First the “This is Us” Crockpot controversy, and now this?! Do we have to be concerned about all of our favorite kitchen gadgets?
Maybe.
It turns out that some people are having issues with their Instant Pots melting. Yes, melting. People have reported that the unit is overheating and the plastic on the bottom gets so hot that it melts. (This pains us to write… not our beloved Instant Pot!)
While the company hasn’t issued an official recall, they have acknowledged that there is an issue and have told customers to stop using their multi cooker if they have a certain version. The Instant Pot company says, “We are asking all our customers with a Gem 65 8-in-1 Multicooker from batchcodes 1728, 1730, 1731, 1734, and 1746 to immediately stop use of the product.” They also state that they’ve received only “a small number of reports” though some customers have commented that there are “countless people” who are having this issue.
The good news is that this only seems to be affecting one version, so people with other versions should be totally safe to carry on using their Instant Pots. (Whew, that’s a relief to us.)
The Instant Pot company says that they will be providing updated information and next steps about how to get a replacement product in the next few weeks. To find out if you have the Instant Pot in question, look on the bottom of your appliance. On the bottom right corner of the label, you’ll find the four-digit batchcode. If it’s one of these numbers – 1728, 1730, 1731, 1734, or 1746 – unplug that baby and go back to using your trusty slow cooker for the time being. The company is working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and should have next step information out to consumers soon.