Electric Coffee Makers Or Teapots
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Kitchen Cooking Appliances · CPSC Code 217
Down 29% over 5 years
The verdict
Electric Coffee Makers Or Teapots carry a danger score of 31/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 548 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 29% over the last five years.
- 31/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 548
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 8.7%
- end in hospital admission
- 0-4
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 217 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 31/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for electric coffee makers or teapots - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume548 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)8.7%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-29%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Electric Coffee Makers Or Teapots (CPSC product code 217, in the Kitchen Cooking Appliances category) generate an estimated 548 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 10,952 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 31/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are declining by about 29% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2019 (968 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2010 (214 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for electric coffee makers or teapots is burn, scald to the face, accounting for approximately 1,056 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by burn, scald to the upper trunk (914 cases). The 0-4 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 3,356 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 8.7% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 1,178 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how electric coffee makers or teapots fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 2,450 | 906 | |
| 5-14 | 313 | 193 | |
| 15-24 | 505 | 553 | |
| 25-34 | 580 | 678 | |
| 35-44 | 601 | 1,050 | |
| 45-54 | 461 | 649 | |
| 55-64 | 229 | 319 | |
| 65-74 | 276 | 575 | |
| 75+ | 166 | 454 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Face | Burn, Scald | |
| Upper Trunk | Burn, Scald | |
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Lower Arm | Burn, Scald | |
| Hand | Burn, Scald | |
| Hand | Burns, Thermal | |
| Upper Leg | Burn, Scald | |
| Finger | Burn, Scald | |
| Foot | Laceration | |
| Foot | Burn, Scald | |
| Hand | Laceration | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| All Parts Body | Electric Shock | |
| Lower Arm | Burns, Thermal |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
36YOF STEAM BURN TO FOREARM AND BACK OF HAND WHEN OPENING OWN ESPRESSO MACHINE. + BLISTERSDX BURN FOREARM
3YOF CHILD PULLED THE COFFEE POT/MACHINE ONTO HERSELF, BURING HER CHEST, ESTIMATED BEING AT LEAST TOTAL BODY SURFACE AREA MIXTURE OF BEING 14% WITH 5-6% OF THE BEING CLEARLY SECOND DEGREE DX: BURN BY HOT LIQUID, PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN OF CHEST WALL
21 YOF COFFEE POT BROE AND CUT R FOREARM DX; AVULSION
42YOF CUT HER RIGHT THUMB ON THE BROKEN GLASS OF A FRENCH PRESS COFFEE MACHINE DX: LACERATION RIGHT THUMB
71YOF WAS WALKING WITH A WALKER AND A *** WATER PITCHER AND HAD A SLIP AND FALL LANDING ONTO RIGHT HIP DX: HIP FRACTURE
18MOF GRABBED A TEA POT OF BOILING WATER AT HOME AND IT SPILLED ON HER FACE AND CHEST. DX: BURN OF FACE, NECK, SHOULDER, AND CHEST.
9MOM PULLED CORD AND DROPPED A POT OF COFFEE OFF COUNTER LANDING ON PT. C/O BURN TO R CHEEK, ARM, AND BILAT THIGH
76 YOM TRIPPED AND FELL WHIE CARRING A COFFEE MACHINE (FRENCH PRESS), SUSTAINED A LAC TO CHIN AND LIP. DX: LAC TO LIP AND CHIN
69 YOF INJURED UPPER LEG, CHEST, ABDOMEN, COFFEE POT EXPLODED, HOT LIQUID WENT ALL OVER, WEARING PANTS. DX-ACCIDENTAL HOT LIQUIDS AND STEAM, BILATERAL UPPER LEG BURN, CHEST BURN, ABDOMENAL BURN
19MOF c/o burned on face, child was in kitchen and she pulled a cup of hot *** water onto herself. The water went on the side of right face and neck at home. Dx: First degree burn
31YOF C/O HAND INJURY, SHE BURNED HER RIGHT HAND WITH STEAM FROM ESPRESSO MACHINE, THERE IS REDNESS NOTED. DX;SUPERFICIAL BURN.
28YOF-PATIENT SAID STEAM CAME OUT OF HER ESPRESSO MACHINE AND BURNED HER LEFT FOREARM AT HOME. DX: SECOND DEGREE BURN OF FOREARM
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
I purchased a Mr. Coffee Espresso maker Model # BVMC-ECM 260 at Walmart. It exploded on its second use. The brew basket detached from its retainer clip while it was brewing coffee and exploded, splattering the walls, floor and countertop with coffee grounds and water. Abut a third of coffee had brewed into the carafe when this happened. I've been using an espresso maker for more than 15 years and this has never happened before. This is the second Mr. Coffee espresso maker that I have purchased in the past eight years.
