# crock pots and lead



## daisycullen2003 (Nov 29, 2004)

hi all,
i thought i read a post here a while back about someone who researched this issue and found a brand that did not contain lead. i can't find it anywhere. for some reason, when i search MDC forums, the search doesn't seem to work for me. every search i do comes up w/ over 500 posts. anyhow, does someone have this info anywhere or could find that post?

thanks so much,
lisa


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## Metasequoia (Jun 7, 2005)

That was me. I can never find it either.








SOmeone else had luck finding it a couple of months ago.

Hamilton Beach is lead-free, I have the Stay or Go & I LOVE it!!!


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## Metasequoia (Jun 7, 2005)

Hey look, I found it!

I also found this one, which shows that lead is indeed found in slow cookers & does in fact leach into food.


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## MeadowSong_ (Jul 10, 2005)

Wow, slap my butt and call me clueless. I had no idea, that upsets me. I use ours alot


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## daisycullen2003 (Nov 29, 2004)

thank you so much! so happy your were checking the boards. will have to get rid of those rivals and swap to hamilton. did you by any chance have the hamilton tested when you got it? i was considering doing this since i have heard from at least one person that a product the company promised to be lead free (over the phone) was not. most likely this is not the case here because Hamilton posts the info on their site.

anyhow, thanks so much!
lisa


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## bonbon mama (May 16, 2003)

I bought a stay-or-go a month ago and called Hamilton Beach to verify their lead content and they said that they used it in their product but had no specific information other than assuring me their product was safe. I returned it and am now at a loss.


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## Metasequoia (Jun 7, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bonbon mama* 
I bought a stay-or-go a month ago and called Hamilton Beach to verify their lead content and they said that they used it in their product but had no specific information other than assuring me their product was safe. I returned it and am now at a loss.

Well now THAT would piss me off. It's stated on their site that their products are "lead free."

This is what it says on the Hamilton Beach website, under the FAQs:

Quote:

12. Does the crock contain lead?

No. There is no lead or cadmium in the crock.
In that second link in my first response, the dishes & slow cookers were tested using an "XRF gun -- or "x-ray fluorescent" device -- to peer into the surface of the cookers to determine if they have lead." We don't have access to that type of device & I've read that the lead test kits at hardware stores aren't sensitive enough for this kind of testing.


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## Metasequoia (Jun 7, 2005)

I just emailed Hamilton Beach again:

Quote:

A year ago I bought the Stay or Go slow cooker, 33163H.

I'd like to know if *any* amount lead or cadmium is used in the manufacturing of the ceramic insert.


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## kmamma (Dec 16, 2004)

Oh man, I had no idea... Thanks so much! I guess they'll have to go







...
Metasequoia--let us know if they get back to you.


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## bonbon mama (May 16, 2003)

Do you think that the Hamilton Beach representatives just make it all up as they go along? I purposely bought it because I had read in various threads here on MDC that the representatives were claiming to be the *one* manufacturer without lead. I was suspicious after I bought it and could find no claim on the box or the inside literature.

Isn't there a stainless one or a Fiestaware one already?!







:


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## stacim (Dec 9, 2006)

I have 4 Rivals.







Does anyone know if it is all Rivals, or just some?

We just had our house tested for lead. I wish I had known about this when they were here. I would have asked them to use their gun on my crocks.

Now I'm worried about some of the other bowls I have around here. At least my Corelle appears to be safe.


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## Dillpicklechip (Nov 10, 2006)

Wow. I've been thinking of getting a slow cooker for a while now, but after reading this perhaps I'll research it a bit more.


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## artemis33 (Jan 5, 2006)

I've been following this for a while but I still haven't replaced my Rival. I'm just not sure what to get.

It makes me sick though because here I'm making 24hour chicken bone broth every week and so proud that I'm nourishing my family this way but all along I may have been brewing lead soup!









I'm just not comfortable leaving my gas stove top on for so long (like overnight) though.....

I wish someone would make a glass insert one or a stainless one!


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## heket (Nov 18, 2003)

West Bend?


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## stacim (Dec 9, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *artemis33* 
I wish someone would make a glass insert one or a stainless one!

I just found this online last night, but it's so small. I'm going to keep looking for alternatives.


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## ChristieB (Jun 17, 2003)

Who know which representatives are right. I've found that I get that kind of thing a lot, with different answers from different people. Most recently it was Blue Cross. Most representatives told me that diabetes supplies aren't covered because they're OTC. When I asked how it was that they'd been covered the last 2.5 yrs., they just repeated themselves.







