Skip to main content

Crock-Pot says device is safe after it was blamed for fake fire on ‘This is Us’

Crock-Pot Express
Image used with permission by copyright holder
(Spoiler alert! If you’re not up to date on the show This is Us, you might not want to keep reading.)

If you’re a fan of the popular NBC drama This is Us, then you’ve known for awhile that details on how beloved patriarch Jack dies were coming any day now.

Recommended Videos

Last week, we finally got some details on how it happens: In the last scene of the show, Jack Pearson (played by Milo Ventimiglia) is cleaning the kitchen and reaches over to turn off a Crock-Pot slow cooker that was given to the family by some neighbors who warned that the switch was a bit tricky. As Jack is heading to bed, the appliance sparks and then ignites the kitchen and the rest of the house. A battery-less smoke detector fails to alert Jack of the fire.

The scene caused an instant social media firestorm and a public relations nightmare for Crock-Pot, with many angry fans posting that they’re throwing out their Crock-Pots.

“I get married in less than two months and suddenly I feel the need to remove the Crock-Pot from the registry,” Lauren Luna tweeted. “WE. DON’T. NEED. IT. #ThisIsUs.”

“#ThisIsUs just destroyed the whole crock pot [sic] industry!” tweeted Brandon Witcher.

The social media lashing was so strong that Crock-Pot, which didn’t previously have a Twitter account, created one to address concerns. The company also issued a statement on the safety of its devices, noting that nothing like this has ever happened in real life.

“For nearly 50 years, with over 100 million Crock-Pots sold, we have never received any consumer complaints similar to the fictional events portrayed in last night’s episode. In fact, the safety and design of our product renders this type of event nearly impossible,” according to the statement. “Our hope is that the team at NBC’s This Is Us will help us in spreading factual information regarding our product’s safety. While we know their primary mission is to entertain — something they have continued to excel in — we also feel they have a responsibility to inform.”

Some even wondered if Crock-Pot could actually sue NBC for portraying the device as unsafe, prompting NBC News to post an article about whether Crock-Pot has a legal case. Cooler heads prevailed (somewhat) when Dan Fogelman, creator of the hit drama, reminded fans of the show that you shouldn’t believe everything you see on TV.

“Taking a moment to remind everyone that it was a 20-year-old fictional crockpot with an already funky switch?” Fogelman tweeted. “Let’s not lump all those lovely hardworking crockpots together.”

We’re still waiting on an official statement from NBC. In the meantime, Stephen Colbert attempted to cool things down with some good humor during a recent monologue on The Late Show.

“… throwing it out the window can give someone a pretty serious head injury,” Colbert said. “Of course, the good people at Crock-Pot rushed into Crisis Mode, which is right next to Simmer.”

Kim Wetzel
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before joining Digital Trends as Home Editor, Kim was an adjunct journalism professor at Linfield College and high school…
Tesla Powerwall is the best solar, home backup, and EV charging companion
Tesla Powerwall 3 installed on outside of home

Solar power, and having solar panels on your home, is a fantastic way to conserve energy and cut down on power bills, especially if you live somewhere sunny like Florida or California. There's just one glaring issue. When the grid goes down you still lose power because of how it's connected. Your solar panels cannot generate enough energy or keep it stored to keep your power on. So, essentially, your power setup doesn't offer much benefit there, unless you get a home power backup system. More specifically, something like a Tesla Powerwall is a compact home battery that stores energy generated from the grid. That energy is then used as a backup when traditional grid power is unavailable.

To make it even more clear, with a Tesla Powerwall, the power stays on even during a major blackout or outage. It's whole-home backup, too, which means you can power your lights, appliances, electronics, you name it. If you've ever had to throw away an entire refrigerator's worth of spoiled food because of a multi-day outage -- like I have -- you'll certainly appreciate the option to keep your appliances running. But that's not all it can do. The Tesla Powerwall is an excellent companion for Tesla EV owners, creating an entire smart ecosystem of power. Let's explore.

Read more
Air fryer or cordless vacuum, you choose: Two deep Black Friday discounts worth shopping
Levoit LVAC-200 cordless vacuum in use with pet nearby

Going down probably as two of the most random, unique contenders for smart home and Black Friday deals in a mashup together, we have the COSORI TurboBlaze Air Fryer and LEVOIT LVAC-200 Cordless Vacuum. One will cook your food fast and crispy the other will clean your home fast and effectively. Why not, right? You could even throw some food into the air fryer and get to cleaning while it heats up with the vacuum. Okay, maybe it really is an excellent combo. Nevertheless, these Black Friday discounts will have you a little more excited than normal, let's take a closer look.

 
COSORI TurboBlaze Air Fryer -- now $88, was $120 26% off

Read more
Best home security camera deals: Ring, Arlo, Blink and more on sale
These are the best security camera deals available right now
Prime Day 2022 security camera deals graphic.

If you're the sort of person who worries about the physical safety of their home or live in a rough area, then having home security cameras can help give you much more peace of mind. The great thing is that in the past decade or so, security cameras have come a long way, and nowadays, you can get things like wireless security cameras that let you access them remotely from wherever you are through an application. Of course, that does mean that there is a huge selection out there, which is why we've collected some of our favorite security camera deals below, although if you're in the Amazon ecosystem, it might be worth checking out these Ring camera deals.
Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Security Camera -- $27 $50 45% off

While this is ostensibly made for your garage, there's no reason the Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage can't work for other uses as well, especially if you don't need the highest quality of recording. It has an HD camera, which isn't a ton, but it does have an impressive 130-degree field of view. The MyQ also connects through dual-band Wi-Fi for a better connection, and it even has two-way communication, which is impressive for something at this price bracket.

Read more