Why Is My Instant Pot Making Noise
It is normal for pressure cookers to make a hissing noise. Pressure cooker have many safety features that prevent it from exploding. Instant Pots make noise which comes from a safety release valve. The safety release valve releases pressure by opening and closing when it senses too much pressure. When the safety release valve opens to release excess pressure, the hissing sound can be heard. The wobbler on the lid may also rattle a bit. So if your Instant Pot is making noise that is completely normal.
Exploding Pressure Cooker Dangers
As we all become more aware of the importance of a healthy diet, its natural to look for fast, convenient ways to cook wholesome foods at home.
Many consumers have done just that over recent years, turning to pressure cookers to help them make nutritious, tasty meals quickly and easily. Statistics show that retail sales of electric pressure cookers in the U.S. gradually increased between 2010 to 2017, then held steady after that. In 2019, retail sales of the cookers amounted to about $51.48 million.
Most of those cookers operate as they should. Many pressure cookers, however, are defective and have caused consumers to suffer from serious, often traumatic burn injuries.
If you have been injured or burned by a pressure cooker, or if you are concerned about their safety, read on for answers about possible pressure cooker dangers.
Pressure Cooker Explosion: Instant Pot Lawsuit
If you or someone you know has been injured by a defective instant pot, call 916-970-9100 today for a free and confidential case evaluation, or fill out the form on this page. We have a 25+ year successful track record of holding corporations responsible for defective products, including electric pressure cookers, and are available to answer your questions, free of charge or obligation.
Pressure cookers have long been a time saving kitchen appliance. They utilize a combination of heat and steam to create a high amount of pressure to cook foods quickly, resulting in flavorful dishes in far less time than conventional cooking methods. The temperature inside a pressure cooker runs approximately 40 degrees hotter than the boiling point of water, and the steam it generates, while necessary for rapid cook times, can be extremely dangerous.
If a pressure cookers lock, vent, lid, seal, or gasket is faulty, the pressure cooker can explode, causing severe injury or even death to anyone nearby. People who have experienced a pressure cooker explosion have suffered burns, amputations, blindness, concussions, broken bones, and disfigurement, not to mention damage to their homes. If you or your loved one experienced any of these injuries due to a defective pressure cooker, contact our Sacramento pressure cooker lawyers today for legal representation.
Don’t Miss: How To Cook Frozen Steak In Instant Pot
What Pressure Cooker Has A Recall
Though not all potentially unsafe pressure cookers have been recalled, several manufacturers have implemented recalls over the years. Some of these have been related to defects that can increase the risk of explosions and injuries, while others were related to manufacturing defects.
Brands that have recalled some of their pressure cookers include:
- Tristar Products Power Pressure Cooker
- Cuisinart Pressure Cookers
- Instant Pot Gem Multicookers and Smart 60
- NuWave Cookers
- Crofton Chefs Collection Pressure Cooker
- Manttra Pressure Cookers
- HSN Bella Cucina Zip Cookers
- Tabletops Unlimited Cookers
- QVC Welbilt Electronic Pressure Cookers
- Prestige Pressure Cooker
All That Pressure In Your Instant Pot Makes For Super Fast Meals And Some Household Hazards Read Up On Proper Pot Safety Before You Cook
The Instant Pot might just be the trendiest new kitchen gadget on the market. But if youve recently nabbed one of these multi-functional pressure cookers for yourself, youll probably have a lot of questions: What do all these buttons mean? Should I retire my slow cooker now? When can I start cooking? While we can certainly answer that last Q with our best Instant Pot recipes, its important that you know some proper safety tips before you get started.
Don’t Miss: How To Make Country Style Ribs In An Instant Pot
Blocked Steam Release Valves
Just as in the above situation, blocking the steam release valves in any way could prevent the pressure inside from being released. This can result in failure or malfunction. A variety of things can cause this blockage.
The most common blockage is pieces of food getting stuck in the valve. Clean the steam release valves and other essential components in the instant pot regularly.
Ensure that the steam release valves are kept free from all blockages. If something covers the steam valve, such as a cloth or a dish towel, explosions may also occur.
Possible Causes Of Pressure Cooker Explosion
Lets looks at some of the possible cause that can lead to a pressure cooker to explode in your kitchen:
Recommended Reading: How To Use Pressure Cooker Instant Pot
Instant Pot Falsely Advertised Safety Features
The plaintiff seeks to hold the Instant Pot manufacturer liable for her childs injuries. She states that the company advertised its product as being equipped with 11 safety mechanisms, including a safety lid lock. Yet the lock didnt work as expected.