I finally found someone who got things done for me, but it was ridiculous. And now I find out that it's illegal in NM for an insurance company to not cover them. Oooh, I wish I had a reason to call them again.







Anyway, an unrelated rant, but just keep in mind that just because someone works for a company doesn't mean that they aren't misinformed.

Problem is, how do we know who's right and who's not? With Blue Cross, I just kept going until I found someone to give me the answer the I wanted.







Can't exactly do that in this case.

*Metasequoia*, did you ever hear back from Hamilton Beach? I'm curious, because I have one and figured it was safe, given what you had posted in the other thread.

Now, if I were to ask them for the ingredients in the glaze and the crocks, would the list make any sense to me? Problem is, their email form seems to be only for people who own the slow cooker in question, not for those who want info before buying.


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## dannic (Jun 14, 2005)

Aak. I use my rival almost daily....what to do? This is so dumb! $$$ before people.







nak


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## Metasequoia (Jun 7, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ChristieB* 
*Metasequoia*, did you ever hear back from Hamilton Beach? I'm curious, because I have one and figured it was safe, given what you had posted in the other thread.

No, not yet & I'm getting antsy - I think I'll call tomorrow & ask to speak to someone higher up on the corporate ladder.

Someone told me that Pyrex had lead! She said that she called & a rep. told her it had "safe amounts." I did some research & found that Pyrex is made of soda lime glass & lead is not an ingredient in that. 90% of glass is soda lime glass. Anyway, I called & told them I was writing an article & the rep. immediately told me that I need to speak to the media spokesman. He called me back today & said he'll send me a written statement.

I think this is the approach I'll take tomorrow when I call Hamilton Beach. I'll post back after the call to let you know what I've found out.


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## quietserena (Apr 24, 2006)

Ugh, the lead in cookware...







:

I wish there was a ss slow cooker. Well, there is the thermal cooking pot which would work... but spendy!


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## Attached Mama (Dec 4, 2005)

I think the reason some people say they are "lead free" is because they are allowed to say that if the lead is below a certain level. Like saying something is calorie free/zero calories or saying something is fat-free - it's not really nothing, just below a certain level. Same as "zero VOC" with paints etc - doesn't really mean they have no VOC's - just below a certain amount.


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## summerlilies (Feb 6, 2006)

Does anyone anywhere have a crock pot that lead-free?


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## tabitha (Sep 10, 2002)

i dont know if anyone has linked this before, but this seems acceptable:

vitaclay

here is a site where they discuss this very issue and mention the vita clay.


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## MeadowSong_ (Jul 10, 2005)

What about a stainless steel crock pot type? I know some rice cookers are made w/ stainless steel inserts.


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## moneca (Sep 5, 2004)

What a bummer







. Thanks for posting the thread. I wonder if Le Creuset has lead in the enamel. I tend to trust Europen products more than those made in the USA. Here is the Le Creuset product :

http://www.lecreuset.com/usa/product...?category_id=5

I couldn't find anything on the site that mentioned lead presence in the enamel. I'll have to call Monday.

I also have a Westbend slow cooker. I couldn't find anything addressing lead on the site and will call Monday.


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## artemis33 (Jan 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tabitha* 
i dont know if anyone has linked this before, but this seems acceptable:

vitaclay

here is a site where they discuss this very issue and mention the vita clay.

I saw a link to these on another thread but when I was reading through I am pretty sure I saw they are Made In China. Let me go double check that.

It just bums me out because that does sound like a reasonable alternative, but not only is it pricey, but I don't think I'd trust it completely if MIC. Have to look iinto it more though, of course.


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## ChristieB (Jun 17, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *moneca* 
I wonder if Le Creuset has lead in the enamel. I tend to trust Europen products more than those made in the USA. Here is the Le Creuset product :

http://www.lecreuset.com/usa/product...?category_id=5

I couldn't find anything on the site that mentioned lead presence in the enamel. I'll have to call Monday.

My dr. tested their enameled cast iron and found no leaching of any metals. He recommends them to all his patients. He didn't test their stoneware, though. He says it would be a different kind of glaze, so he just doesn't know (and I guess he doesn't care enough to test them







. He just uses Pyrex for baking).


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## summerlilies (Feb 6, 2006)

I am still searching high and low for a crock pot that doesn't have lead. Anyone have one?


