Slow Cooker and Pressure Cooker Safety Tips

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pressure cooker safety

January is National Slow Cooking Month. With many slow cookers and pressure cookers given as holiday gifts, people are anxious to use their new appliances. Before you make amazing homemade chicken soup and delectable pot roast, it’s important to understand proper slow cooker and pressure cooker safety. Patterson Legal Group is here to help you learn how to use these convenient appliances safely.

What Are Slow Cookers and Pressure Cookers?

Slow cookers are electric appliances that use a combination of low heat and moisture to cook food over a long period of time. They initially became popular in the 1940s for making pot roasts, soups, and stews. The Crock-Pot brand has become synonymous with slow cookers.

Pressure cookers were invented in the late 17th century. They use a combination of high heat, steam, and pressure to cook food quickly. Pressure cookers come in both electric and stove-top varieties.

More recently, multicook devices have become popular, since they can be used for slow cooking, pressure cooking, sauteing, and more. People love that one space-saving appliance can be used for a wide range of cooking. Popular multicookers are made by Breville, Cuisanart, Instant Pot, and Ninja.

Are Slow Cookers and Pressure Cookers Dangerous?

There are many misconceptions about slow cookers and pressure cookers. Some of them come from pop-culture, such as when Jack Pearson died on the popular show This is Us from smoke inhalation due to a fire caused by a Crock-Pot. Some people are irrationally scared of pressure cookers because they have been used to make improvised explosive devices.

Don’t believe the hype. These appliances are generally safe. They’re used safely by millions of people every year. While there are a small number of pressure cooker accidents, most are caused by user error, while a smaller number are caused by product defects.

What Are the Different Types of Pressure Cooker Injuries?

Although slow cookers, pressure cookers, and multicookers are overwhelmingly safe, accidents can happen. A manufacturing defect could lead to a variety of injuries, including electrocution. Pressure cookers with bad seals or ones that are opened unsafely can cause burn injuries. Appliances that are dirty or overfilled can fail, which may lead to a number of different injuries. In extreme cases, a pressure cooker may explode and lead to wrongful death.

Most of the injuries mentioned above can be avoided through proper appliance use. Unfortunately,  there are cases when a defective product can cause you and your family harm. In those cases, the unsafe products lawyers at Patterson Legal Group can assist you.

Pressure Cooker Safety Tips

There are many simple things that you can do in order to greatly increase your pressure cooker safety. They include:

  • Reading the manual so you understand how to use your appliance properly
  • Checking the condition of your appliance, particularly the wiring, before use
  • Cleaning your appliance to make sure dirt and debris do not interfere with its operation
  • Checking the seals of your pressure cooker or multicooker
  • Never opening your pressure cooker or multicooker until the steam is safely released
  • Only using your appliance for the purposes intended by the manufacturer

While multicookers are excellent appliances with great versatility, it’s important to use them properly and with care. For example, you may be tempted to try the pressure-frying method that made Colonel Sander’s chicken a global sensation. However, home multicookers are not meant for this; pressure-frying in a consumer multicooker could cause a gasket to melt, which could lead to an explosion.

Patterson Legal Group Encourages Pressure Cooker Safety

The team at Patterson Legal Group hopes that you and your family enjoy National Slow Cooking Month. As you create delicious meals in your multicooker, please keep our pressure cooker safety tips in mind. If you follow them, we’re confident that you’ll safely serve up some amazing dishes.

Unfortunately, some accidents can happen no matter how safe you’re being. If you suspect that your pressure cooker injury was caused by a defective product, please contact us immediately at 888-687-2400 or through the Internet via LiveChat or encrypted contact form. Our team of compassionate and experienced attorneys can help you receive maximum compensation for your injuries, medical expenses, time missed from work, pain and suffering, and more. Don’t let the insurance companies bully you into a low settlement. Contact Patterson Legal Group today.

The information on this blog is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to serve as legal advice for an individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship nor does viewing this material constitute an attorney-client relationship.