Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit

Hundreds of people have reported being severely injured by malfunctioning pressure cookers from numerous brands, which explode on unsuspecting users. The exploding pressure cooker causes boiling hot contents to be ejected up to 12 feet, leading to severe burns, scarring, and physical injuries. Individuals who are injured have a right to file a lawsuit against the manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of these pressure cookers. Hundreds of individuals have already filed pressure cooker lawsuits, seeking financial compensation for their injuries.

Reported injuries include burns, head injuries, and eye injuries. In the SharkNinja recall, consumers reported second- and third-degree burns to their bodies and faces. A study conducted by researchers found that the average hospital stay for pressure cooker injuries was 10.5 days.

In recent years, several brands have recalled pressure cookers after people reported injuries. Read on to learn about recent pressure cooker recalls.

SharkNinja pressure cooker recall (2025)

On May 1, 2025, SharkNinja issued a global recall for its Ninja Foodi OP300 Series Multi-Function Pressure Cookers. Customers reported more than 100 burn injuries, including more than 50 reports of second- and third-degree burns to the face and body resulting from the pressure cooker’s lid opening during use. This defect allowed boiling hot food and liquid to explode from the device and propel across the room, posing a significant risk to anyone nearby.

SharkNinja sold its pressure cookers at retailers across the country, including:

• Amazon
• Costco
• Sam’s Club
• Target
• Walmart

The company sold these pressure cookers from January 2019 through March 2025, at a cost of about $200.

Motley Rice is accepting clients who have been injured by SharkNinja pressure cookers.

Tempo USA Ambiano pressure cooker recall (2025)

After receiving 11 reports of injuries, Tempo USA recalled more than 46,000 of its Ambiano pressure cookers on October 9, 2025. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the cooker’s lid can be opened before the proper amount of steam pressure has been released. This can allow hot content to escape and burn users.

The recall includes pressure cookers with model numbers 93550 (KY-318B), 96775 (KY-318A), and 98527 (6L-PC). The cookers were sold between January 2016 and December 2019 at Aldi stores throughout the United States. They sold for $40.

Motley Rice is accepting clients who have been injured by Ambiano pressure cookers.

Insignia/Best Buy pressure cooker recall (2023)

Electronics retailer Best Buy issued a recall of 930,000 Insignia pressure cookers on October 26, 2025. The recall affects:

• Model numbers NS-MC60SS8, NS-MC60SS9 and NS-MC80SS9
• Inner cooker pots labeled with model numbers NS-MCRP6NS9 and NS-MCRP6SS9 (sold separately as replacements)

These models were sold on Amazon, Best Buy’s website and in its stores nationwide between October 2017 and June 2023. Retail prices ranged from $50 to $120.

Thirty-one customers reported injuries to Best Buy.

Sensio pressure cooker recalls (2023)

On August 10, 2023, Sensio recalled approximately 860,000 electric and stovetop pressure cookers. The affected models were the Bella, Bella Pro, Cooks and Crux in capacities from five to 12 quarts. The company received 63 injury reports, including second- and third-degree burns. According to the CPSC, hot contents could escape after the pressure cookers’ lid unlocked unexpectedly.

The pressure cookers were sold by major retailers such as Lowe’s, Macy’s, Target and Amazon. Prices ranged from $8 to $70.
 

Several manufacturers, distributors and retailers are being sued over allegedly defective pressure cookers that injured users. These are some recent and high-profile cases.

• Best Buy: Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Best Buy over Insignia pressure cooker explosions, including a lawsuit filed by a Motley Rice attorney on behalf of a man and his child injured by an exploding Insignia pressure cooker. The lawsuit was filed in a Pennsylvania court in 2024. According to the complaint, the pressure cooker’s faulty design allowed the lid to  “be opened while the cooker was pressurized, permitting the unexpected and powerful release of scalding hot food, liquid, and steam without warning.”
• Instant Brands: Instant Pot products are involved in multiple pressure cooker burn lawsuits.
• Maxi-Matic: Motley Rice attorneys filed a lawsuit against Maxi-Matic due to an explosion of the Elite pressure cooker, which caused severe injuries.
• Nesco: Motley Rice attorneys recently filed a pressure cooker explosion lawsuit against Nesco for a client’s severe burn injuries.
• SharkNinja: Motley Rice represents clients injured by exploding SharkNinja pressure cookers. The CPSC recall notice states that approximately 26 lawsuits have been filed as of May 1, 2025.
• Crock-Pot: Motley Rice attorneys are actively litigating multiple lawsuits against Sunbeam and Newell for their exploding pressure cookers. A jury found that Sunbeam Products/Jarden Consumer Solutions and its parent company, Newell Brands, were responsible for injuries suffered by a Colorado woman in a pressure cooker explosion. The jury initially awarded the plaintiff $56 million in damages, but the amount was later reduced to $8.8 million. (Crock-Pot is also owned by Newell Brands.)
• Tristar: A woman from Nebraska sued Tristar Products in 2023, alleging that a defective pressure cooker sprayed hot liquid onto her arms, chest and face. The hot liquid caused third-degree burns. The plaintiff is not represented by Motley Rice.
• Walmart: A woman in Michigan filed a lawsuit against Walmart on August 28, 2025. She alleges that Walmart failed to warn customers of the dangers of the Farberware 7-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker and failed to recall the cooker. The plaintiff is not represented by Motley Rice.

The amount of compensation will vary depending on the facts of each plaintiff’s case. It is not possible to guarantee a certain amount of financial compensation in a settlement or jury award.

A Motley Rice attorney can help determine what damages you may be eligible for in your lawsuit. Typically, an amount will consider factors such as:

• Lost wages
• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Disfigurement and permanent scarring
• Emotional distress

There are several factors and product defects that can lead to a pressure cooker exploding. Defects might include:

• Poorly designed locking mechanisms
• Steam valves that easily clog
• Improperly sized locking pins
• Misaligned locking indicators
• Improperly aligned strike plates
• Faulty seals or gaskets

The Ninja Foodi OP300 Series recall cites a problem with the lid of the cooker having the potential to open during the cooking process. Since the contents of the cooker are pressurized, the lid opening could explosively eject the contents. This is dangerous because food in the pressure cooker can be scalding hot. Anyone nearby can be hurt, not just the person using the pressure cooker.

Motley Rice attorneys have advocated for the rights of individuals, families, workers and consumers for decades—including litigating pressure cooker and other product defect cases over the years.

If you or someone you love sustained an injury caused by negligence or wrongdoing, we have the legal experience and resources to aggressively seek full and fair personal injury compensation.

Learn more about our law firm’s work with personal injury lawsuits.