Thermos L.L.C. has recalled approximately 8.2 million Stainless King Food Jars and Sportsman Food and Beverage Bottles in coordination with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The recall was announced April 30, 2026 and affects products sold across the country at Target, Walmart and online at Amazon and other retailers between approximately March 2008 and July 2024.
If you own one of these containers, you need to stop using it immediately.
The hazard is specific and serious. The stoppers on the recalled containers do not have a pressure relief valve in the center.
When perishable food or beverages are stored in the container for an extended period and pressure builds inside, the stopper can forcefully eject when the container is opened, with enough force to strike the person opening it.
Thermos has received 27 reports of consumers being hit by a stopper that shot out of the container upon opening.
The injuries include lacerations and impact injuries requiring medical attention. Three consumers were struck in the eye by the ejected stopper and suffered permanent vision loss.
Stop using any of the products on the recall list. The remedy is free and the contact process is simple.
The Full List Of Recalled Products
Three specific models are covered by this recall. The first is the Thermos Stainless King Food Jar with model number SK3000, a 16-ounce container.
The second is the Thermos Stainless King Food Jar with model number SK3020, a 24-ounce container.
Both the SK3000 and SK3020 are only recalled if they were manufactured before July 2023. If you have either of those models and they were made after that date, they are not part of this recall.
The third product is the Thermos Sportsman Food and Beverage Bottle with model number SK3010, a 40-ounce container. Every unit of the SK3010 is included in the recall regardless of when it was manufactured.
All three containers were sold in a variety of colors. The Thermos trademark is located on the side of the container.
The model number, SK3000, SK3010 or SK3020, is printed on the bottom of the container. That is where you look first: flip the container over and check the bottom for the model number.
Once you have confirmed the model number, there is a second check for the SK3000 and SK3020, look at the stopper.
The recalled containers have a stopper with no pressure relief in the center. If the center of the stopper is flat and solid with no valve or opening, the product is affected.
A replacement stopper with a pressure relief built in is what Thermos will send you for the food jar models.
The products were sold at Target, Walmart and other stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Target.com and Thermos.com for approximately $30 each.
They have been on the market since approximately March 2008, which means some of these containers have been in use for nearly two decades.
The recall covers 5.8 million Stainless King Food Jars across the SK3000 and SK3020 models and 2.3 million Sportsman Food and Beverage Bottles with the SK3010 model number.
Why This Recall Is Serious
The mechanism of the hazard is worth understanding in detail so that the risk is clear.
These are vacuum-insulated containers designed to keep food and beverages at temperature, hot food hot, cold food cold, for extended periods.
That insulation is effective, which means people use these containers exactly as designed: filling them with food or liquids and leaving them sealed for hours.
When perishable food or beverages are left sealed inside a container for an extended period of time, biological processes generate pressure inside. That pressure has to go somewhere.
In a properly designed container, a pressure relief valve in the stopper allows small amounts of that pressure to escape safely before the user opens the container.
In the recalled Thermos containers, that valve is absent. The stopper has no pressure relief in the center.
When a person opens the container after perishable food or liquids have been stored inside for an extended period, the built-up pressure can cause the stopper to eject suddenly and forcefully.
The stopper does not drift off the container, it shoots out with velocity. That projectile is pointed at the person doing the opening, typically at face or chest level, because that is the natural position for opening a food jar or beverage bottle.
Three consumers have already been struck in the eye by an ejecting stopper and lost their vision permanently as a result.
That is the worst-case outcome of this specific failure mode, and it has already happened to three real people before Thermos issued this recall.
What To Do If You Have One
The CPSC and Thermos are directing consumers to stop using the recalled products immediately. Do not wait until you have contacted Thermos to receive a replacement.
The risk of another ejection exists every time a recalled container is opened after perishable food or beverages have been stored inside it.
The remedy depends on which model you have and involves two different processes.
For the SK3000 and SK3020 Food Jars, the fix is a replacement stopper rather than a replacement container.
Contact Thermos and you will receive a free pressure relief stopper designed to replace the hazardous one.
Thermos will ask you to throw away the existing stopper and send a photo of the disposed stopper to confirm that it has been removed from use. You do not need to return the entire container, just discard the stopper, document that you have done so and Thermos sends you the replacement.
For the SK3010 Sportsman Food and Beverage Bottle, the process is different.
Thermos will send you a prepaid shipping label. You return the recalled bottle to the company and receive a replacement bottle. The entire product is being replaced rather than just the stopper, which reflects a different remediation approach for that specific model.
How To Contact Thermos
There are three ways to reach Thermos for the recall. The website support.thermos.com is the primary digital contact point. You can also visit thermos.com directly and click on “Contact Us” or “Recall Info” to find the recall-specific form and information.
If you prefer to speak with a person, the recall phone number is 662-563-6822 and representatives are available from 7 AM to 3:30 PM Central Time, Monday through Friday.
When you contact Thermos you will need to have the model number ready, again, that is on the bottom of the container, and the company will walk you through the specific steps for your model.
The Scale Of This Recall
Eight-point-two million units is a substantial number for a product recall, and the timeline of sales, from 2008 to 2024, means these containers have been in kitchens, backpacks, lunch bags and outdoor gear for up to 16 years.
Some of the recalled units are with their original owners, many have been given as gifts, some have changed hands multiple times.
The wide distribution across Target, Walmart and major online retailers means essentially any household in the United States could have one.
The 27 confirmed injury reports, including three cases of permanent vision loss, represent only the incidents that were formally reported to Thermos or the CPSC.
Consumer product safety researchers consistently note that reported injuries represent a small fraction of actual incidents, most people who are struck by a product failure do not file a formal report.
The actual number of consumers who have experienced a stopper ejection from one of these containers is almost certainly higher than 27.
The recall affects containers that are specifically designed to be useful — insulated food jars and beverage bottles that keep contents at temperature for hours.
The hazard is activated by doing exactly what the product is designed for, sealing perishable food or beverages inside and leaving them.
The longer the container sits sealed with perishable contents, the greater the pressure buildup, and the greater the risk when it is opened.
If you own any of these models, the appropriate action is immediate: stop using it, check the bottom for the model number, and contact Thermos through support.thermos.com or at 662-563-6822 to initiate the free remedy process.