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## Metasequoia (Jun 7, 2005)

Still haven't heard back from Hamilton Beach - I sent them another email this morning...


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## summerlilies (Feb 6, 2006)

I would love to hear what Hamilton Beach said. I guess I am deciding between Hamiliton Beach, CorningWare, and All-Clad. I can't tell what the interior of the All-Clad one is -- I emailed them. Does anyone know?

Does anyone have the CorningWare one? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...pr_product_topDo you like it?


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## 3for3hb (Jan 13, 2005)

lead soup!!! right. great.

I've been wanting a new slow cooker and am glad I saw this (not that I'll be buying any time soon but a mama could put it on her wishlist...)

while we are on the subject of lead in cookware, does anyone know if pampered chef stoneware has lead? a bit OT but thought I'd ask.


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## kaydeeM (Jan 18, 2008)

I have a 4 qt. Corningware slow cooker that I received for Christmas 2006. It works great, unlike all the other crock pots I've owned (except my Rival 3.5 qt.). It actually cooks low on low and high on high. My 6 and 7 qt. crock pots cooked high on the low setting.

Pampered Chef's stoneware is lead-free, according to their web site. Click on this link and scan down the beige column on the far left. ETA: They also say their glazes are lead-free here (left-hand column).


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## mrsalf97 (Oct 22, 2004)

I had no idea, and I use it all the time. I am so







over this!


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## momofmine (Jan 8, 2007)

So it seems like we've found two alternatives so far. The glass one here, which is on the small side (3.5 qt):
http://www.amazon.com/Elite-Gourmet-.../dp/B0006A2ZRA

And the stainless one, which is 4.77 qt, but really, really expensive:
http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SNAE..._sbs_k_title_2

Do you think both of those would be safe? Which would you get if you could afford either? (Not that I can right now, but I'd like to save for one!)


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## Jojo F. (Apr 7, 2007)

I have a Hamilton Beach and contacted them. It took a while for a response but this is the lame one I recieved-

I simply asked if there was any lead or cadmium in their crock pots....

"Thank you for contacting us!

For over 100 years it has been our priority and privilege to develop and manufacture high quality small appliances. Please be assured that our products and components meet all government requirements and are FDA and UL approved. They are also tested by independent laboratories to ensure the high quality that is expected of Hamilton Beach brand products. The rigorous tests we employ often exceed the standards set by our government making us a leader in the industry for quality and safety.

We will continue to demand excellence on your behalf because that is what you deserve. The success we continue to enjoy would not be possible without you, our valued consumer.

Thank you for your patronage!

Sincerely,

Stacy
Consumer Affairs" end quote

I'm not happy about this response and am about to e-mail miss Stacy again:/


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## mamacolorado (Oct 12, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jojo F.* 
I have a Hamilton Beach and contacted them. It took a while for a response but this is the lame one I recieved-

I simply asked if there was any lead or cadmium in their crock pots....

"Thank you for contacting us!

For over 100 years it has been our priority and privilege to develop and manufacture high quality small appliances. Please be assured that our products and components meet all government requirements and are FDA and UL approved. They are also tested by independent laboratories to ensure the high quality that is expected of Hamilton Beach brand products. The rigorous tests we employ often exceed the standards set by our government making us a leader in the industry for quality and safety.

We will continue to demand excellence on your behalf because that is what you deserve. The success we continue to enjoy would not be possible without you, our valued consumer.

Thank you for your patronage!

Sincerely,

Stacy
Consumer Affairs" end quote

I'm not happy about this response and am about to e-mail miss Stacy again:/

Talk about generic response without and details or testing results provided!

I've contacted west bend who stated that the product has been tested and passed tests. They refused to provide me with any actual testing results so I told them I'd be chucking their product in the bin and searching for another.

Le Creuset personel were wonderful to speak with. They are mailing me the independent test results that analyzed their product's for enamel for lead and cadmium. The 15 1/2 goose pot is horribly expensive, but we've already had issues with mercury toxicity and I don't want to even take a chance of providing my family with lead along with the stock!


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## Brookesmom (Oct 12, 2002)

I accidentally posted this on the other crockpot thread up in Nutrition and Good Eating:
---

I found some reassuring info on Le Creuset: (scroll down a bit)
http://www.lecreuset.com/usa/product..._Iron_Cookware

-Kelly
-----

I slow cook mostly in my two Le Creusets but was thinking of switching to the slow cooker sometimes for warmer weather. I'll have to look into that glass slow cooker link on Amazon.


