Vaporizers
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 Small Appliances & Housewares · CPSC Code 305
Down 34% over 5 years
The verdict
Vaporizers carry a danger score of 27/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 219 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 34% over the last five years.
- 27/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 219
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 5.8%
- end in hospital admission
- 0-4
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 305 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 27/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for vaporizers - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume219 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)5.8%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-34%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Vaporizers (CPSC product code 305, in the Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares category) generate an estimated 219 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 4,378 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 27/100 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 34% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2019 (393 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2023 (77 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for vaporizers is burn, scald to the hand, accounting for approximately 489 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by poisoning to the all parts body (434 cases). The 0-4 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 2,428 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 5.8% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 11 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how vaporizers 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 | 1,310 | 1,118 | |
| 5-14 | 264 | 254 | |
| 15-24 | 308 | 186 | |
| 25-34 | 32 | 145 | |
| 35-44 | 270 | 104 | |
| 45-54 | 76 | 15 | |
| 55-64 | 62 | 0 | |
| 65-74 | 0 | 87 | |
| 75+ | 84 | 64 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Hand | Burn, Scald | |
| All Parts Body | Poisoning | |
| Foot | Burn, Scald | |
| Upper Leg | Burn, Scald | |
| Upper Trunk | Burn, Scald | |
| Finger | Burns, Thermal | |
| Finger | Burn, Scald | |
| Lower Trunk | Burn, Scald | |
| Lower Trunk | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Arm | Burn, Scald | |
| Lower Leg | Burn, Scald | |
| Face | Burn, Scald | |
| Hand | Burns, Thermal | |
| Ankle | Burn, Scald | |
| Mouth | Laceration |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
35 YOF A STEAM VAPORIZER BURNED HER LEFT ANKLE. DX: BURN OF LOWER EXTREMITY
29YOF WAS AT A FAMILY MEMBERS HOME WHEN THEY WERE RUNNIGN AN ESSENTIAL OIL VAPORIZER AND SHE DEVELOEPD HIVES ALL OVER DX: ALLERGIC REACTION
7YOF PT'S MOM USING A WATER STEAM VAPORIZER, SOME WATER SPILLED ON PT'S LEG DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN OF RT LOWER LEG #
2YOF WAS CRAWLING AT HOME AND KNOCKED OVER A HEATED VAPORIZER AND THE HOT WATER SPILLED ONTO HER BUTTOCKS SOAKED THROUGH HER PAJAMAS DX: SCALD BURN TO BUTTOCKS
4yom tripped on a cord of the *** vaporizer/humidifier (that was sitting on the kitchen island) at home and hot water spilled on his chest. DX: burn of chest wall.
17YOF PRESENTS W/ CHEST PAIN AND TROUBLE BREATHING PER GF THEY WERE SMOKING A TC VAPORIZER WHEN SYMPTOMS BEGAN DX: MOST LIKELY THC INTOX PANIC ATTACK
2YOM WAS FOUND DRINKING FROM A *** VAPORIZING STEAM LIQUID CONTAINER DX: ACCIDENTAL INGESTION OF A TOXIC SUBSTANCE
2YOM WHOSE PARENTS WERE USING A *** MACHINE TO HELP HIS CONGESTION, AND THE HOT WATER SPLASHED ON HIS ABDOMEN AND RIGHT WRIST. DX: BURN ANY DEGREE INVOLVING LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF BODY SURFACE.
4yom pulled over a *** machine and hot water spilled onto his thigh DX: scald burn to thigh
38YOM PRESENTS WITH A 2ND -3RD DEGREE BURN TO THE LT THIGH AFTER HIS VAPORIZOR EXPLODED IN HIS POCKET. DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN OF THE LT LOWER EXTREMITY
25YO M WITH A FORIEGN BODY IN HIS RECTUM ONE HOUR PTA. HE STATES HE BELIEVES IT IS A VAPE AND IS NOT ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS. DX: RECTAL FOREIGN BODY #
14YOF SMOKED A DAB PEN WITH NICOTINE AND THEN DRANK AND ENERGY DRINK. DX CHEST PAIN
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
I was using a Cuboid 150W from Joyetech when it suddenly exploded in my hands and started shooting flames out of the battery compartment. It exploded without notice and was in good working order with no signs of abuse or neglect. It exploded inside my home office, filling the air with toxic fumes and burning my hands. It was quite terrifying. Had this happened inside a moving vehicle, I shudder to think of the outcome. Someone needs to investigate these before someone dies as a result of this product.
