# How common are/were pressure cooker explosions(while cooking)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 23, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-were-pressure-cooker-explosions-while-cooking/656507 "2013-04-23T17:11:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 6
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-were-pressure-cooker-explosions-while-cooking/656507/6 "2013-04-23T20:35:51Z")
As I mentioned in the other thread I think pressure cooker explosions are like Korean Fan Death, a cultural phenomenon. Lids blowing off can happen, that’s a safety feature, but even that requires misuse and inattention. The basic info I provided in the other thread: > [@Well, I guess I won't be getting a pressure cooker](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-guess-i-wont-be-getting-a-pressure-cooker/656237/40): > > Unless you leave it unattended there’s zero chance of anything going wrong, assuming you know how to use it. Once it’s up to pressure you have to reduce the heat just to the point where some steam is still coming out, usually in little spurts. After that, as long as the steam keeps coming it can’t explode. > > Now if someone comes to the door and you open it and the dog runs out and you lunge after him but the door slams shut behind you and you don’t have your keys, or maybe there’s just something really good on TV, then things might get interesting. Another point, the main reason a release valve gets clogged up is from foaming or overfilling the cooker. Never fill the pot more than halfway, and soak beans and the like before hand to get some of the starch out and prevent foaming. And as hard as you try to screw up, it’s still very difficult to get a pressure cooker with a relief system to blow up. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-were-pressure-cooker-explosions-while-cooking/656507)._