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## natmommy (Oct 17, 2006)

I'm a lurker, but wanted to contribute. I was just emailed this link yesterday about a newstory done on this topic and wanted to share it with you all. It doesn't look very promising.

http://www.kutv.com/content/news/spe...A4816&gsa=true

"Of the small sampling of slow cookers tested for me, 20 percent tested with a measurable amount of lead. But is lead actually leaching out of the cookers that contain lead?

I took Stacia's crock pot cooker to DataChem labs in Salt Lake City to find out. This is the same place where we tested plates I purchased from stores last fall and discovered lead was actually leaching into food.

Not only that, but when ceramic ware was heated to just 80-degrees, it released nearly 10-times the amount of lead as a plate at room temperature. Slow cookers heat up to more than 250-degrees.

Chemist Robert Aullman performed the same test on Stacia's crock pot. He used a four-percent acidic solution, established as the standard by the Food and Drug Administration, to test for lead leaching.

The new test showed there was a detectable level of lead leaching out of the slow cooker, at .085 parts per million. And anything below 2.0 is considered acceptable by the FDA.

The federal government says there is an acceptable level of lead that can leach out of dinnerware so this is in compliance. But let's say, I don't want to eat any lead."


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## momofmine (Jan 8, 2007)

This is so crazy! So, can someone please just tell me, what is the safest type of cookware to use, not just slow cookers, but in general. I think I just want to get a few things I know are safe, and figure out how to cook with those, and just skip the crock pots all together. So, what is the best thing to use, just in general?
Thanks so much for everyone who shares their knowledge here, or else how would we all know??


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## octobermoon (Nov 22, 2007)

I too am so







and







because i love my slowcooker. (it's a Rival btw) i just used it last night and then came on here to find all of this info. later i was wondering just how much lead if any was coursing through our veins







:
the alternatives mentioned here don't look all that promising to me, if anyone finds out anything new let us know......i am so glad to have found MDC and all of you savvy ladies. thank GOD!


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## catnip (Mar 25, 2002)

See, I wrote to Rival and they flat said that there is no lead in their crock pots. The spelling and grammar in the reply was atrocious, but they did say that. I don't know I I can BELIEVE them, but that was what they said.


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## octobermoon (Nov 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *catnip* 
See, I wrote to Rival and they flat said that there is no lead in their crock pots. The spelling and grammar in the reply was atrocious, but they did say that. I don't know I I can BELIEVE them, but that was what they said.

that is strange, i think they are trying to do DAMAGE CONTROL, cause....that is not what the tv reporter said.......i am skeptical about said manufacturers answer.







:


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## Metasequoia (Jun 7, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bonbon mama* 
I bought a stay-or-go a month ago and called Hamilton Beach to verify their lead content and they said that they used it in their product but had no specific information other than assuring me their product was safe. I returned it and am now at a loss.

See my response below.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bonbon mama* 
Do you think that the Hamilton Beach representatives just make it all up as they go along? I purposely bought it because I had read in various threads here on MDC that the representatives were claiming to be the *one* manufacturer without lead. I was suspicious after I bought it and could find no claim on the box or the inside literature.

It does say on their website that there is no lead:

Quote:

Does the crock contain lead?
No. There is no lead or cadmium in the crock.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ChristieB* 
*Metasequoia*, did you ever hear back from Hamilton Beach? I'm curious, because I have one and figured it was safe, given what you had posted in the other thread.

See below...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *summerlilies* 
I would love to hear what Hamilton Beach said. I guess I am deciding between Hamiliton Beach, CorningWare, and All-Clad. I can't tell what the interior of the All-Clad one is -- I emailed them. Does anyone know?

See below...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jojo F.* 
I have a Hamilton Beach and contacted them. It took a while for a response but this is the lame one I recieved-

I simply asked if there was any lead or cadmium in their crock pots....

"Thank you for contacting us!

For over 100 years it has been our priority and privilege to develop and manufacture high quality small appliances. Please be assured that our products and components meet all government requirements and are FDA and UL approved. They are also tested by independent laboratories to ensure the high quality that is expected of Hamilton Beach brand products. The rigorous tests we employ often exceed the standards set by our government making us a leader in the industry for quality and safety.

We will continue to demand excellence on your behalf because that is what you deserve. The success we continue to enjoy would not be possible without you, our valued consumer.

Thank you for your patronage!

