The Crock-Pot brand is defending itself from customer backlash, following its placement in a destructive storyline this week on  the NBC prime time drama This Is Us.  In an effort to not spoil any plot twists in the event you watch the show and didn't see the episode, I promise not to give too much away.  However, a Crock-Pot slow cooker plays a major role and the product does not come away in the best light. [You should probably not read the rest of his story if you haven't seen the episode and don't want any spoilers]

Crock-Pot hasn't had a huge profile on social media in the past - but opened accounts to take to the web to share factual information about their slow cookers and dispel any misconceptions that might have arisen from the This Is Us episode.

While the show depicts the kitchen appliance shorting out and causing catastrophic damage, the company has risen to the challenge to defend itself:

Crock-Pot understands the concerns brought up by last night’s episode of “This Is Us,” and we too are heartbroken by the latest development in Jack’s storyline. However, it is important that our consumers understand and have confidence that all Crock-Pot slow cookers exceed all internal testing protocols and all applicable industry safety standards and regulations as verified by independent third-party testing labs. 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.

In addition, and most relevant to the concerns consumers are having after watching the recent “This Is Us” episode, our Crock-Pot slow cookers are low current, low wattage (typically no more than 200 or 300 watts) appliances with self-regulating, heating elements. The product is designed to cook foods over a longer period of time at low temperatures and the switches connect to only one side of the power line voltage, so there is never a high voltage applied directly across our switches. The switches within our slow cookers are subjected to additional internal testing, which includes a Rotary Knob Endurance test, Rotary Knob Force Test and Flame Burning Test and constructed of self-extinguishing, flame resistant material.

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. Just like many fans, we will be watching next week’s episode to see how Jack’s story progresses and, regardless of the outcome, we want consumers first and foremost to know they are safe when using their Crock-Pot.

Even the creator of This Is Us - Dan Fogelman - has taken to Twitter to try and deflect blame or suspicion off of the Crock-Pot brand.

The Crock-Pot brand has been around since the 1950's and bills itself as the original appliance in  the product line.

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