# Which slow cookers are lead free?



## rainyday (Apr 28, 2006)

I've been wanting to buy a slow cooker, but I would like to get one that is definitely free of lead. Are there any? Which ones? What do I need to know?







:


----------



## gmvh (Nov 26, 2003)

:


----------



## Theoretica (Feb 2, 2008)

:


----------



## retro.mama (Feb 7, 2008)

According to their CS reps, Dr. Weil, Cuisinart, and KitchenAid (although there's been some problems with cracks).


----------



## Tangled Hill (Jun 6, 2008)

I just sent off a query to West Bend to find out if their crock pot is lead-free or not. We'll see if they respond....


----------



## nichole (Feb 9, 2004)

We have West Bend. Please let me know what they say.


----------



## deditus (Feb 22, 2006)

It was posted on my local traditional foods list that the 3.5 quart Hamilton Beach Crock Pot with white ceramic liner was sent to be tested at DataChem lab and no lead was found after it had been heated for 24. * However, I have no proof to back this up *


----------



## dinahx (Sep 17, 2005)

Subbing: I think there is one that is glass not ceramic, iirc?


----------



## RGsMom (Nov 21, 2008)

Oh my gosh, this concerns me now. I would've never thought there to be lead in my slow cookers!!! EEK!!! Where did you learn that there might be lead in them?


----------



## Tangled Hill (Jun 6, 2008)

This is the response I just got back from West Bend. Though they responded _very_ quickly, they also skirted the issue completely (I asked specifically about the presence of lead). Not a good sign....

Quote:

The most visible surface layer of stoneware, called the glaze, is a protective coating for the vessel. Glazes for cooking vessels are designed for food contact. Glazes are inspected for maximum allowable amounts of trace elements in accordance with the United States Food and Drug Administration's guidelines. If glazes are chipped or cracked, the vessel should not be used.

Small areas, typically on the bottom rim, may not receive a coat of glaze. This is a normal manufacturing process. Unglazed areas, tiny pits or other cosmetic defects do not pose any unsafe food concerns. If any area of your stoneware vessel appears to be cracked, it should be replaced. Please contact us back if you require further assistance.
Any idea what I should ask next?


----------



## retro.mama (Feb 7, 2008)

There are so many threads out there with responses that people have gotten from calling company product lines. Read this thread in it's entirety.

For what it's worth, I got a Lodge unglazed dutch oven.


----------



## Tangled Hill (Jun 6, 2008)

My second email from West Bend:

Quote:

Yes, there is a natural amount of lead present in any type of ceramic, however the traces are very small and not harmful to your body. We do not use any lead based paints or products in any of our West Bend appliances. The glaze acts as a protective covering which prevents the lead to be omitted into the food. Unfortunately, West Bend does not have any data available to send out in regards to lead, other than what was included in my original response. If you require further assistance please contact us back.


----------



## allnaturalmom (May 31, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dinahx* 
Subbing: I think there is one that is glass not ceramic, iirc?

This is true.... I recently got rid of my crockpot because of lead concerns and now I'm saving up for the glass one! They have it on amazon... I think it's made by Elite Gourmet.

hth







:


----------



## sugareemoma (Jan 20, 2009)

I was just starting to love cooking with my Rival and then I found out there is lead in them. I am so bummed I lost the receipt so now I have to save up for a lead free crockpot. Thanks for the useful information.


----------



## dinahx (Sep 17, 2005)

Lookie Lookie: Stainless and cheaper & bigger than the Glass one, perhaps it will go on my birthday list!

http://onestopshopcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/wb84866.html


----------



## dogmom327 (Apr 19, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dinahx* 
Lookie Lookie: Stainless and cheaper & bigger than the Glass one, perhaps it will go on my birthday list!

http://onestopshopcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/wb84866.html

I'm a little concerned about the "nonstick interior". Darn it. That looks so promising.


----------



## dinahx (Sep 17, 2005)

Oh non-stick interior! Dang!!!


----------



## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sugareemoma* 
I was just starting to love cooking with my Rival and then I found out there is lead in them. I am so bummed I lost the receipt so now I have to save up for a lead free crockpot. Thanks for the useful information.

So Rivals definitely have lead then?


----------



## Devaskyla (Oct 5, 2003)

Yuck, I never even remotely thought crockpots might have lead in them. I've got a Rival one.

ETA: I've just written to them to see if I can get any kind of answer.


----------



## Jyotsna (Sep 24, 2004)

Seems if they have lead, that we could approach the companies as a group and have them take back the product and return our money. I don't have the reciept, as I've been cooking with my Rival crock pot for 13 - 15 years. GOD. Makes me terrified to use anything.

When I lived in India for 4 months, the thing that was used there (instead of a crock pot) was the pressure cooker. They have these stackable stainless steel dishes with lids, which stack up in the cookers. The pressure cooker was heated up in the morning, and when they came back for lunch, all the person had to do was mix in the spices. The rice, dal and veggies were all cooked perfectly. They even cooked the baby food this way, along with the adults food. I think I may consider getting a pressure cooker and these stackable dishes.

Anyway seen this before?


----------



## Tangled Hill (Jun 6, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *retro.mama* 
Read this thread in it's entirety.

Thank-you. Definitely a depressing read.

In case anyone is looking to be a bit _more_ depressed, here's a link about dishes (Googling brings up TONS more):

Lead Plate Story Getting National Attention

We'll probably end up slowly buying new Fiestaware dishes. They're just so pricey.... I've gotten rid of the West Bend crockpot I loved.







