We tested the Instant Pot today in a Facebook Live video!
(Tested it for lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic – etc., – using an XRF Analyzer)
Watch the video to see the testing results.
Click the Facebook button on the video to share it from Facebook.
Click the image below to check out Instant Pots on Amazon.
The one pictured and linked here is the one we tested.
Conclusion: Some trace lead and cadmium was found in components of the Instant Pot that do not touch the food. Since I am a hardcore lead poisoning prevention advocate I will choose to not buy one of these for my home (until they make one that is entirely lead-free.) However one of the standards I have shared with friends is: “Would I eat food at your home if you cooked it for me in this?” And the answer to that question is “Yes.” I would have no problem or concern eating food that you cooked for me in the Instant Pot.
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Happy shopping, and as always, please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Tamara Rubin
Environmental Activist
Unexpected Lead Expert
Mother of Four Boys
It was mentioned in the other blog post that you tested Starbucks mugs too – where can we find those results?
Thank you so much for sharing this!
So did you determine the age of the other instant pot you were talking about? Is the heating of the lead part that you did discover contaminate the food (through the stainless steel pot) or by releasing the pressure?
The other one was purchased in approximately October of 2016.
Hi, I recently ordered moosoo cooker and this one is similar to Instapot. Any idea what are its lead levels? I have a bad feeling, as its base produces some kind of odor
Thank you! Your work is invaluable!
I am intrigued with how difficult it is to find a good safe crock pot! It seems like it would be simple enough to make one if you had a glass or stainless steel container that fit your slow cooker’s heating unit. But it’s hard to know where to find parts that will fit together. I have seen the vita clay crock pots and while they look like a good alternative they simply aren’t big enough for my family to justify the cost. :/ I am very tempted to purchase one of these instant pots and I want to tell myself it should be safe because the food doesn’t touch the lead components, but then I can’t help but think about all that lead close to the heating elements combined with the pressure the cooker uses…. I know that when heavy metals are heated they gas off and that concerns me. I really do hope to come to a good conclusion soon. My family is very busy and it would be lovely to have meals cooking themselves while we are away living life.
Check out http://www.saladmaster.com
It looks like Procter Silex claims there is no lead or cadmium in their crocks. Check number 11 of their faqs page. I wonder if this is really true?!
https://www.proctorsilex.com/slow-cookers-faqs.html
Hi Tamara, I really enjoyed this video – very interesting testing! BTW, the button in the base is actually a thermal sensor (the cover for it). It checks the temperature of the pot during cooking so the microprocessor can decide whether to turn it on or off.
You mentioned that you were going to purchase a valve to massacre and see where the cadmium is. Have you been able to do that yet?
Ciao,
L
Laura Pazzaglia
Founder, hip pressure cooking website
Have you tested the 8 quart size?
I don’t believe I have. The ones I tested were all the same size.
Hi Tamara
Is really possible to find an instant pot that is completely lead free?
Not yet.
The pressure pin on my new Instant Pot is bright red. I hope that it wouldn’t test positive for lead. Thanks for this video and for all your work.
I’m new to learning about lead, so I’m sorry for the silly question – but is there’s any risk to having one of these and leaving it on the kitchen counter? Will lead dust accumulate on the counter? I want to get an instant pot, but I have a toddler and I’m hoping to get pregnant again soon, so I’m concerned and trying to understand what these results mean, and what the risks are. Does the lead in this item have potential to escape -as dust, or on your fingers when touching the product? Sorry again for the silly question. I’m new to this. Thank you so much!
I think the risk is minimal and the main issue (reason I don’t have one yet) is because this sort of thing has not been studied at all. I personally feel like it’s a huge problem that there is lead in the heating elements of all similar appliances, but I have not found one with a lead-free heating element! The Instant Pot has the lowest lead in the heating element of all similar appliances that I have tested though, and I am thinking of caving on this one (because otherwise we don’t have a pressure cooker!)
Hi Tamara, do you have a favorite slow cooker? i can’t find any info on your site!! thank you.
I don’t right now. I am still searching. I may get an Instant pot because it seems like the safest choice out there, but the lead in the heating element creeps me out (purely emotional/ non-scientific reaction!)
Hello Tamara,
I was wondering if you have tested the vitaclay multi-cookers? I understand the clay insert has no lead or other toxins (Or so they claim), but I was wondering about the inside elements as well. I would prefer to buy something that is completely lead and toxin free, not just the parts that touch food. I am between the vitaclay and this instant pot, but I don’t want to spend the extra on the vitaclay if the heating element and what not have lead.