Sincerely,

Stacy
Consumer Affairs" end quote

I'm not happy about this response and am about to e-mail miss Stacy again:/

That is the generic response I received from them too. I emailed back & asked for a simple yes or no answer.

*However, I did just call & talked to someone who seemed to know what she was talking about. She said that they do NOT use any lead in the glaze - the only chance of any lead being in the crock would be in the clay where it naturally occurs (but would be sealed in by the glaze.)
I gave her my email address & asked that she send me a statement in writing.*

*And this is what it says in Hamilton Beach's FAQs:

*

*Quote:*

Does the crock contain lead?
No. There is no lead or cadmium in the crock.


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## octobermoon (Nov 22, 2007)

i was looking for lead free slow cookers and found certified lead free water crocks....seems SOMEBODY should be able to come up with a certified lead free slow cooker. i mean imagine how much business they'd have!


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## siennaflower (Aug 31, 2004)

I have a Rival and now I'm freaked out!! Can someone explain how they're using Le Creuset to replace their slow cooker?? I've always wanted an excuse to get some of their cookware


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *summerlilies* 
I would love to hear what Hamilton Beach said. I guess I am deciding between Hamiliton Beach, CorningWare, and All-Clad. I can't tell what the interior of the All-Clad one is -- I emailed them. Does anyone know?



All Clad makes two, one has a ceramic insert and the other a cast aluminum. IIRC the ceramic one is $150 and the cast aluminum one is $250.


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *momofmine* 
This is so crazy! So, can someone please just tell me, what is the safest type of cookware to use, not just slow cookers, but in general. I think I just want to get a few things I know are safe, and figure out how to cook with those, and just skip the crock pots all together. So, what is the best thing to use, just in general?
Thanks so much for everyone who shares their knowledge here, or else how would we all know??

I use a mixture of cookware. I have some stainless steel All Clad, pricey, but it's made in the US. I also have some LeCreuset, again pricey, but I recently read on their site about their products not leaching lead so I'm relieved! I have a large dutch oven that we've been using a lot in place of the crock pot. The nice thing is that it's much more versatile and IMO does a much better job cooking the food.


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## PancakeGoddess (Oct 8, 2004)

damn!







So, what's with the Rival person saying no lead? Is there lead in my new Rival or not?


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## marlyninla (Nov 27, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *artemis33* 
I've been following this for a while but I still haven't replaced my Rival. I'm just not sure what to get.

It makes me sick though because here I'm making 24hour chicken bone broth every week and so proud that I'm nourishing my family this way but all along I may have been brewing lead soup!









I'm just not comfortable leaving my gas stove top on for so long (like overnight) though.....

I wish someone would make a glass insert one or a stainless one!

An alternative for making stock would be a pressure cooker -- you can make a good stock in an hour or so. We use our pressure cooker all the time to make the stock then do the other slow cooking in a Le Creuset Dutch oven. Love that thing.


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## jadekat (Jun 25, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MeadowSong_* 
Wow, slap my butt and call me clueless. I had no idea, that upsets me. I use ours alot









Yeah me too!


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## Metasequoia (Jun 7, 2005)

Le sigh.

Quote:

Hi Amie,

I just spoke with someone from your customer service team on the phone. She assured me that the only lead in the crock would be naturally occurring in the clay from the earth but that *none is added in the glaze.*

This is a direct quote from your website under the FAQs:

"Does the crock contain lead?
No. There is no lead or cadmium in the crock."

I'm having a really hard time getting a straight answer from your company. Would it be possible to get a statement from a supervisor?

Thank you,

Erin
I just received this response:

Quote:

Erin,

Thank you for your patience!

Our webmaster is in the process of changing this information online to reflect the information we have provided via e-mail. We sincerely apologize for any confusion this has caused.

Have a great day!

Sincerely,

Amie
Consumer Affairs
Oops, there's lead in your slow cooker! Have a great day!

I'm assuming she's referring to a recent email that they sent to me:

Quote:

Erin,

Thank you for getting back to us!

Our product specifications require that all components in contact with food comply with US Food & Drug Administration "food-safe" requirements. The FDA requires that parts of food preparation products in contact with food do not leach lead above certain specified limits. The FDA does not require that a product in contact with food be "lead-free." *Model 33163H has been tested by an independent laboratory and found to meet the FDA's food-safe requirements; however, it is not "lead-free."* We are not aware of anyone who manufactures a "lead-free" slow cooker.

