What Is the Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit About?
The pressure cooker explosion lawsuit refers to litigation against electric pressure cooker manufacturers, including Instant Brands (Instant Pot), Sunbeam Products/Newell Brands (Crock-Pot), SharkNinja (Ninja Foodi), Tristar Products, and others. These appliances are marketed with a core safety promise: the lid cannot be opened while the pot is still pressurized. Plaintiffs allege that promise fails in practice, due to defective lid-locking mechanisms, faulty pressure release valves, or incorrect volume markings that lead users to overfill the pot.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has documented this pattern repeatedly. In May 2025, SharkNinja recalled more than 1.8 million Ninja Foodi OP300 Series pressure cookers after the CPSC logged 106 burn injury reports, including more than 50 second- and third-degree burns to users' faces and bodies, caused by lids that could open while the unit was still pressurized. Best Buy's Insignia pressure cookers were recalled in October 2023, covering 930,000 units after 31 incidents and 17 burn injuries tied to incorrect volume markings, and that recall was expanded in March 2025 to cover another 250,000 units after 23 additional burn injury reports.
Instant Brands, the maker of the original Instant Pot, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023. This complicates, but does not eliminate, the ability of injured consumers to pursue claims, since retailers and other responsible parties may still be pursued separately.
Health Risks and Injuries Associated With Pressure Cooker Explosions
When a pressurized pressure cooker opens unexpectedly, the contents can eject with enough force and heat to cause serious, lasting injuries.
Second- and Third-Degree Burns
The most commonly reported injury, often affecting the face, chest, arms, or hands from direct contact with scalding food or steam.
Scalding Injuries
Beyond burns to the skin, some victims suffer internal scalding injuries to the eyes, mouth, or airway from steam or hot liquid.
Facial Disfigurement and Scarring
Severe cases have resulted in permanent scarring or disfigurement requiring extensive reconstructive treatment.
Skin Grafting
The most serious burn injuries have required skin graft surgery and long recovery periods.
Wrongful Death
In rare, severe cases, complications from burn injuries have resulted in death.
Permanent Nerve Damage
Severe burns can damage underlying nerves, resulting in chronic pain, numbness, reduced sensation, or permanent loss of function in the affected area.
| Recall | Units Affected | Burn Injuries Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| SharkNinja Ninja Foodi OP300 (May 2025) | 1.8 million+ | 106 reports, 50+ second/third-degree | CPSC recall notice |
| Insignia/Best Buy (Oct 2023, expanded Mar 2025) | 1.18 million combined | 40 severe burn reports combined | CPSC recall notices |
| Sunbeam Crock-Pot Express (Nov 2020) | 943,000 | 119 lid detachment reports | CPSC recall notice |
Not every pressure cooker incident results in a recall, and not every recall covers every affected unit. These figures reflect what CPSC has documented in specific recall actions.
Who Qualifies to File a Pressure Cooker Claim?
Every case depends on the specific product involved and the circumstances of the injury.
Documented Burn Injury
Claims are strongest when medical records confirm burns, scalding, or related injuries consistent with a pressurized lid opening or hot contents being ejected.
Product Identification
Claims are strongest when you can identify the specific brand and model, since some claims involve products already subject to a CPSC recall, while others involve similar but not-yet-recalled models.
Preserved Evidence
Keeping the pressure cooker itself, along with the box, manual, and receipt, significantly strengthens a claim, since a recall notice alone does not automatically prove your specific device was defective.
Normal Use
Claims are strongest when the pressure cooker was used as intended and instructed, following standard operating procedures rather than a modified or improvised use.
A recall is helpful evidence, but you may still have a claim even if your specific model hasn't been recalled yet. Contact our team for a free case evaluation to review your specific product and injury.
What Is the Current Status of Pressure Cooker Litigation?
There is no federal MDL for pressure cooker explosion claims. Cases are filed individually in state and federal courts nationwide, with litigation spread across multiple manufacturers rather than consolidated against a single company.
The most significant recent verdict came in December 2024, when a jury awarded $55.5 million in a case against Sunbeam involving a Crock-Pot Express model; that award was later reduced to $9.1 million. Sunbeam and its parent company, Newell Brands, face hundreds of individual lawsuits and have shown a pattern of settling cases relatively quickly, including a settlement reached within one week of filing in a Michigan case in September 2025.
Separately, at least 26 lawsuits have been filed over the SharkNinja Ninja Foodi recall, and at least two lawsuits have been filed against Gourmia and Best Buy after the CPSC issued a public warning in 2026 when the companies refused to agree to a recall. Because Instant Brands filed for bankruptcy in 2023, claims specifically involving the original Instant Pot may need to be pursued through bankruptcy proceedings or against other responsible parties, such as retailers.
How Long Do You Have to File a Pressure Cooker Lawsuit?
Deadlines for filing a pressure cooker explosion lawsuit vary by state, typically ranging from two to four years from the date of injury. There is no single nationwide deadline.
Because burn injuries are usually immediately apparent, most pressure cooker claims don't involve the same discovery-rule complexities as latent disease cases. However, the specific product liability statute in your state, and whether Instant Brands' bankruptcy affects your specific claim, can still significantly affect your timeline and options.
Call to find out if your claim is still within the filing window.
What Compensation Can You Recover in a Pressure Cooker Lawsuit?
Compensation in a pressure cooker explosion case depends heavily on the severity of the burn injury and the medical treatment it required, but claims generally cover the following:
- Medical expenses, past and future, including emergency treatment, skin grafts, and reconstructive surgery
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement damages
- Wrongful death damages, in fatal cases
Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes. The specific value of your claim depends on your injury's severity, your medical treatment, and the strength of the evidence connecting your injury to a specific product defect.
Common Questions About Pressure Cooker Lawsuits
Meet With a Pressure Cooker Lawsuit Attorney Today
A jury has already awarded tens of millions of dollars in one pressure cooker case, and the CPSC has documented burn injuries across multiple major brands, including more than 1.8 million recalled Ninja Foodi units alone. If you suffered burns from a pressure cooker that opened while still pressurized, you may be entitled to compensation.
We offer free, confidential case reviews with no upfront fees. You only pay if we recover compensation for you. Call 866-582-7177 or fill out our free case evaluation form to find out if you qualify.