pot Duo Nova 60 used by Williams is one of many electric pressure cookers designed to cook food rapidly by trapping steam and building pressure inside a sealed cooking chamber. Because the contents may reach extremely high temperatures, these appliances rely on multiple safety mechanisms intended to prevent the lid from being opened until the internal pressure has been safely released.

Instant Pot advertised the Duo Nova as having 11 built-in safety features, including protections designed to regulate pressure, control temperature and keep the lid locked while the cooker remains pressurized. However, lawsuits involving electric pressure cookers increasingly allege that these safeguards may malfunction, allowing consumers to rotate or remove the lid while dangerous pressure remains inside.

When a pressurized lid opens unexpectedly, superheated steam, liquid and food may erupt from the appliance with substantial force. Consumers have reported suffering severe burns to the face, chest, arms and hands, sometimes requiring hospitalization, skin grafts or other extensive medical treatment.

Reports of pressure cooker safety failures have also led to recalls and warnings involving various models sold in the United States. As a result, pressure cooker defect lawsuits have been filed against a number of major manufacturers and brands, including Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, Crock-Pot and others. These claims commonly allege that defective lid-locking systems, pressure-release components or inadequate warnings exposed consumers to preventable burn injuries.

Instant Pot Defect Allegations

Williams’ lawsuit alleges the Instant Pot Duo Nova 60 suffers a defect in the safety features that allows for the lid to open during pressurization, when it should not.

On August 3, 2023, Williams was using the Instant Pot when the lid suddenly and unexpectedly blew off the pot. When this occurred, the pot appeared as if the pressure had already been released, but it had not. The scalding contents caused Williams to suffer severe burns.

Williams alleges Instant Pot made representations of the safety of the devices that were misleading and put consumers at risk. The company advertises ”11 safety mechanisms” of the pressure cookers, emphasizing the devices cannot be opened while pressurized.

The lawsuit argues that Instant Pot knew or should have known about the problem but chose to ignore it and concealed knowledge of the defects. She claims the company’s advertising misleads customers into believing the device is reasonably safe when used normally, but that is not the case. As a result, Williams alleges the company is putting profits over human life.

“Defendant ignored and/or concealed its knowledge of these defects in its pressure cookers from the Plaintiff in this case, as well as the public in general, in order to continue generating a profit from the sale of said pressure cookers, demonstrating a callous, reckless, willful, depraved indifference to the health, safety and welfare of Plaintiff and consumers alike.”

— Alexis Williams v. IB Appliances US Holdings LLC et al.

The complaint raises allegations of strict liability, negligent design defect, negligent failure to warn, negligence, breach of implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose and breach of implied warranty of merchantability. Williams is seeking compensation for damages for bodily injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain, mental anguish and diminished enjoyment of life.

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