crock pots and lead

[daisycullen2003]

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

[Metasequoia]

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!!!

[Metasequoia]

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.

[MeadowSong_]

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

[daisycullen2003]

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

[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.

[Metasequoia]

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:

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.

[Metasequoia]

I just emailed Hamilton Beach again:

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.

[kmamma]

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.

[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.

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

[stacim]

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.

[Dillpicklechip]

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.

[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!

[heket]

West Bend?

[stacim]

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.

[ChristieB]

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.

[dannic]

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

[Metasequoia]

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.

[quietserena]

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!

[Attached Mama]

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.