Electric Immersion Water Heaters
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 242
Down 100% over 5 years
The verdict
Electric Immersion Water Heaters carry a danger score of 14/100 (very low risk), driven by roughly 65 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 100% over the last five years.
- 14/100
- danger score (very low risk)
- 65
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 0.0%
- end in hospital admission
- 45-54
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 242 - last data year 2016.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 14/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for electric immersion water heaters - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume65 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)0.0%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-100%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Electric Immersion Water Heaters (CPSC product code 242, in the Kitchen Cooking Appliances category) generate an estimated 65 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 452 ER-treated injuries across the 10-year span from 2007 to 2016. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 14/100 for this category (very 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 100% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2016 (103 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2009 (15 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for electric immersion water heaters is contusions, abr. to the foot, accounting for approximately 103 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by nerve damage to the lower trunk (88 cases). The 45-54 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 188 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 0.0% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 10 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 10 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how electric immersion water heaters 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 2016-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2007–2016)
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 | 16 | 0 | |
| 25-34 | 16 | 0 | |
| 35-44 | 119 | 0 | |
| 45-54 | 188 | 0 | |
| 65-74 | 98 | 0 | |
| 75+ | 16 | 0 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Foot | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Trunk | Nerve Damage | |
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Hand | Burn, Electrical | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Knee | Other | |
| Shoulder | Fracture | |
| Toe | Fracture | |
| All Parts Body | Electric Shock | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
38YOM HAD A HOT WATER HEATER FALL ONTO FOOT AT HOME CONTUSION TO FOOT
34YOM SUSTAINED A FINGER LACERATION ON HIS WATER HEATER
45YOM LIFTED A WATER HEATER AND DEVELOPED PAIN DOWN LOWER BACK SCIATICA
49YOM PULLING OUT A WATER HEATER AND STRAINED RIGHT SHOULDER
4 YOM FELL OFF SLIDING BOARD AT PARKFRACTURE SHOULDER
96YOM WORKING ON A HOT WATER HEATER AND SUSTAINED A FACIAL LACERATION
68YOM DROPPED A HOT WATER HEATER ONTOP OF RIGHT GREAT TOE FRACTURED TOE
44YOM MOVING A WATER HEATER AND DEVELOPED PAIN IN KNEE KNEE PAIN
46 YO STATES WAS SHOCKED BY HOT WATER HEATERDX ELECTRIC SHOCK TO ALL OF BODY
2 CM FINGER LACERATION:LIFTING SWIMMING POOL HEATER, CUT FINGER ONHEATER
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Burned part of my chicken coop because it melted their water container and and the pallet it sat on.
I purchased a Laboomkey/[REDACTED] immersion water heater from Amazon through my own account. On April 11, 2024, the product exploded during use and caused a fire inside our home. I went to the [REDACTED] hospital a few days later, and received treatment for smoke inhalation, and was diagnosed with other injuries. We later found there were dozens of 1-star reviews on Amazon's website showing the exact same situations in verified customer reviews, along with fires and property damage.
The consumer used the product twice and there were no issues. This product is designed like a curling wand and it is placed in the water and intended to heat the water. The 3rd time she used the product, the wand was in the water for approximately 10 - 15 minutes. She checked the thermometer and found that the wand was heating very slow. When she checked it a 3rd time, the thermometer was at 72 degrees. She pulled the product from the tub and checked it. She placed it back into the tub and left the bathroom. A few seconds later, she realized that she left something in the bathroom and went back to get it. She found blue flames emitting from the bathtub. She immediately pull the cord from the electric wall outlet. She observed the product for a couple minutes and indicated that the flames were approximately the size of a softball. The flames died down around 5 minutes or so. She used her left hand to grab the product's plastic handle. She noted that the metal handle is approximately 1 foot long. As soon as she grabbed the plastic, it melted around her left hand. She threw the product into the porcelain sink. Hot plastic dripped onto the toilet. She placed a towel over her hand and called 911. Medical technicians came and transported her to Harbor View Medical Center's ER. The medical staff gave her a cold bag of ice and later admitted her to the Medical facility's Burn Unit. She sustained 2nd degree burns. The medical staff applied a dressing to her hand and advised her to come back on 2/5/2021, for further evaluation. The consumer was released the same day. NOTE: Her pinky finger, ring finger, middle finger and the palm of her hand-up to the thumb area, sustained the most burn damage. The consumer believes that this product should be removed from the market immediately. NOTE: There is no company name or brand on the product. The information on it is written in Chinese letters.
Submersible Bird-Bath Heater. I purchased this type of product, Lollyes, Model BSV-HP003/P, 70-watt heater, made in China, in mid October 2023 via Amazon. While in use in a water-filled birdbath in late January 2024 it started to trip the GFI outlet that powers exterior electrical devices. As I searched for a replacement on Amazon's site I noticed many similar products have received poor reviews ( 1 star) because they also had a similar short-circuit problems. The heater I described above has a 3-wire plug, but several models have only a simple 2-prong power plug. After my experience and reading reviews I believe strongly that these types of products require a thorough review for potential short circuits and faulty wiring. Without a GFI, this type of product is a serious shock hazard. An ohmmeter connected between the power pin the the third-wire (green) pin measured a resistance of 20,000 ohms. That value means a "leakage" of about 5.5 milliamperes, which could cause death.
Amazon is selling an item called an immersion water heater - it is advertised as being UL listed and Safe and shows a three prong cord - however, the third prong is FAKE and there is no ground. When put it water it electrocuted me. Others in the reviews indicated similar defects. [REDACTED]
I placed the product in my kiddie pool for 10 minutes. After around that time it smelled like smoke. I placed my hand near it, and it electrocuted me and burst into flames. It caused a severe burn to my right hand. I went to the ER and got treated for 3rd degree burns. This product could of killed and electrocuted my 8 year old.
Laboomkey immersive bucket heater stated container filled with water on fire. The container was outside and on cement so fire did not spread. Discovered the burnt container next morning
I've had this product for about two years and used about 30 times. I was using it to maintain a water temp of 85 degrees Celsius. After about two hours there was a burning smell. I didn't immediately notice where it was coming from, but then I noticed a lot of smoke and the side paneling started melting inward. I opened the unit and noticed a lot of char around the heating wire and associated connections. It melted the insulation and destroyed the contact connections.
Showing 8 of 10 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to electric immersion water heaters on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are electric immersion water heaters?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, electric immersion water heaters have a danger score of 14/100 (very low risk). An estimated 65 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from electric immersion water heaters?
The most common injury is contusions, abr. to the foot, accounting for approximately 103 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from electric immersion water heaters increasing or decreasing?
Down 100% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for electric immersion water heaters injuries?
The 45-54 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 188 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by electric immersion water heaters?
Of all ER visits involving electric immersion water heaters, approximately 0.0% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (100.0%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with electric immersion water heaters?
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 14/100 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 45-54 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.
