The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall for Instant Pot GEM non-pressure multi-cookers, yesterday. The voluntary recall comes two weeks after Hip Pressure Cooking first reported that Instant Pot had asked owners of the Gem multi-cookers to stop using them via a Facebook post.
Although the agency’s Safer Products database has yet to show a single consumer report the recall notice states that Double Insight (Instant Pot’s parent company) received 107 reports of overheating, five of which resulted in minor property damage. Thus far, no injuries have been reported.
The Affected Cookers
This recall only applies to Instant Pot’s GEM non-pressure multicooker with batch codes 1728, 1730, 1731, 1734 and 1746. The units are not round, but rectangular with rounded corners and do not have a pressure cooking lid. They resemble a slow cooker (see illustration above). The batch code is located on the rating label on the underside of the product. The batch code is the 4-digit number located at the bottom right of the label.
The Problem
GEM non-pressure multicookers were sold exclusively via Walmart and Walmart Online from August 2017 through January 2018 are recalled due to a defect which causes them to overheat, melt the base and cause a fire hazard. According to Instant Pot, a tooling misalignment during the manufacturing process created a gap between the bottom of the inner pot and the top surface of the heating plate – this gap is what causes the multicooker to overheat.
The Solution
Consumers with the affected cookers are urged to stop using them immediately – even if their cookers have not shown any signs of overheating. The cookers can be taken to any Walmart store, even without the original box or receipt, for a replacement or exchange.
If there is not Walmart store in the vicinity, register the cooker on Instant Pot’s GEM website, by filling out the form at the bottom of the page, to receive a “return kit” which includes a box and shipping label to return the unit to Instant Pot. Once they receive the unit, they will ship a replacement GEM at no additional cost.
At the time of this writing, Walmart’s official product recall page, did not include any information about the Instant Pot GEM recall.
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It was interesting to me to see on various news programs (NBC National News in particular) when they were talking about this they showed a picture of the IP Duo at first, then the Gem. Making it look like all IPs were being recalled. I thought it very misleading and poor reporting.
Gale, it might be misleading and poor reporting – but it’s good ratings. It definitely kept people watching or reading until the end of the segment and I bet those stories were shared on social media quite a bit.
Stinky… but smart!
Ciao,
L ; )
Exactly. but then the IP folks have to scramble to correct it and that hardly seems fair.
This happened to my Instant Pot Duo!!! I communicated with the company and sent multiple photos of a melted base that originated behind & at the base of the electronic panel when it was left on “Leep warm” for 2.5 hours after cooking. I never use the keep warm feature on the replacement pot, and will not use it as a slow cooker.
Laura, what brand do you recommend as as a PC/SC? Which do you find most reliable with best customer service? I’d really like to ditch my IP all together because I know there is a wiring/electronic fault that caused mine to begin to melt down, and am angry at the company’s insistence that it was user error.
I wish they would be honest and extend the recall to the IPs as well, before someone has a kitchen fire.
Oh, wow Astrid! Please e-mail me all the photos (at the e-mail you got confirming your comment was published) along with a photo of the tag in the back near the plug with the UL rating (that also has the batch number).
My recommended cookers are Instant Pot, Fagor and Breville. Since you’re done with Instant Pot and Fagor America is going out to business the only other option is Breville. I really like this cooker and it has a few extra features that current Instant Pots do not have which are being able to regulate the pressure and automatic pressure release. Here is the review, happy shopping!
http://www.hippressurecooking.com/breville-fast-slow-pro-pressure-cooker-review/
Ciao,
L
Their poor customer service is very disappointing. After all, what would it cost them to acknowledge your issue, without blaming ‘customer error’ and replacing the item? I gave away my 6qt IP and only have a 3, with I am happy with, so far.
That said, I also have the Breville and am delighted with it’s versatility and quality. But then, I am big fan of that company and have had no issues with any of their products, touch wood.
I loved my Gem. Hope they get the product fixed.
I used mine one time. :(
Your recipe for Sicilian vegetable medley in the Instant Pot recipe book 4th edition does not say when to add all the additional ingredients after the vegetables
Hi Laura,
Did you know that your Red Wine Poached Pears recipe in the Instant Pot Recipe Booklet makes no mention of the 2 cups of sugar? Page 41. There’s a mention of “sugar” in the method, but that’s it.
So far, I have bought 4 IPs. Two for relatives and two for myself and the only problem I’ve found is translating the “Manual” in cookbooks to “Pressure cook” on my two “Ultra 10 in 1″s. Oh yes! One of my last two came without the electric cord, which, when I called them, they quickly sent to me.