Thanks!
I am fed up with being poisoned. Thankyou for your work. In regard to the instant pot I am now planning on using an xtrema ceramic pot as liner. I have been doing a lot of research on nickle toxicity & that is the reason to use a liner. From what I have read you use steamer basket w/1 cup water & allow eXtra 5 min in cooking. Now to look @ dish & utensils.
Unfortunately the label on the bottom of the Xtrema pot is high-lead, so you might want to re-think that. Is there a plain undecorated clear glass liner that would work?
Where do I find the undecorated plain glass liner.
I never would have guessed that label would have lead. Thankyou
You can ask Instant Pot (in the group on Facebook?) if anyone has a suggestion, or look at the line of new clear glass pyrex offerings to see if anything would work?
I am interested in knowing if we need to worry about heavy metals being heated. I definitely know I do not want them in contact with my food. But, I wonder if it is a problem to have lead heating up (as in does it become toxic in the air)? Also, I am very interested in an electric griddle or toaster oven also. Have you done any research or testing on either of these? Thank you so much for your research!
Here’s my post with full XRF test results for an Instant Pot. https://tamararubin.com/2018/08/asktamara-does-your-instant-pot-have-lead-xrf-test-results-for-a-6-quart-instant-pot-purchased-in-july-2018-from-amazon/
I don’t know that anyone has done a study about the heating / potential impact of the heating element having lead. It’s a real concern. Can you post some links to the types of products you are interested in specifically and I will let you know if I have tested anything similar.
This is how to participate in the testing I do: https://tamararubin.com/2017/07/subscribe-in-support-of-my-advocacy-work-you-can-become-eligible-to-send-in-a-box-of-your-things-for-testing/
I am in need of purchasing a safe and nontoxic steamer to cook my 6-month old baby food. Any suggestions you have?
Thank you so much!
Evelin
I just purchased the Instant Pot LUX60V3 today. Being a food safety conscious person, I’m concerned about the lead issues I’ve been reading about. I’m wondering should return my purchase or keep it. Any suggestions?
Hi James,
We’ve been using it as it is has the LOWEST lead levels of all of the options out there and there is no lead in the food surface of the device. [Not sure if that helps, but it was my only option to use to convince my husband to throw out our rice cooker!] Here’s our rice cooker for comparison and the full XRF details for the Instant Pot:
Rice Cooker: https://tamararubin.com/2018/08/leaded-miracle-rice-cooker-c-2009-made-in-china/
Instant Pot: https://tamararubin.com/2018/08/asktamara-does-your-instant-pot-have-lead-xrf-test-results-for-a-6-quart-instant-pot-purchased-in-july-2018-from-amazon/
Tamara
Thanks! I wanted to start using it this weekend to start cooking vegetarian meals for the upcoming week. I do own a slow cooker made by Crock Pot that’s been with me since 2012. I may use it about every two month or so. Again after reading the reviews, I’m wondering how much lead it contains.
Hi James,
The Crock Pots seem to range batch to batch. Some are lead-free. Some have lead-free glazes. Some have low levels of lead in either the glaze or the substrate. As a result of the batch level variation on the ceramic glazed inserts, I don’t recommend them.
Tamara
I have not used my Instant Pot and I do plan to return it because there is a warning label on the InstantPotbox re: California Prop 65. The warming states that “this product can expose you to chemicals including (Lead) and (Bisphenol Aluminum) which are known to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm”. It sounds like there may be additional chemicals that they didn’t name. I went to the site that Instant Pot recommends for more information and when I typed in InstantPot, there was nothing listed. The warning label states “For more information go to http://www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.” Maybe one of you can find out more about InstantPot at this site. I have a stove top pressure cooker and a crock pot plus stainless steel pots so I really don’t need the Instant Pot.
What type of pressure cooker do you have? Many have lead in the valves – so that is a concern to be aware of.
Thank you for commenting!
Tamara
Has anyone every tested the lead levels of food cooked in an instant pot? I supposed that’d be hard to do. . . But we can debate all day about whether it’s ok or not to have lead in the heating element of an instant pot, the question is, does that lead find its way into the food? Or into the air we breath?
Do you also test for aluminum? So many components of kitchen appliances have aluminum contents.
Thanks for what you do.