This is what a responsible company looks like! Read this letter from Instant Pot.
For those new to this website:
Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic). All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable. Items are tested multiple times to confirm the test results for each component tested. Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February of 2023 (March 2023 print edition).
I was thrilled to get a wonderfully responsible and friendly letter from the people at Instant Pot.
Not only were they friendly and open in their communications, they also were interested in my XRF testing findings and are taking a proactive approach toward improving their product — even though they are not required to do this, because it is not an item intended for children and they are already in compliance with current regulations.
I love finding responsible companies. I love working with them and supporting them in creating safer products and I think the world needs more of this kind of business.
Thank you, Instant Pot!
Sincerely,
Tamara Rubin
“Unexpected Lead Expert”
Mother of four sons
Please click on the image below to see a full size PDF of the letter.
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Can you give specifics on what you found with instapot and lead?
Trudy please follow the link on the post, the video has all of our readings in real time.
Are you concerned about nickel in high-heat stainless steel cookware? We have nickel allergies in our family so it is a concern for us, but I’ve been reading it’s not healthy for anyone to ingest. Thoughts?
I don’t personally have a concern for nickel, but I understand there is a small percentage of the population that does have nickel allergies (or sensitivities.) We have not experienced this with our children at all (and they are very sensitive to many other things, so it is something we do keep an eye out for as a result of their lead exposure.) In the past several months I have done XRF testing of many stainless items from Ikea that are either nickel free or very low nickel. I would encourage anyone with nickel sensitivities to consider purchasing stainless items from Ikea as a viable option!
I’m curious what the concern would be regarding lead in the heating element or cord or anywhere that does not come into contact with the food. I apologize if I missed this info elsewhere on your site. Thanks!
Hello Tamara,
I just realized that Instant Pot has another, more traditional slow cooker size/shape for sale: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078B4KNVZ/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=IOVNTFAJLJDC4&colid=2ULZGF5GFY1R2&psc=0. Have you ever tested this one?
I have not.
Candace,
I have heard about this test for nickel through groups who are also concerned, but admittedly, I don’t know if it is the accurate way to test for nickel.
You put a refridgerator type magnet on the stainless: if it sticks, it is OK to use: low nickel/ if it doesn’t stick then the nickel content is higher.
I did this with my Instant Pot today. It stuck to the bottom and the lower ~1 inch of the pot, but it slid or fell right off the sides. I am not sure what that means, but came to the internet to begin research.
Not sure if this helps. Just thought I would give you one person’s observation and place to start from for more research. I will post if I learn more.
Hello, can you list what pots you found to have lower lead levels. I read your post & had a picture of one as you’re describing your findings. Then later/below, you had same picture talking about how you found one to have the lowest amount of lead.
Can you make it a bit more clear!
I appreciate your efforts, bless you
What a nice letter from InstaPot. They addressed the problem stated and in addition provided extra knowledgeable information about their standards going above and beyond the RoHS guidelines, as well as a promise to do better in the future. This is a company that speaks honesty and integrity. Thank you for sharing this information.
Thank you for sharing all this information and results! I had no idea that there was lead in slow cookers. 🙁 Have you tested the 3quart instant pots or lunch warmers? I have been using Crockpot’s for awhile now but now am concerned. I tried searching on your site but didn’t see anything. Again thank you!!!
It is nice to have a response from the Chinese company that produces the InstaPot. However, my brother was a business reporter in China for 20 + years, and he noted that Chinese companies often kept 2 sets of books, one that reflected their real production and sales info and one that was doctored to appease U.S. and other country inspectors looking at their labor practices, etc. I am aware that the U.S. imports countless products from China, but I remain skeptical that those products are uniformly safe, not tainted with heavy metals, chemicals, etc. Poisoned baby formula and milk was a disaster for them in 2008 — A company added the chemical melamine to milk products fed to babies and it impacted 100s of thousands of children and led to deaths. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Chinese_milk_scandal#:~:text=The%202008%20Chinese%20milk%20scandal,latest%20report%20in%20January%202009. )
I think it is great that you are testing the InsatPot directly yourself. (I just bought one in Sept 2025.) I have mixed feelings about the level of lead you found in the heating plate, but at least it does not touch the food directly. Though, as others have asked in comments, not sure if the steaming and pressure cooking process could release lead-laced vapor that does get into the food. However, it does seem that the sealed/locked lid would block the transfer of fumes into the steel cook pot section of the cooker.
Hi Tamara,
I have an unopened Instant Pot by Rio Wide Plus. Do you know anything about lead contact or other dangerous metals or. substances?
Thank you for any info
Sincerely Rhonda