Sensio Coffee Maker Lawsuit

The CPSC’s March 20, 2025, recall notice identifies the hazard as a brew-cup handle that can eject while the espresso maker is operating.

The handle can strike and shatter the glass carafe, exposing a nearby user to hot liquid and broken glass.

The official recall identifies the following information:

• Recall date: March 20, 2025.
• Recall number: 25-191.
• Units affected: Approximately 12,300 steam espresso machines.
• Reported incidents: 18 reports of the handles ejecting.
• Reported injuries: Eight reports involving burns and/or lacerations.
• Importer: Sensio Inc., of New York.
• Manufacturing location: China.
• Recall remedy: A refund obtained through Sensio’s recall program.

The eight injury reports are a subset of the 18 reported handle-ejection incidents, not eight additional incidents.

The CPSC does not identify a specific faulty seal, clogged passage, or pressure-control component as the established cause of the handle ejections.

Whether a particular machine contained a defective component, an unsafe design, or inadequate warnings requires a product-specific investigation.

The recall covers two models sold under different product names:

• Bella Pro Series Steam Espresso Maker, item/model 90195.
• Cooks Steam Espresso Maker, item/model 22395.

Both machines are black with stainless-steel trim and measure approximately six inches wide and 12 inches high.

The words Bella Pro Series or Cooks appear on the steaming chamber.

The identifying model number appears as the Item number on a sticker beneath the machine.

The recalled espresso makers were sold at JCPenney stores nationwide, as well as online at BestBuy.com and JCPenney.com, from August 2023 through January 2025.

The machines typically cost between $40 and $60.

A buyer should compare the Item number with the official CPSC recall listing rather than relying only on the machine’s appearance.

These model numbers are not the same as those involved in Sensio’s separate 2023 pressure cooker recall.

Other Sensio appliances that do not match either recalled Item number fall outside this particular espresso-machine recall, although a separate malfunction may still warrant investigation.

The reported hazard involves two potentially dangerous events occurring together: the brew-cup handle ejects and the glass carafe may shatter.

An espresso machine normally directs heated water through its brewing components while keeping those components secured during operation.

If a brew-cup handle unexpectedly releases, it may strike the carafe or another nearby surface.

The resulting impact can send glass fragments outward, while hot coffee or water can splash onto the operator or another person nearby.

The CPSC identified both burn and laceration hazards, but its recall notice does not establish precisely why the handles detached.

What Product Defects Might an Injury Investigation Examine?

The machine and the circumstances of the incident may help answer questions about how the brew-cup handle was secured and what caused it to release.

Relevant issues may include:

• Brew-cup attachment: Whether the handle and brewing assembly remained secured during reasonably foreseeable use.
• Pressure and steam: Whether the machine controlled brewing conditions adequately before the handle released.
• Component condition: Whether the handle, locking surfaces, carafe, or related parts were cracked, worn, or improperly assembled.
• Product instructions: Whether directions and warnings adequately explained safe operation and foreseeable hazards.
• Testing and design: Whether a safer design or manufacturing process could have reduced the risk of ejection or injury.

These are investigative possibilities, not defects independently confirmed by the recall.

In particular, the recall does not attribute the hazard to calcium buildup, hard water, poor descaling, or consumer cleaning practices.

A person who suffered an injury should not operate or disassemble the appliance to test a suspected cause.

Sensio reported eight incidents involving burn and/or laceration injuries before the March 2025 recall.

The public recall notice does not specify the severity, affected body parts, or treatment received in those eight reports.

However, an ejected handle, shattered glass carafe, and spilled hot liquid can produce different kinds of injuries depending on the circumstances.

Potential injuries include:

• Scald burns: Hot coffee or water can cause painful first- or second-degree burn injuries to the hands, arms, chest, or face.
• Third degree burns: Extremely severe heat exposure can destroy the full thickness of the skin and may require surgical treatment, although the Sensio recall does not describe any reported injuries by degree.
• Cuts and lacerations: Broken glass can produce wounds that need cleaning, stitches, or other medical care.
• Eye injuries: Hot liquid or glass fragments can injure the eyes and require urgent assessment.
• Scarring or impaired movement: Deep burns or lacerations may cause permanent scarring, sensitivity, or reduced movement near a joint.
• Infection and other complications: Open wounds may become infected or require follow-up treatment.

These are possible outcomes of the reported hazard and should not be mistaken for injuries documented in every Sensio incident report.

Scalding can occur even without exposure to boiling water, and the CPSC has not reported the temperature of the water or coffee in these particular incidents.

Medical treatment records, photographs, and follow-up notes may help establish the seriousness and lasting effects of an injury.

Immediately stop using a recalled espresso maker, even if it has not malfunctioned.

Sensio’s official recall instructions offer a $50 refund, either by check or as an electronic gift card for Best Buy or JCPenney, subject to the recall program’s verification requirements.

The company instructs consumers not to return the espresso maker to Best Buy or JCPenney stores for a refund.