Instant Pot claims on its website that when the pot is pressurized, the lid will automatically lock to prevent opening the cooker. It also states that if the lid is not in a safe position for pressure cooking, the cooker will not allow cooking to begin. The Instant Pot manual contains similar verbiage, stating that once pressurized, the lid will lock.
Instant Pot also used media outlets to advertise its cooker. In one YouTube video, the spokesperson states that users dont have to be afraid of the device because of its safety features. With 10 safety features built-in, you can use your Instant Pot with confidence, knowing that it is not going to explode, the video states.
In another similar video, a spokesperson boasts about the products safety, stating that once the lid is locked and the contents under pressure, there is no way to open the pressure cooker.
Dont Overfill Your Instant Pot
Inside the Instant Pot, there is a line indicative of the mark upto which you can fill an Instant Pot. It is strictly suggested to not go beyond that line. 2/3rd of an Instant Pot is the maximum point you must fill it when you intend to do basic pressure cooking.
Also, sometimes when you cook using some particular ingredients, they are likely to expand when you cook them. In such cases, do not fill the Instant Pot more than half its quantity.
Some of such items could be rice, beans, grains etc.
Read Also: How To Make Baked Potatoes In The Instant Pot
Why Do The Instant Pots Explode
Instant pots come with many safety features. However, sometimes accidents can happen even with all these features present. If instant pots are not maintained/appropriately cleaned, they can cause explosions. Here are a few of the things you should keep in mind.
Always read the manual
Always read the manual properly that comes with the Instant Pot. You can find cleaning and troubleshooting advice there. Manual also prescribes everything you should do and dont do with your Instant Pot.
Never avoid reading the manual. It may help you avoid accidents arising from avoidable mistakes.
Food getting clogged in the steam valve
Some food items expand during cooking. These food particles can clog the steam valve. Never fill instant Pot to the max with water to avoid this.
Clean steam valves regularly to avoid any accidents occurring from the excessive built-up pressure.
Not changing the sealing
Change the sealing of the instant pot every 12-16 months to avoid accidents happening from malfunctioning.
Clogged Steam Release Valve
One of the instant pots most vital parts is the steam release valve. If the steam release valve becomes clogged up with food, theres nowhere for the steam to escape during pressure cooking.
This can result in an explosion, making it essential to check that your steam release valve is clear of debris before starting a cooking cycle.
Also Check: How To Make Shredded Pork In Instant Pot
Use The Pressure Cooker Correctly
Before you begin using a pressure cooker, read all instructions and safety warnings carefully, and follow those instructions to the letter. Dont overfill the pot with food or liquids, including foods that expand when cooked. Use the recommended amount of liquid.
Learn the correct procedures for venting steam from the pressure cooker and opening the appliance. Make sure you understand how the safety features work and follow the right procedures every single time. Take precautions, such as using tongs rather than your bare hands to open pressure release valves.
After each use, clean the appliance thoroughly as directed, paying specific attention to valves and vents that could be blocked by built-up food residue.
What Can You Not Put In A Pressure Cooker
You cannot put anything in a pressure cooker that is not safe to cook under pressure. This means that you cannot put any liquids in the pressure cooker that are not meant to be cooked under pressure, such as water or milk. You also cannot put any food in the pressure cooker that is not meant to be cooked under pressure, such as raw meat or vegetables. Finally, you cannot put anything in the pressure cooker that is not meant to be cooked at all, such as a plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Recommended Reading: How To Cook Meat Instant Pot
Speak With Our Experienced Personal Injury & Product Liability Attorneys
Our Sacramento personal injury attorneys have represented injured consumers for over 25 years. We have the experience and resources to pursue your claim through settlement negotiations and all the way to a jury trial, if necessary. We are available to answer your questions via phone, video conferencing, or would be happy travel to you to meet with you in person.
Complete a free, no risk case evaluation to get started today, or call us directly at .
Never have we experienced a law group, and the individuals who work there, so interested in putting you first and making you feel like a caring family. Their communication throughout the process was excellent, phone calls, personal meetings, text messages and e-mails keeping us in the loop. The end result for us, was truly amazing, and we felt we made lifelong friends.
Your office staff as well as Eric treated us so gently and kind. Everyone we came into contact with was very encouraging and efficient, which I might add as a former professional myself, I know how working with real people in crisis is challenging. I cannot adequately describe my appreciation.
I was very pleased to see the care that they took to understand our situation. For the first time ever, I have a positive thing to say about the legal profession!
Is An Instant Pot Safe
Instant Pots are very safe and have multiple safety features built-in to prevent misuse, injury, or cooking issues. But unlike slow cookers, do not leave the house for extended periods of time while using an Instant Pot.
