Pressure Cookers: How Do They Work?

Modern pressure cookers are tightly lid vessels that use heat and pressure to cook food, as the name suggests.

The water inside the pot turns to steam upon the boiling point, but the steam cannot escape.

The trapped water molecules create pressure inside the pot, which shortens the cooking process.

What normally would take an hour or two can be done in mere minutes.

Of course, anything trapped inside a closed container has the potential to escape quickly.

This is what happens during an explosion.

To avoid that, pressure cookers today have numerous safety features that help consumers avoid severe burns and injuries.

Unfortunately, defective products and malfunctioning parts can result in dangerous accidents.

How and Why a Pressure Cooker Explosion Can Happen

In a well-functioning pressure cooker, the steam release valve maintains enough pressure inside the container and helps release excess steam.

This function helps keep even pressure throughout cooking time.

However, trapped debris and food particles prevent the valve from working properly.

There could also be problems with the venting system.

When this happens, the valve cannot release or control the pressure at all.

As water vapor or steam collects inside the container, an environment is created within the pressure cooker that can make it explode violently once the lid is opened.

It’s not just the pressure regulator that can malfunction.

Faulty wiring, inaccurate digital indicators, and a faulty gasket can all result in a pressure cooker explosion.

These defects are not limited to a few brands and models, as many manufacturers of electric pressure cookers have had products recalled.

Some examples are Instant Pot appliances and some models of the Tristar Power Pressure Cooker.

Common Defects That Cause Pressure Cooker Explosions

If your pressure cooker explodes, it might be caused by one of several issues.

Always keep on top of cleaning your pressure cookers and ensuring that defects are found before an explosion occurs.

Below are different reasons a pressure cooker explosion can happen:

Malfunctioning Gaskets

The gaskets are the seals surrounding the top of the cooker.

If these parts work as intended, they keep the interior of the pressure cooker airtight and at the correct temperature.

However, some gaskets can get bent and or misaligned due to poor design.

A rubber gasket can simply become loose because of subpar material, leading to exploding pressure cookers.

Faulty Lid Seals and Locks

The lid seals and locks keep the pressure cooker lid from opening during operation.

However, ill-fitting lid seals and malfunctioning locks won’t work against the pressure within the pot.

At best, the lid will simply stay open and not allow any pressure to build. However, when pressure builds, ill-fitting seals and locks can cause explosions.

Inadequate Ventilation

Pressure cookers have built-in ducts and ventilation systems that help regulate the release of steam.

Obstructions in these ducts can result in excess pressure since the steam cannot escape. With this high pressure, an explosion can occur.

Faulty Pressure Release Valve

As mentioned, the pressure release or safety valves on top of the appliance regulate pressure by releasing steam.

However, a malfunctioning valve won’t allow any steam to escape, leading to an explosion.

Defective Wiring

Most modern pressure cookers use electricity to run.

If there are issues with the appliance’s wiring, these can cascade into even more dangerous problems, such as unregulated internal and malfunctioning digital monitors or indicators.

Malfunctioning Digital Indicator

While not all pressure cookers have a digital indicator, most contemporary appliances have one.

The screens show you the cooking time and if the appliance has reached the appropriate pressure.

For stove-top pressure cookers, the indicator is usually a dial or gauge.

Whichever you use, if the indicators show incorrect pressure readings, then you might be facing an extremely dangerous appliance that could explode anytime.

Injuries You Can Suffer When Pressure Cookers Explode

Dangerous pressure cookers can cause severe burns and other injuries.

When safety features fail on a pressure cooker, users and those nearby are put at extreme risk.

Pressure cookers have been known to cause the following injuries:

• Severe burns, thermal burns, and other burn injuries
• Lacerations, cuts, and perforated organs
• Disfigurement and scarring
• Permanent disability
• Traumatic brain injury
• Blindness
• Electric shock and electrocution

Burn Injuries

A faulty pressure cooker is essentially a ticking time bomb.

Inside a pressure cooker is hot food and water that could cause severe burn injuries for people nearby.

Many people have suffered debilitating burns when a pressure cooker exploded near them.

With the hot steam and pieces of food clinging to skin, the resulting burn injuries can escalate to scarring and disfigurement.

Lacerations, Disfigurement, and Permanent Disability

Pressure cooking injuries are not just limited to burns, as the explosion can cause components to break and fling out like shrapnel.

