HSN Class Action Lawsuit Says My Little Steamer is Defective

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

The Home Shopping Network (HSN), Ingenious Designs, and Joy Mangano were hit with a class action lawsuit alleging their “Made for TV” My Little Steamer products are defective.

Plaintiff Barbara Seldin alleges in her class action lawsuit that the mini steamers are dangerous to users – they leak and can even spew boiling water, melting the plastic housing and causing injuries. The plaintiff claims that HSN and the other defendants knew of the defect, but still marketed the product.

Seldin says she purchased a My Little Steamer in September of 2016 for $15; however, shortly after using the steamer, it allegedly began to leak and spew boiling water and steam.

According to the HSN class action lawsuit, My Little Steamer products spewed hot steam and repeatedly leaked while they were being prepared for a live marketing campaign featuring Joy Mangano and professional models in February of 2016.

“Production employees and models observed gaskets failing and floating inside the water reservoir of the opened products very quickly after the Products were plugged into electrical outlets,” alleges the plaintiff.

The complaint claims that HSN employees and the producer were so concerned about the failure of the products, they notified HSN and Ingenious Designs about the problems and said the steamers should not be sold; however, despite this warning, HSN continued to market the device.

According to the Home Shopping Network lawsuit, the leaking and spewing devices used for the HSN commercial were constantly replaced by new steamers.

“The production staff opened a significant number of [My Little Steamer] Products from sealed boxes that had been delivered to the video location in an effort to find a Product to film that would not leak. Many, if not all, of the Products opened by HSN’s production employees leaked boiling water and spewed hot steam,” alleges the HSN class action lawsuit.

Staff and models were burned during the video segment, but the show sold between 50,000 and 100,000 units, not including products sold through outside platforms, Seldin claims.

HSN maintained copies of video shot of the defective steamers, alleges the plaintiff, but the steamers are described as “No Spitting. No Staining. No Burning. No Worries” on the JoyMangano.com website.

The products include the My Little Steamer and My Little Steamer Mini. The plaintiff seeks to represent a California Class of consumers who purchased My Little Steamer products starting in February 2016. The plaintiff alleges the HSN, Ingenious Designs, and Joy Mangano violated the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, Business and Professional Code, and false advertising laws.

The plaintiff is seeking restitution and an injunction against the defendants.

Seldin is represented by David C. Parisi and Suzanne Havens Beckman of Parisi & Havens LLP, J. Andrew Meyer of J. Andrew Meyer PA, and Christa L. Collins of Harmon Woods & Parker PA.

The My Little Steamer Class Action Lawsuit is Seldin v. HSN Inc., et al., Case No. 3:17-cv-02183-AJB-MDD, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.