If you are in need of additional assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.

Have a great day!

Sincerely,

Amie
Consumer Affairs








I'm really tempted to return the thing & get my money back just because of their false advertising.


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## momofmine (Jan 8, 2007)

Metasequoia,
Which one do you have?


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## Metasequoia (Jun 7, 2005)

The one above, Hamilton Beach's Stay or Go, which is still "lead free" according to the Hamilton Beach website. I wonder how long it'll take them to change it...







:


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## octobermoon (Nov 22, 2007)

anybody found a lead free crock pot yet? if not are you still using yours?


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## judahmo (Jun 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *moneca* 
What a bummer







. Thanks for posting the thread. I wonder if Le Creuset has lead in the enamel. I tend to trust Europen products more than those made in the USA. Here is the Le Creuset product :

http://www.lecreuset.com/usa/product...?category_id=5

I couldn't find anything on the site that mentioned lead presence in the enamel. I'll have to call Monday.

I also have a Westbend slow cooker. I couldn't find anything addressing lead on the site and will call Monday.

Did you find anything out about these two companies? I, tend to trust the Europeans more on these things too! And I have a Westbend that I've been hesitant to use since reading this thread. Like there aren't enough other things to make decisions about.









Thanks.


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FlutterBee* 
I have a Rival and now I'm freaked out!! Can someone explain how they're using Le Creuset to replace their slow cooker?? I've always wanted an excuse to get some of their cookware









I mostly do roasts in my LC. I brown the meat and then toss in veggies and brothe and let it cook away in the oven. Very, very easy, and it tastes sooo much better!


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *judahmo* 
Did you find anything out about these two companies? I, tend to trust the Europeans more on these things too! And I have a Westbend that I've been hesitant to use since reading this thread. Like there aren't enough other things to make decisions about.









Thanks.

LeCreuset does have a snippet on their site about lead, but it's hard to find (it's under the faq in product care, but not under the regular FAQ).

http://www.lecreuset.com/usa/product..._Iron_Cookware

Quote:

*Q: Is Le Creuset lead and cadmium free?*
A: Cadmium and lead are two elements under strict control in the cookware industry. Our position today for the entire production process is to be in compliance with California Proposal 65 which is the most rigid standard in the world for these elements (approx. 10 times lower than "acceptable" limits). Lead is NOT used in our recipes and for cadmium a special anti-acid enamel fritt is used which will not release the cadmium pigment during cooking. Cadmium is used for coloration purposes in achieving bright exterior colors such as Flame and Cherry. The interior enamel which makes contact with food is either sand, white, or black.


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## 4lilfarmers (Feb 9, 2006)

wowser...i'm shocked by this. i don't know why i don't just assume everything has lead at this point...







: but how annoying is this. my house (actual house) is full of lead and we are dealing with that... i didn't think to check my slowcooker.







:

question for all of you mamas--by the rival ones, do you mean all? like this
one?







: again


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## mercy589 (Jun 13, 2006)

OMG! They changed it. I'm sooo ticked, I bought one of these because they said "no lead".

Quoting from the website...
# Does the crock contain lead?
Hamilton Beach specifications applicable to all slow cookers and their components (including the earthenware crocks) prohibits the product from containing any measurable amounts of lead. Furthermore, the factories that manufacture the earthenware crocks for Hamilton Beach are certified ceramic production facilities whose ceramic ware is deemed to satisfy FDA heavy metal requirements. Hamilton Beach takes all reasonable steps to ensure that the earthenware crocks accompanying our slow cookers provide safe and satisfactory service to our consumers.


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## jsnmom (Jan 19, 2008)

What about something like this?









http://www.amazon.com/Reco-Internati...d=FACLL5JDX4VZ

My mom used it every Sunday to cook chicken in it when I was a kid. I had my eye on it for a while now. But I just might go ahead and finally buy it after reading this thread.

Quote:

The strictest of supervision ensures that Romertopf's natural terra cotta contains no lead or cadmium.
That's from their website www.reco.com.


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## retro.mama (Feb 7, 2008)

I spoke with someone at KitchenAid and they said their slow cooker is "lead free". I didn't push for any specifics; at the time I didn't know there was a legal definition of lead free. Cuisinart also claims to be lead free.


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## BekahJ (Sep 4, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *judahmo* 
Did you find anything out about these two companies? I, tend to trust the Europeans more on these things too! And I have a Westbend that I've been hesitant to use since reading this thread. Like there aren't enough other things to make decisions about.