For consumers who have not suffered an injury and are proceeding with the recall remedy, Sensio’s posted steps include verifying the Item number, documenting the appliance, marking its UL label, cutting its power cord, and disposing of the product as directed.

Anyone injured by a recalled espresso maker should seek legal advice before cutting the cord, destroying the label, discarding the carafe, or disposing of the appliance.

The machine and damaged components may be important evidence of how the incident occurred.

Preserving an injured consumer’s evidence and stopping use of an unsafe appliance are both important; the appliance should not be operated again merely to document the malfunction.

If you have questions about the current refund procedure, consult the Sensio recall page or contact its recall support team.

A refund for the purchase price is separate from a potential claim for medical expenses or other injuries.

A person may have grounds to pursue a product liability claim if an affected Bella Pro Series or Cooks machine unexpectedly ejected its handle, shattered its carafe, or otherwise malfunctioned and caused an injury.

An injured person does not need to know the exact mechanical cause before requesting a legal assessment.

A defective product claim must establish a legal basis for liability and a causal connection between the alleged defect and the injury.

Relevant considerations include:

• Whether the machine was a recalled Bella Pro Series model 90195 or Cooks model 22395.
• Whether the incident involved an ejecting brew-cup handle, shattered glass, or a sudden release of hot liquid.
• Whether the machine was being used in a normal or reasonably foreseeable manner.
• Whether medical records, photographs, witnesses, or the appliance itself help document what happened.
• Whether an actionable defect or inadequate warning caused the injury.
• Whether the claim can be filed within the applicable state’s legal deadline.

An injury involving another Sensio product may require separate investigation because the models, recalls, and alleged hazards differ.

A recall does not automatically establish liability, and filing deadlines and available claims vary by state.

Who Could Be Liable for a Recalled Espresso Machine Injury?

The CPSC identifies Sensio Inc., of New York, as the importer of the recalled machines.

Depending on the evidence and applicable state law, a claim may involve an importer, manufacturer, seller, distributor, or another company responsible for the product.

JCPenney and online retailers were listed as sales channels, but selling a recalled product does not automatically establish that a retailer is liable for every injury.

Product liability claims may involve design defects, manufacturing defects, or inadequate warnings, depending on the facts.

Seek medical attention for significant burns, deep cuts, eye exposure, or other concerning injuries.

After immediate medical needs are addressed, the following steps may help preserve information about the incident:

1. Stop using the espresso machine.Do not restart it to reproduce a handle ejection or test the brewing system.
2. Keep the appliance and damaged parts.Preserve the brew-cup handle, glass carafe, fragments, base, and power cord in their post-incident condition when it is safe to do so.
3. Photograph the machine and scene.Include the Item-number sticker, damaged components, spilled contents, surrounding surfaces, and any damaged clothing.
4. Document the injury.Save medical records, bills, photographs taken during healing, and information about time missed from work.
5. Retain purchase and recall records.Keep receipts, online order confirmations, instructions, emails from Sensio, and any refund or disposal instructions.
6. Write down what happened.Describe the brewing stage, what the machine was doing immediately before the incident, and whether anyone witnessed it.

Our guide to personal injury evidence explains how physical objects, photographs, medical records, and witness accounts can be used to evaluate a claim.

If the machine has already been discarded, the remaining records may still be useful, although the missing appliance can limit technical examination.

A personal injury claim may seek financial compensation for losses caused by a defective espresso maker when the required legal elements can be established.

A Sensio recall refund addresses the purchase of the appliance; it is not a standard payment for injuries.

Depending on the facts and governing law, potential damages may include:

• Medical expenses for emergency care, burn treatment, stitches, surgery, prescriptions, and follow-up appointments.
• Lost wages or reduced earning capacity if injuries affect employment.
• Physical pain, emotional distress, and disruption of daily activities.
• Permanent scarring, disfigurement, or limitations resulting from burns or lacerations.
• Other documented losses recognized under applicable state law.

The value of a claim depends on the nature of the injuries, the evidence of the alleged defect, the medical consequences, and the applicable law.

There is no verified standard Sensio espresso maker injury settlement amount, and a settlement or jury award is not guaranteed.

TorHoerman Law’s personal injury damages guide discusses how economic and non-economic losses may be evaluated.

TorHoerman Law is reviewing potential product liability claims involving Bella Pro Series and Cooks Steam Espresso Makers recalled by Sensio.

Victims of burn injuries or lacerations deserve an individual evaluation of their legal options, rather than a promise of compensation based solely on a recall.

Our law firm evaluates the product involved, the circumstances of the accident, recall records, available evidence, and the financial and medical effects of the injury.

An investigation may address whether the brew-cup assembly, warnings, or product design contributed to a preventable injury.

Where the evidence supports a claim, injured consumers may choose to fight for compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and lasting harm.

If you or a loved one suffered burns, cuts, or lacerations after a recalled Bella Pro Series or Cooks espresso machine malfunctioned, contact TorHoerman Law for a free consultation.

You can also use the chat feature on this page to request a free case review.