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). Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February 2023 (March 2023 print edition).
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Published: November 22, 2017
Updated: November 9, 2023
Hi! I have gotten this question enough that it seems like a good time to finally answer it on my website!
We keep a vegan/ vegetarian home here a the Rubin HQ, so I won’t be personally cooking a turkey any time soon (I made a promise to my veggie husband when we got married many, many years ago [May 9, 2021] that I would never cook meat in the house). With a house crawling with vegetarians, we do typically cook a Tofurky (or two, or three) every Thanksgiving (it’s gotten to the point where my bigger boys can eat a whole “Tofurky Dinner” all by themselves!), so I will share a few options here in terms of sizes of pans I use for the things I do cook, as well.
#TurkeyPanTrauma
I also have to share the “funny” story (funny as in “bizarre and unpleasant,” not funny “haha” — but sort of funny haha now, decades later!) of my personal #TurkeyPanTrauma! When I divorced my ex (“starter husband” — don’t get me started!), back in waning years of the last century, my ex withheld half of my (meager) divorce settlement amounting to $10,000 “because I refused to give him the turkey pan” (that had been given to us as a wedding gift by a member of my mother’s family)!
I just don’t get what people will do for stuff!
In the end, he got the turkey pan — and I got the $10,000, which I used to pay off my college loans so I could build my credit score (and then buy my first house as a single woman)!
But as a result, I really don’t care much for turkey pans!
Coincidentally, in an odd twist, my current husband had the very same pan when we got married (I was confused, he being a vegetarian)! He explained, “I love nice cookware, and I stumbled upon it along with some other pans in brand-new condition at an estate sale, and thought it’d be nice for roasting a large winter squash!” <cue laughter>
I have added a link to that pan below, although in our home it’s not something I ever use “as intended!”
Top FIVE Non-Toxic Turkey Pan Tips:
- AVOID anything nonstick.
- AVOID anything enamel-coated (solid colors or those with white or other colored flecks).
- AVOID glazed ceramic cookware.
- AVOID cooking in aluminum.
- For ALL of my cooking needs, I generally stick with:
- stainless steel (confirming there are no brass components),
- uncoated cast iron,
- or clear glass
Thanks for reading!
Tamara Rubin
Owner — Lead Safe Mama, LLC
Click the images below to see the products on Amazon
(via Lead Safe Mama, LLC’s affiliate links!)*
GLASS cookware options. These work well for a Tofurky, but you might need to get a pretty-small turkey to make these work (and, of course, they will work well for all of your other holiday baking needs):
The option above is $38.99 as of 11/9/2023.
The option above is $16.99 as of 11/9/2023.
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The option above is $27.79 (for a set of two) as of 11/9/2023.
The set (two pans) above is $23.90 (on sale) as of 11/9/2023.
The set (of two) above is $26.75 as of 11/9/2023.
I use these for brownies!
A stainless steel cookware option (the “divorce settlement-worthy pan!”) — only $64.95:
The option above is $64.95 as of 11/9/2023.
Hello Tamara,
Have you tested ceramic coated pans namely Scan Pans, Greenpans, Greenlife?
Your work is so important . . . thank you!!
I have tested some, but I don’t yet have an opinion as to whether or not I would recommend them. I need to test more (with the brand and year of manufacture known) in order to be comfortable making a recommendation for any coated pans.
Hello Judy! Since you posted this many years ago, I have since tested many of the popular brands.
Test results for Green Pan can be found on this link:
https://tamararubin.com/2021/01/green-pan-lead-free-although-i-dont-recommend-it-aluminum-substrate-tests-positive-for-trace-levels-of-antimony/
Test results for Green Life can be found on this link:
https://tamararubin.com/2019/01/greenlife-saucepan-lead-free-but/
Test results for the popular Always Pan / Our Place Pans can be found on this link:
https://tamararubin.com/2020/12/lead-free-toxic-metals-free-always-pan-tests-positive-for-lead-chromium-titanium-cobalt-more-14-metals-using-xrf-technology/
Test results for the Caraway Home products can be found on this link:
https://tamararubin.com/2021/08/caraway-cookware-without-the-chemicals-tested-positive-for-20-metals-including-lead-mercury-cobalt-antimony-when-tested-with-xrf-technology/
Tamara
Hello Tamara! Thank you for your work! Have you tested vintage clear pyrex baking dishes for lead/heavy metals? I would love the results and other safe clear baking dishes from other companies that you recommend. Thank you!
Hi Joann,
Vintage clear baking dishes can test positive for low levels of lead. Click the “clear glass” tab at the top of any of the related posts to see of of the posts that have additional information on that.
Tamara
Can you check your links? They are not showing up here. Thanks!
Thank you for all the wonderful information! Have you tested the above stainless steel rack? Just concerned about how the rods on the rack are attached to the rim. Thanks!
Gardien roast > Tofurkey
Hi Tamara,
Do the LeCreuset Dutch ovens, or any of the enamel-coated items they make contain any toxicants?
I don’t see them listed…
Thanks,
Daina
They are on my “no fly list” as Le Creuset products typically test positive for one or more toxic heavy metals (and often at levels that are quite concerning!) You can read more about the Le Creuset brand products (and their test results) here on this link: https://tamararubin.com/2022/04/le-creuset-overview/
Hi Tamara, thank your for the work you do and the time you dedicate to educating. I was following your links to amazon in the post updated 11/9/23, but found some of the reviews of the pyrex dishes concerning, particularly the square dish where there are instances of it blowing up inside the oven while cooking at normal temperatures.
I always appreciate your product recommendations, but usually look to source the item somewhere other than amazon since there are so many cases of knock offs, fraudulent sellers & I can’t trust the source. And lately, I try to support smaller local businesses rather than Amazon as a company. How can we be sure these items aren’t coming from secondary or third party sellers where quality control is severely lacking? Again, thank your for everything you do! -Sara
Very interesting and upsetting info. I have to check your website about crock pots, which are a busy mom’s go to for having supper on the table!
Just found you and Wowwww, amazing!! I would love to order a glass, lead free measuring cup with a pouring spout ( I think my old one was like 2 cups) do you have a link for one somewhere? I plan on ordering some other items and would like to add this as well…I am probably overlooking it somewhere. Thank you again for all you do!
Hi, could you please consider adding tags to this post for roasting pan? Reason: when I visited your site index & clicked on the roasting option, this didn’t turn up in the results. I’m glad I happened to come across it while doing a search on something else. Thank you for all you’ve done already! Best wishes!