The following letter from the makers of InstaPot appeared on my Facbook feed today. I've been curious about this appliance, but have been horrified upon reading this fire danger:
We have received a small number of reports of the Gem 8-in-1 Multicooker overheating, resulting in localized melting damage to the underside of the product. We believe the problem only affects batchcodes 1728, 1730, 1731, 1734, and 1746. To verify the 4-digit batchcode, locate the silver label on the underside of the product. The batchcode is the 4-digit number located at the bottom right of the label. We want you to know that we take any problem with our products extremely serious as safety and quality are our primary concern, and we are working cooperatively with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
We anticipate providing updated information and next steps regarding receiving a replacement Gem 8-in-1 Multicooker within the next few weeks. In the meantime, we are asking all our customers with a Gem 8-in-1 Multicooker from batchcodes 1728, 1730, 1731, 1734, and 1746 to immediately stop use of the product.
We are truly sorry for the inconvenience.
Sincerely,
Ronnee S.
Instant Pot Technician
Instant Pot Company, http://instantpot.com/
Customer Service Tel: +1 800 828-7280 ext 2
Fax: +1 613 800-0726