Pressure Cooker Safety - Severe Injury News Story

[Boogity]

I read that article twice and I'm not so sure there is any need for alarm. There are lots of very dumb people out there in this big world of ours. And the press (and other "news" media) are ready to pounce on any occasion to inflate and to elaborate every situation.

Yup, if you can't find the proper pressure relief weight for your pressure cooker and you use a brick there just might be a problem.

The lady was up in years and maybe she has not cleaned out the pressure relief vent in many years.

If you have the handle of the pressure cooker hanging out over the edge of the stove you just might bump it and have it crash to the floor. Boiling water under pressure is a powerful force. And even more powerful as soon as the pressure is released.

Who knows what happened. Obviously the person who wrote the article had no clue. But I'm reasonably sure it was not the fault of the pressure cooker.

I have been around pressure cookers since I was a little kid and there has never been any kind of incident.

 

[KevsFarm]

Boogity, i agree, people do, do stupid things causing accidents. I'm not saying a pressure cooker/canner can't blow its lid, even when you do everything by the book and the equipment is clean and in good condition.I've been using them for decades, my mother, grandmother and great grandmother all used them.There has never been any kind of accident like a lid blowing in all my families pressure cooking hisory.Can it happen...?,i'm sure it can...When they are kept up to snuff, i feel safe around my pressure cookers.

 

[JRmom]

I have an older pressure cooker that has a long handle - yes, I can see where that could be a safety hazard (just like any pot with a long handle - always turn them away from the front of the stove). I recently bought a new larger pressure cooker - the handles are thick and wide and only stick out an inch - much better design!

 

[valmom]

I have also been thinking of a pressure canner, but am afraid of them! I would love to be able to can more than pickles and jams this year. Stories like this make me think twice. Or 3 times. I just don't know enough about them to feel safe.

 

[FarmerJamie]

There are so many different locking mechanism for pressure cookers. The woman getting hurt is a sad thing. The canner did fall and we don't know the type of canner locking mechanism. So I'm probably chalking this up to dumb luck.

I won't give up my (er, my wife's) canner. JIMHO.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[2dream]

Even after reading this news I will still use both my pressure cooker and my pressure canner just like I still continue to drive my car even though I have seen much worse news stories about car accidents. I also still have a dog that might or might not turn on me one day, eat raw veggies from my garden and eggs from my chickens who may or may not have salmonella. Oh, and bring me some raw milk and I will drink it.

I always knew I was a rebel but now I think I might be a daredevil as well.

Edited to add: I guess all the restarts on typing this, my original thought was - What a horrible accident that lady had - got lost somewhere along the way. I hope she is ok.