Thanks.

For real. It's not enough that my kids have allergies and I have to watch everything they eat but now I have to worry about lead being in everything. UGH!! I even heard that The Children's Place recalled some pj's because they had lead in them.


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## medaroge (Dec 21, 2004)

So is a Rival crock pot ok if it is white?


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## JesusGeek (Jul 26, 2016)

*2 types of lead-free vintage slow cookers*



summerlilies said:


> I am still searching high and low for a crock pot that doesn't have lead. Anyone have one?


This answer is now 8 years later, but just in case you did not find what you were looking for and gave up on slow cooking altogether I thought it might be worth responding.

I have spent some hours researching this (several hours several times) and the following information is to me the most important information to have found out:

1) Most if not all slow cookers without temperature dials that dial down to a lower number since sometime in the '90s run HIGH. Even if you set them on low it will just be a matter of time before they are boiling. This is all apparently because even though the manuals for slow cookers always told the consumer NOT to put frozen meat in their slow cookers, too many did just that. To quote one article, " A slow cooker may take several hours to reach a safe, bacteria-killing temperature. Constant refrigeration assures that bacteria, which multiply rapidly at room temperature, won't get a 'head start' during the first few hours of cooking." Putting frozen meat definitely gives the bad bacteria a huge head start, and people were getting sick and suing the slow cooker manufacturers, who got together and decided that rather than educating the public it would be easier and cheaper for them to just raise the temperature on all the slow cookers. And they did.

2) I personally don't want to cook anything for hours on that high of a heat except beans, so I went for vintage slow cookers made before the "big decision." First thing I do when I get a slow cooker, (I have two, but hope to get a third one), is fill it halfway with water and leave it for a few hours to come back and check the temperature. My milk glass slow cooker only reaches 150°F and never goes any higher. This will place a few limits on what you can cook with it--and means things take a bit longer. My other vintage crock-pot, a Rival made in the USA, has low, high and auto settings. I have discovered they bring the water to 150, 200 and 175°F. The problem with my Rival is that it has the harvest gold glazed stoneware within. I am planning to get a kit to check lead with at the store to make sure it is safe before I cook any food in it. It was a good deal and otherwise just what I wanted. If it turns out there is lead and/or cadmium in it (cadmium being often in the yellow glazes on vintage dishes) I will use it as a double boiler and possibly to steam food but won't let my food touch the crock. I believe steam is safe even in an unsafe container.

3) There are only two vintage slow cookers I have found that are what I believe to be lead-free, and they are the ones with "milk glass" inner crocks or those with vintage Corning Ware inner crocks. Harder to find, but they are out there. The price varies wildly, but the "usual" cost including shipping say on eBay will be in the range of $40-$50 including shipping. UPDATE: I just learned that some of the oldest "milk glass" contains lead. (Ach!) Martha Stewart says the kind with lead "rings like a bell" when you tap a milk glass tumbler. Now I will be looking for other ways to determine that too.

4) If you are afraid to cook things at 150°F, don't be. The FDA and everyone else treats us like we have no intelligence and cannot understand the simplest things. Because you need to cooking something at a certain temperature for a certain number of MINUTES before the bad bacteria are killed they just go for telling us a higher temperature that will kill that bacteria in SECONDS so we don't have to wear out our brains and THINK. Here is a great article about slow cooking: oops, I am too new here to post a link, so just search this: dont-overcook-healthy-cooking and you will find the article written by Dr. Terry Simpson which gives an intelligent explanation about needed times and temperatures for better health AND better culinary results.

5) One option one friend of mine raves about is a Vita Clay slow cooker. She is very, very picky when it comes to keeping toxins out of her food. I need to do more research on this, but the first article I read had me worried that this slow cooker, like other modern slow cookers, runs high. The idea of clay for a cooker has always bothered me and I just can't say why...

I hope that helps someone. It can be hard to get information on all this. I LOVE my milk glass slow cooker. It makes perfect oatmeal. I just put in the water, pinch salt, wee bit of coconut sugar and oats in before bed and in the morning my oatmeal is steamy and ready and better than I could have made in an oven or on a stove top!

P.S. "Made in the USA" unfortunately does not mean that your slow cooker does not have any lead. And the person who said that representatives at the manufacturing companies can say there is no lead as long as it is below a certain FDA limit is absolutely correct. I have yet to do my research on how to test for cadmium.


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