: However, I'm probably going to end up getting a Moroccan Tagine. Hubby has a part-time job at Le Creuset, and it comes with an amazing discount on their products (which are all safe safe safe).







:


----------



## Periwinkle (Feb 27, 2003)

If you and your children do not have a positive lead level, there seems to be no reason to worry about the tiny amount of lead that *may* be in the (very intact, very stable) glaze of a crock-pot.

Lead is present in small amounts all over your house (guaranteed) and garden, much less those of your friends and neighbors. BUT if your children do not have a lead level, it seems to be the height of folly to start throwing away things like a perfectly functioning crock-pot. The level is miniscule compared to certain plastic toys or toys with lead metal or paint in them (much less exposure from contaminated dirt and dust in the house & yard). Plus, if you and your children have good iron levels and are healthy, their bodies can easily clear whatever tiny amounts do get in (same with cadmium, aluminum, etc.).

Anyway, just trying to inject a little bit of common sense into the lead panic. Now clearly if you are dealing with an infant who is anemic and/or a child with an already unacceptably high (>3 give or take) lead level, that's another story but I'd still bet my bippy that it's not the crock-pot but a combination of low iron levels AND a much higher level of contamination in the home & garden (or wherever your child spends a lot of time).


----------



## Tangled Hill (Jun 6, 2008)

For me, it's just not that difficult to find another way to cook. Why would I knowingly expose my family to any amount of lead in our cookware? Of course, I'm one of those people who uses bs and vinegar for cleaning products and for shampoo/conditioner. I use enameled cast iron to cook in. I don't use aluminum deodorant. I don't use disposable pads or diapers. I'm switching over to fluoride-free water. Etc. Did I make any of these decisions in a "panic" mindset? Of course not. I researched, read about alternatives, weighed the pros and cons, and made my decision.

I agree that the human body is great at dealing with the small amount of lead and whatnot present in the natural environment. However, in the last 50 years, the human body has had to learn to deal with quite a bit more of those toxins (and others we'd not been exposed to before), and there's only so much the human body can take before it breaks down in one way or another. Auto-immune diseases are prevalent within my immediate family. So is cancer. I'd just rather not introduce any extra toxins into our lives, if I can help it. And I can.

For me, common sense is not hoping for the best when it comes to my family's health; it's doing what I have within my power to do to keep us all healthy.


----------



## WeasleyMum (Feb 27, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Periwinkle* 
If you and your children do not have a positive lead level, there seems to be no reason to worry about the tiny amount of lead that *may* be in the (very intact, very stable) glaze of a crock-pot.

Lead is present in small amounts all over your house (guaranteed) and garden, much less those of your friends and neighbors. BUT if your children do not have a lead level, it seems to be the height of folly to start throwing away things like a perfectly functioning crock-pot. The level is miniscule compared to certain plastic toys or toys with lead metal or paint in them (much less exposure from contaminated dirt and dust in the house & yard). Plus, if you and your children have good iron levels and are healthy, their bodies can easily clear whatever tiny amounts do get in (same with cadmium, aluminum, etc.).

Anyway, just trying to inject a little bit of common sense into the lead panic. Now clearly if you are dealing with an infant who is anemic and/or a child with an already unacceptably high (>3 give or take) lead level, that's another story but I'd still bet my bippy that it's not the crock-pot but a combination of low iron levels AND a much higher level of contamination in the home & garden (or wherever your child spends a lot of time).

Thank you, Periwinkle! I was just thinking along those lines, you know, that my (Rival) isn't cracked or chipped or anything but should I get rid of it anyway? Being pregnant kind of messes with my usual laid-backedness!


----------



## JesiLynne (Aug 25, 2004)

Does anyone know about Crockpot brand crock pots ?
I have 2 of them.


----------



## Periwinkle (Feb 27, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Tangled Hill* 
For me, it's just not that difficult to find another way to cook.

Then that's wonderful. But I don't know how I'd survive without my crock-pot! And I am utterly unconvinced that ANY brand of crockpot is 100% lead-free without also exposing me to a whole host of other, frankly, more concering chemicals (such as BPA, teflon, etc).

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Tangled Hill*
For me, common sense is not hoping for the best when it comes to my family's health

I specifically qualified my statement by saying only _if you and your children do not have a significant lead level_.

My kids have a lead level that is not detectable (via IV draw). Why should I waste my time and money to go around my house obsessing about every tiny little trace amount of lead, kwim? I am a lot more worried about other toxins that present a real danger to my family (e.g., BPA exposure) than something humans have been exposed to in small amounts for millennia (and, quite obviously, we're very good at handling when healthy, thus the negative lead level).


----------



## JesiLynne (Aug 25, 2004)

I'm with you Periwinkle, I LOVE my crockpot. I need my crockpot. Especially after reading how to make yogurt in it.


----------



## retro.mama (Feb 7, 2008)

The OP asked which slow cookers are lead-free, not if she should be concerned about it. That's an individual's choice, and it seems that she is looking for that information. It's a different situation when you have a slow cooker already than when you are about to make a purchase. Why _not_ purchase a lead-free cooking appliance when given the option. There were no budget restrictions placed on the OP's requests so we can assume that price is not an issue.

I agree that it's not worth flipping out over any issue (not suggesting that anyone has) but when faced with the choice between two products, there's no harm in getting the safer one.


----------

