Bissell Recalls More Than 3 Million Handheld Steamers After Customers Report Burn Injuries

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently announced the recall of BISSELL® Steam Shot™ Handheld Steam Cleaners. According to the recall, the recalled steam cleaners can expel hot water or steam onto the user while heating or during use, which poses a burn hazard. The CPSC is advising consumers to immediately stop using the recalled steam cleaners and contact Bissell to receive a replacement or a $60 credit to be used toward another Bissell purchase, or a $40 refund for each of the recalled steam cleaners. Bissell is instructing consumers to visit www.BISSELL.com/steamshotrecall to register for the recall, and for instructions on how to cut the cord and upload a photo of the steam cleaner showing the model number and the cut cord.

Bissell has received 183 reports of hot water or steam escaping from the product. This includes 157 reports of minor burn injuries. The steam cleaners were sold by Target, Walmart, and other major department stores. They were also sold online at www.bissell.com, www.amazon.com, www.hsn.com, among other websites, from August 2008 through May 2024 for between $35 and $40, or $70 for two.

This isn’t the only problem that handheld steamer manufacturers have faced 

Handheld steamers have the potential to cause burn injuries to customers. Both Vornado and Black and Decker recently encountered problems with their steam cleaners. Vornado steam cleaners injured 23 customers, while the Black and Decker steam cleaners were responsible for 82 burn injuries, seven of which caused second-degree burns. In addition, 94 incident reports involved steam cleaners that were repaired as part of the original recall. Nineteen burn injuries stemmed from repaired steam cleaners.

What types of injuries do defective steam cleaners cause? 

Steam cleaners can cause a wide array of injuries when they are defectively designed. Consumers who suffer burns or other injuries as a result of the steam cleaner can file a lawsuit against the company that manufactured it and the retailer who placed the product into the stream of commerce. Steam cleaners can cause the following injuries:

• Burns – Steam cleaners can cause first, second, or third-degree burns due to the scalding hot steam emitted by the device. Defective units, like those mentioned above, can expel hot water, leading to serious burn injuries.

• Eye injuries – Direct exposure of steam to the eyes can lead to serious eye damage, including substantial pain, blurred vision, and permanent injury to the cornea.

• Lung injuries – Any consumer who breathes in the piping hot steam from the steam cleaner can suffer injury to their airways and lungs, resulting in serious respiratory issues. It can also lead to epiglottitis, which is a potentially fatal swelling of the epiglottis and requires immediate medical attention.

• Slip and fall injuries – Condensed steam can result in slippery floors, which creates a slip hazard for the consumer. Slip and fall accidents can lead to traumatic brain injury or broken bones.

Talk to a Florida Product Liability Lawyer Today 

Injured by a defective steam cleaner? Call the Florida personal injury attorneys at Halpern, Santos & Pinkert today to schedule an appointment and learn more about how we can help.