This morning, while brewing coffee in our Cuisinart DCC-1200 coffee maker, we heard a loud grinding, popping noise coming from the coffee maker. When we went over to the counter where the coffee maker was we saw smoke coming out of the bottom of it and it was producing a horrible electrical burning smell. We immediately unplugged the unit and took it outside. After the smoke subsided and the unit cooled down, we inspected it. The problem seemed to be in the heating element of the unit where the burner was causing the plastic base of the coffee maker to melt and subsequently smoke around the electrical cord of it. After this happened, we found on the Cuisinart website under Consumer Affairs that there are many reports indicating a similar problem with this model. This is very disappointing as it appears to be a somewhat common issue, and this coffee maker is also rather expensive. This is the second coffee maker by Cusinart (same model) that we've had within six years. The first one was the same version of this but stainless steel versus plastic. That one just stopped working after about 3 years. When looking to replace that one, it appeared that Cuisinart replaced it with this plastic version. Thankfully, we were nearby the kitchen when our coffee maker started burning and smoking so we could take care of it immediately and avoid a larger fire. We will no longer purchase Cuisinart, and hope that this specific make and model coffee maker will be recalled to protect other consumers.
Consumer stated that whenever the Coffee pot was in use it immediately overheats and she is unable to power it off, it has to be unplug. 9/2/11 Consumer stated that she contacted the manufacturer who advised her to discard the product and that the product and that it would be replaced. Consumer feels that this product is a fire hazard and should be reported.
I put a k cup into the keurig dispenser. I put it into the cradle, after it heated up I turned the button to dispense the coffee. It was taking a little longer than normal and not really dispensing liquid. It started making an odd noise and then I heard a loud pop and hot water exploded everywhere, including on me. Luckily I had pants on, but I could easily have been burned if my skin was exposed. If there was a small child or pet standing in front of it, it would have been a really bad situation. GE Cafe Series Caf with Keurig K-CUP Brewing System 22.2-cu ft Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker (Stainless Steel) ENERGY STAR MODEL: CYE22USHISS
The consumer states that she was cleaning and noticed that the base of the coffeemaker had burn damages. The consumer indicated that she does not know when the base melted but she noticed it today, 9/7/16. The consumer then contacted the firm (800-726-0190) to express her safety concerns. The consumer was advised that the coffeemaker has a 3 year warranty and they could not provide any repairs since it was purchased approximately 5 years ago. The consumer indicated that the Rep. (name unknown) refused to allow the consumer to send a picture of the damages or send the coffeemaker so it could be examined by the firm. The consumer told the Rep. that the coffeemaker could have caught on fire and the Rep. advised her that there is a safety feature that would have prevented it from catching on fire. The consumer indicated that she received the coffee maker as a gift about 5 years ago. The consumer states that she uses the coffeemaker daily. The consumer indicated that the coffeemaker cost approximately $200.
Cuisinart DCC-1200 Coffee Maker: Turned on "Brew" setting in the morning. Approximately five minutes later, the unit began smoking and the smell of burning plastic filled the house. The On/Off light was off, but the coffee in the carafe was boiling and the metal plate beneath was bright red. I quickly unplugged the unit and removed it outdoors where it continued to smoke for several seconds.
The nespresso machine started to overheat and produced a smoke smell. My husband burned his hand in the process of trying to remove the unit. The unit was plugged in but was not in use during the time of the incident
bought a krups electric tea kettle. it heat water to boiling and then leaks water.
Showing 8 of 1,178 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to electric coffee makers or teapots on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are electric coffee makers or teapots?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, electric coffee makers or teapots have a danger score of 31/100 (low risk). An estimated 548 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from electric coffee makers or teapots?
The most common injury is burn, scald to the face, accounting for approximately 1,056 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from electric coffee makers or teapots increasing or decreasing?
Down 29% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for electric coffee makers or teapots injuries?
The 0-4 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 3,356 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by electric coffee makers or teapots?
Of all ER visits involving electric coffee makers or teapots, approximately 8.7% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (91.3%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with electric coffee makers or teapots?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Kitchen Cooking Appliances
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 31/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 0-4 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