(08/25/2013) The consumer stated that she walked into her kid's room. She smelled something burning. The consumer stated that there was smoke coming from the vaporizer. The consumer stated that she unplugged the vaporizer. The consumer stated that the plug was very hot. The consumer stated that the plug was so hot that it burned her hand.The consumer stated that the vaporizer had been on for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Hello, I purchased a Volcano Hybrid from Storz and Bickel in January 2020. They sent me an outdated safety manual so I was unaware of a defect with their product. They also did not notify me of the updated instructions or notify me that I was entitled to a replacement part that fixed the defect altogether. The article through this link ([REDACTED]) provides more specific details around the issue. As a result, I potentially inhaled metal dust through their product for months. I just want to make sure that everyone who purchased this product, before the defective parts were replaced, is aware of the issue and solution. I happened to learn of the safety issue while browsing [REDACTED] - Storz and Bickel should have emailed me months ago. Furthermore, I have not been able to get in contact with Storz and Bickel for my replacement part, making my Volcano unsafe to operate. Please let me know if you need any additional information. Best, [REDACTED]
I walked into the gym. I felt like there was a cloud around me in the air. The air was full of some chemicals. It turned out to be an "aromatherapy" machine that was spraying some fragrance in the air. I got dizzy, had difficulty breathing, got horrible pain in my head, my eyes were burning and I couldn't breathe. I had to leave. I was sick for some time because of this so got curious and investigated to find out what was in the product. I managed to get the "top secret proprietary" ingredients of the product. The product contains known carcinogens, 2 ingredients that are in the state of NJ's Hazardous substance Right to Know list, and includes 16 pages of warnings and hazards including: - causes cancer - causes damage to fetuses in pregnant woman - toxic to the environment/ do not release to the environment - fatal to marine life - do not breathe the vapors, mist or fumes (then why are they putting into a machine to breathe!) - use gloves, mask and protective eyewear - the list goes on for 16 pages like this Luckily, once my building's gym saw the ingredients, they promptly turned the machine off and are having the air professionally cleaned. They were horrified as well. Our manager was pregnant breathing in this poison during her pregnancy because she was told it was safe. Not to mention all the other pregnant women in the building. The reason I am contacting you, is that I have learned that this product is being used nationwide, basically everywhere, including: - Miami International Airport - Lexus and Lincoln car dealerships - Abercrombie and Fitch, Versace. ZGallery, Modani, and many other retailers - Hilton, Hyatt, The Shore Club, The Mondrian, and other hotels - Universal Studios - The Casino at Gulfstream - Carnival Cruise Lines - Disney - any many many more. The company told me that this is their number one selling fragrance worldwide, and this exact formula, for which I have the ingredients, is being used at all of these pl
My family returned home from the grocery store, we made it a habit of not leaving any humidifiers plugged in. After turning on the switch, we smelled an acrid burning scent. I ran over to the humidifier and unplugged it quickly. I immediately opened the doors and windows, allowing the smoke to dissipate before setting off the fire and security alarm. I immediately phoned Mainstays who manufactured the product for Walmart and was told the return window was closed and there was nothing they will do about the dangerous product being sold in stores.
Just bought the Crane Vaporizer, cleaned it and filled it with water. When I tried to plug it in it sparked and blew a circuit. I dumped the water and cleaned it thoroughly per instructions and fill it again. I tried plugging it in a different outlet that has surge protection. Again it sparked a lot and melted the plug.
Walmart's Mainstays brand steam vaporizer / humidifier caught on fire during regular use. Plastic melted and and flames were shooting out of the top of the unit.
Family Care Vaporizer model HV 740/745 caught fire at junction of cord and vaporizer motor after being on for 2 hours or less. Vaporizer was used successfully the evening before, but otherwise has only been used sparingly. No injuries sustained, cord was swiftly unplugged.
Showing 8 of 11 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to vaporizers on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are vaporizers?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, vaporizers have a danger score of 27/100 (low risk). An estimated 219 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from vaporizers?
The most common injury is burn, scald to the hand, accounting for approximately 489 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from vaporizers increasing or decreasing?
Down 34% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for vaporizers injuries?
The 0-4 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 2,428 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by vaporizers?
Of all ER visits involving vaporizers, approximately 5.8% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (94.2%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with vaporizers?
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 Small Appliances & Housewares
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 27/100 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.