Denver, CO personal injury attorney George McLaughlin talks about the dangers of pressure cookers. He emphasizes that the primary danger of a pressure cooker lies in the extreme heat of its contents when cooked under pressure. At sea level, water boils at 212°F (100°C), but in a pressurized container, the boiling point rises significantly. For example, a stew cooked in a pressure cooker—beef, potatoes, and carrots—can reach temperatures well above standard boiling water, often 225–230°F. Contact with such hot liquids can cause severe burns much more quickly than normal boiling water.

The most serious hazard occurs if the lid is opened while the cooker is still pressurized. The pressurized liquid rapidly converts to steam, expanding dramatically—approximately 16 cubic feet of gas per cubic inch of water—forcing the hot liquid and solids to erupt from the pot. This sudden ejection can strike the arms, chest, and face, causing serious thermal injuries. This risk is a direct consequence of basic physics governing the behavior of liquids under pressure.