Coffee Maker Recall: 1.7M Tassimo, Bosch Coffee Makers Have Burn Risk
Tassimo and Bosch single-serve coffee makers can spray scalding-hot liquid and cause severe burns, a federal agency warned in announcing an international recall.
In a related action, single-serve coffee "T-discs" sold under the brands Gevalia, Maxwell House, and Nabob are also being recalled.
The coffee maker recall affects more than 1.7 million units sold in the United States and Canada. More than three dozen people, including a 10-year-old Minnesota girl, suffered second-degree burns linked to the coffee makers, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said.
The problem lies in a plastic disc, called a T-disc, that holds the single serving of coffee or tea. The disc "can burst and spray hot liquid and coffee grounds or tea leaves onto consumers" and bystanders, the Commission warned.
That's why 4 million packages of Tassimo espresso T-discs are also being recalled. The discs can become clogged and cause coffee makers to spray hot liquids and grounds; 21 people have been burned, including a 2-year-old girl in Canada, the agency said.
No lawsuits have yet been filed, but burn victims may be able to seek damages from the allegedly defective products' manufacturers. The victims may try to sue for negligence, or for breach of an implied warranty of merchantability -- that the product sold is in good working order.
Possible defenses to liability may include unforeseeable user error, or even assumption of risk associated with a hot-beverage dispenser.
The Tassimo espresso T-discs are made by Illinois-based Kraft Foods Global Inc., but are sold under the brands Gevalia, Maxwell House, and Nabob.
The coffeemakers are made by California-based BSH Home Appliances Corp., but are sold under the brand names Bosch, Tassimo, and Tassimo Professional.
The affected coffee makers, and the recalled T-discs, are listed at the Consumer Product Safety Commission's website.
Related Resources:
- Tassimo coffeemakers, discs recalled over burn risk (The Associated Press)
- Defective and Dangerous Products (FindLaw)
- Browse Products Liability Lawyers by Location (FindLaw)
- Facts of 'Hot Coffee' Case Show True Role of Personal Injury Litigation (FindLaw)
