Reports say Instant Pot cookers are melting and overheating

Chances are that you or someone you know either owns—or wants to own—an Instant Pot. They’re easy, quick and there are so many recipes, it’s unsurprising that they’ve become so popular. In fact, they were selling out even before the holidays last year.

Recently, however, some Instant Pot owners have reported that their device is overheating, leading to the bottom of the machine melting. In response to what Instant Pot says is a “small number of reports,” the company issued a statement urging users with certain batches of the Gem 65 8-in-1 Multicooker model to stop using the product.

Batchcodes believed to be affected are: 1728, 1730, 1731, 1734 and 1746. To verify the batchcode on your Instant Pot, look for the silver label on the bottom. If the number on yours matches the above batchcodes, stop using the device.

The Gem 65 8-in-1 Multicooker model, by the way, is the only Instant Pot brand that is oval, so the taller version you may be used to seeing is not the one in question.

“We want you to know that we take any problem with our products extremely seriously as safety and quality are our primary concern, and we are working cooperatively with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC),” Instant Pot wrote on Facebook on Feb. 18. “We anticipate providing updated information and next steps regarding receiving a replacement Gem 65 8-in-1 Multicooker within the next few weeks.”

Commenting has since been turned off on the post, but one person said they saw bubbles forming on the bottom of their device, with another disputing that it’s only a few customers, writing, “There are countless people who have been waiting months since receiving this message as an email.”

For now, it’s best to just stop using your Instant Pot if the one you have is affected. You can also contact Instant Pot’s customer service department by emailing support@instantpot.com or calling 1-800-828-7280.

[h/t: Consumer Reports]