After all, the way an Instant Pot works is by building up pressure inside the vessel which effectively cooks your food in a shorter amount of time.
Its the pressure inside your Instant Pot that makes people fear it could explode.
But unlike your Grandmas pressure cooker that was built in the 1950s todays modern Instant Pots have a number of cool safety features built in to ensure they arent dangerous and dont explode.
hands down the best part of using an instant pot is that feeling of cheating death each and every time it doesnt explode on you
Kerry Barger
Also Check: How To Use Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Can Pressure Cookers Explode
Pressure cookers themselves dont explode and typically arent harmful products. In pressure cooker explosion lawsuits, the term explosion refers to the scalding foods or liquids ejected from defective pressure cookers that burn or injure nearby people. In some cases, pressure has caused lids to explode off cookers and hit people.
Normally, safety mechanisms are supposed to prevent the lid from detaching while contents are under pressure. Pressure cooker explosion lawsuits claim that defects in safety mechanisms may allow the lid to open or detach while the food or liquid inside is still pressurized.
For example, Crock-Pot recalled about 914,000 pressure cookers in November 2020 for potential burn risk because the cooker could pressurize while the lid wasnt fully locked. The lid could suddenly detach and put people at risk of burns from scalding liquids or foods ejected from the product, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Wash Me Up & Check Me Out
If you want to be Ultra Safe, wash the lid, clean the anti-block shield, and the inner pot after every use. Make sure the gasket is in good shape and no food residue is stuck inside the anti-block shield before every use.
The Silicone Sealing Ring typically needs to be replaced every 18-24 months. It is always a good idea to keep an extra one around.
Avoid buying sealing ring from third party as it is an integral part of the Instant Pot safety features. Direct Quote from InstantPot: There may be serious safety concerns associated with using an untested sealing ring on Instant Pot products.
Don’t Miss: Can I Make Pasta In My Instant Pot
When Would An Instant Pot Explode
Yes, it is possible for the instant pot or pressure cooker to explode. It depends on how the user handles the product. If the user does not follow the instructions properly, it could lead to explosion. How long does it take for the pressure cooker to reach pressure? Answer: Instant Pot takes about 20 minutes to reach pressure.
What Is Instant Pot
What makes Instant Pot, the company, unique is that as the inventors of the multicooker, hold a huge chunk of the multicooker market. This dominance gives them a greater ability to innovate and improve their product than their competitors.
If you want to learn more about Instant pot, then take a look at the Instant Pot Vs. Air Fryer
Recommended Reading: How To Use 7 In 1 Instant Pot
Foods That You Should Avoid Cooking In An Instant Pot
Instant Pot is one of the most popular cooking methods in the world. It has become an essential kitchen appliance in many households. But, every food is not suitable for Instant Pot cooking.
When it comes to making dishes in Instant Pot, the most important thing is to avoid fat and greasy foods like fried chicken pieces or bacon. The fat will be much more likely to settle on the bottom of the Pot and cause burnt food when you cook for too long.
Here are the few food items you should never cook in instant pot:
- Crispy and crunchy food
- Yellow and red lentils as they make a lot of foam while cooking
- Dairy products
- Pearled barley
Pro tips: These will help you avoid accidents and cook easily in instant pots.
- When cooking rice and beans together in an Instant Pot, start with 50% more water or stock than you would typically use for rice alone.
- Add little oil or butter while cooking as it reduces foam production. This tip is helpful while cooking the food in a pressure cooker also.
Reasons Why Instant Pot Explode
- Save
Afraid you might get hurt if your instant pot explodes? YES, that instant pot of yours can explode at any time if it is malfunction, causing you serious damage. There have been a number of cases where instant pot explodes during cooking.
Why does it happen? How can you save yourself from getting severe injuries? Here, in this article, youll get all the information you need about instant pot explosions.
Can My Instant Pot Explode?
Instant pots are used for Pressure-cooking that helps to prepare food in no time. Usually, the food that may take hours of cooking, can be cooked in a few minutes using an instant pot. The pressure inside the Instant pot is regulated between 10.12 11.6 psi with the help of a pressure regulator.
Whenever, due to any reason, this pressure inside the pot exceeds a limit of 15.25 psi, your instant pot explodes. This is because the steam building inside the pot reaches its maximum limit that needs immediate evacuation. Therefore, at this moment, the chances of your instant pot exploding suddenly during cooking are higher than anything else.
Instant Pot Explosion Scenarios
Don’t Miss: How To Make Vanilla Yogurt In An Instant Pot
