Pressure Cooker Explosions

A pressure cooker is a sealed pot that cooks food with pressurized steam. Pressure cookers were created in the 1600s by Denis Papin. Papin studied the effects of pressure and steam on the food cooking process. The pressure of the steam allows food to cook more quickly than conventional methods.

As the steam pressurizes the food within the cooker, a valve is used to control the pressure within the pot. This process raises the boiling point of water from an average of 212 degrees Fahrenheit to as high as 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The increase in the boiling point of water forces moisture into the food within the cooker, which expedites cooking time.

The safe operation of pressure cookers is highly dependent on a cooker’s design. Pressure cookers must safely release pressure. The safe release of pressure ensures that the device does not explode, cause dangerous burns, or result in deadly spills.

Manufacturers of pressure cookers often advertise built-in safety features for their pressure cookers. One of these features is steam release valves with safety lock lids. The steam release valve and safety lock lid on modern pressure cookers are designed to open only when pressure within the cooker is not high. However, in many instances, the valve and safety lids fail to prevent the lid from opening under high pressure. Instead, the lid bursts or prematurely allows a consumer to open the cooker, resulting in severe burns and other permanent injuries.

As a result, a defective pressure cooker can be a ticking time bomb in your kitchen. When a pressure cooker fails, some possible injuries that can occur are: