Recalled PurSteam Steamers Expel Scalding Water, Class Action Lawsuit Claims

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that the maker of PurSteam portable clothing steamers failed to warn consumers that certain models of the handheld product suffer from a dangerous defect that can cause the steamer to propel scalding hot water during normal use, posing a significant burn risk.

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The 16-page product recall lawsuit against manufacturer Aterian, Inc. was filed after nearly 119,000 PurSteam Mighty Lil Steamers and 75,400 PurSteam Elite Travel Steamers were recalled by the company last month because the devices came with a nozzle defect that could cause the portable steamers to expel scalding hot water during ordinary use.

The suit explains that the steamer recall, announced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission on February 5, covers all PurSteam Elite Travel Steamers (Model PS-510) and PurSteam Mighty Lil Steamers (Model PS-550) purchased between December 2020 and January 2024 with one of the following date codes: 2310, 2308, 2305, 2304, 2303, 2212, 2211, 2210, 2203, 2112, 2111, 2110, 0221, 1019, and 4619.

The case states that the portable steamers were sold directly through Aterian’s website or by major e-commerce retailers such as Amazon.

According to the class action lawsuit, the nozzle defect poses a significant burn risk to consumers; prior to the recall, consumers lodged over 40 reports of burn injuries from using the steamers, the CPSC said.

The filing notes that PurSteam markets itself as a company that makes “superior products,” yet produced and sold defective steamers “not fit for their ordinary purpose.” Consumers, the case says, had no way to reasonably foresee that the steamers would pose a burn hazard. As the manufacturer, Aterian had a “duty to warn” consumers of the inherent defect and danger of physical injury, the complaint says.

The CPSC urges consumers to immediately stop using the recalled steamers and to contact the company to submit a recall request.

The portable steamer class action lawsuit seeks to cover all individuals in the United States who purchased PurSteam Models PS-510 and PS-550 after December 2020.

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