These pieces can pierce the body much like bullets would, resulting in cuts, lacerations, and perforated organs.

In the worst-case scenario, you could suffer permanent disability.

If shrapnel strikes a person in the face, they could go blind.

Traumatic brain injury is also possible.

Electric Shock and Electrocution

With a defective pressure cooker, there’s a danger of electric shock and electrocution.

Poorly designed Instant Pots and faulty circuitry can deliver dangerous and even fatal electric currents.

At best, you could suffer mild burns.

However, electricity can stop your heart or disrupt its rhythm in a short instant, leading to death.

Damages in a Pressure Cooker Lawsuit

The injuries you suffer from an Instant Pot explosion or any other pressure cooker brand will need medical attention.

In addition, you could end up with a disability, lose days or weeks of work, and other injuries that merit financial reparations.

If you do file a personal injury lawsuit for exploding kitchen appliances, here are some of the damages that may get compensated.

Medical Bills

If you get burned by scalding hot contents, then you may suffer third-degree burns that need medical attention.

Deep wounds from the explosion could also result in extended hospital stays, surgeries, and other medical expenses.

Treatments, like skin grafts and physical therapy, can also be expensive.

With the help of a Pressure Cooker Lawyer, you can file a claim to get compensation for these damages.

Lost Wages and Earning Ability

Being hospitalized and recovering from injuries leads to absences at work.

In the case of injuries that you do not fully recover from, you could be prevented from earning the same amount of money throughout your life that you would or could have if the incident did not occur.

Your lawyer can help you file a claim to get compensation for lost wages and earning ability.

Temporary or Permanent Disability

Burns and puncture wounds can both cause disability, both temporary and permanent.

Any type of disability can require long term care or future medical operation that is both financially costly and hard on your body.

The more severe the disability, the higher compensation victims generally receive after successful lawsuit claims.

Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering is a non-economic damage that covers the emotional turmoil and mental pain you suffered because of severe burns, permanent scarring, and other injuries resulting from design defects and pressure cooker explosions.

Ongoing Treatment and Therapy

While recovering from the injuries, you may need to undergo therapy sessions and rehabilitation, both of which cost money.

You can include these damages in your claim.

Property Damage

After the pressure cooker lid exploded, you may also find signs of damage to your kitchen and nearby appliances.

These expenses you had to pay for in order to replace and repair your personal property can be included in the lawsuit.

What To Do if You're Injured by a Pressure Cooker

An exploding pressure cooker can cause you to panic, but it’s important to stay aware of the situation.

Otherwise, it may become harder for you to prove that the appliance was faulty and didn’t just explode because of improper use.

As your trusted lawyers who’ve worked on similar product liability lawsuits, we’ve shared the steps you can do to build a stronger case.

Step 1: Seek Medical Attention

The most important thing to do after getting injured by an exploding pressure cooker is to get medical help.

Not only will healthcare professionals help with your injuries, but the medical records can serve as proof of what happened to you.

Step 2: Retain Evidence

Don’t throw out the pressure cooker that exploded.

Store it somewhere safe, so it can be examined later as evidence if needed.

Step 3: Take Photos and Videos

These will also serve as evidence of the damage that happened to your property and body.

Step 4: Contact an Attorney

If you’re too injured to do this step yourself, then ask for help from a loved one.

That way, you’ll know the next steps to take and start filing the product liability lawsuit.

Contact TorHoerman Law for a free case consultation.

TorHoerman Law: Your Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawyer

If you or a loved one have suffered serious burns, serious injuries, or other harm from a defective Instant Pot or any other faulty pressure cooker, contact an experienced Instant Pot attorney who can help protect your rights and seek financial compensation. 

The expert lawyers at TorHoerman Law can assist you in filing a lawsuit to seek proper financial restitution for the pain, suffering, medical expenses, and other losses caused by defective Instant Pots.

We can evaluate your case and explore all of your legal options.

The numerous safety components on a pressure cooker’s design should prevent boiling liquid, hot food, hot steam, and other extremely dangerous contents of a pressure cooker from exiting the slow cooker.

Defective pressure cookers can potentially explode, causing extreme physical pain, thermal burns, and other painful bodily injuries.

Pressure cooker manufacturers need to provide proper instructions to handle potentially dangerous pressure cookers.

If your pressure cooker exploded and you’ve been injured, you may be eligible to file a Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

You can also use the chatbot on this page to find out if you qualify for a Pressure Cooker Lawsuit instantly.