Amazon.com is facing a product liability lawsuit over allegations that the Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker can be opened while still pressurized, posing a serious burn hazard to consumers.
The lawsuit was filed in March 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado by a Commerce City, Colorado resident who alleges he was burned on April 7, 2024, while using the Instant Pot Duo 60 V3 model during normal, everyday cooking.
According to the complaint, the pressure cooker’s lid was able to be rotated and removed while the unit was still under pressure — allowing scalding hot food and steam to be forcefully ejected from the cooker and onto the plaintiff.
The lawsuit alleges the incident resulted in serious and substantial burn injuries, along with medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain, and mental anguish.
The Instant Pot Duo’s user manual markets the cooker as having a Float Valve safety mechanism that is supposed to lock the lid in place while the unit is pressurized, stating the lid “cannot be opened” until the valve drops and pressure is fully released.
The lawsuit alleges this safety mechanism failed during normal use, allowing the lid to be rotated open while dangerous pressure remained inside.
The complaint accuses Amazon of selling a defectively designed product and alleges the company knew or should have known about the risk. The lawsuit further alleges that safer alternative designs existed that could have prevented the lid from opening under these conditions, but were never implemented.
Instant Brands, Inc., the original manufacturer of the Instant Pot, filed for bankruptcy in 2023 and is currently undergoing proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Because of the automatic stay imposed on Instant Brands, Amazon is the sole defendant in the Colorado case and is deemed the product’s manufacturer under Colorado law.
Pressure cooker burn injuries can be severe. When a pressurized cooker opens unexpectedly, a sudden release of hot steam and liquid can cause serious burns to exposed skin, particularly the hands, arms, and face. These areas are difficult to protect when cooking in a normal kitchen setting.
Consumers who were burned by an Instant Pot pressure cooker that opened or could be rotated while still pressurized may have legal options. A product liability attorney can advise on potential claims.
Source: Rech v. Amazon.com, Inc. — U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, Case No. 1:26-cv-01146