August 18, 2022 — Thursday
Why does stainless steel sometimes have a “Prop 65” warning?
Why do stainless cookware items have a “Prop 65” warning?
Isn’t stainless steel non-toxic?
Section #1) What’s in stainless steel?
First, here’s a link to an article I wrote discussing this specific question. There are quite a few grades/alloys of stainless steel (for the hard-core curious types, here’s a chart listing a whole bunch of ’em — the most common ones used in high-quality cookware are 304, 316, & 400 Series). Plus, the composition of stainless steel actually varies across the decades. With the testing I have done and reported on this website, you can see many variations of stainless steel composition. Here are some examples:
- The 2022 Instant Pot Insert
- Solidteknics Noni Stainless Pans (my favorite pans, actually!)
- An Ikea Stainless Pan
- A Stainless Mug
- A Stainless Fork
- A Stainless Knife
Here’s a link to the Category of posts and articles on this website with the “Stainless Steel” tag. What most of these items have in common (as products made from the stainless composite metal that allows it to be called “stainless”) is that they contain some amount of Iron, Chromium, and Nickel. Other metals present in various Stainless Steel formulations can include Copper, Manganese, Vanadium, Cobalt, Bromine, and Molybdenum.
Section #2) Why do some stainless steel products have a Prop 65 warning?
Prop 65 is a labeling standard for California State. If a product contains a substance that California has determined may cause cancer or reproductive harm, the packaging and marketing information for that product (if/when it is sold in California) needs to include the appropriate Prop 65 language related to the toxicants/ chemicals/ metals contained in the product.
Per the statements below, from two different manufacturers of stainless steel products (see images at the bottom of this article), California considers Chromium and Nickel to be probable or known carcinogens. Most stainless steel has both Chromium and Nickel, as significant components, therefore requiring the Prop 65 warning as well. Some stainless steel alloys are either Nickel-free, or low-Nickel (400 series), and therefore considered safer/healthier for food-use products, based on these considerations. The most common stainless steel alloy found in kitchens today generally has about 170,000 to 180,000 ppm of Chromium and 78,000 to 82,000 ppm of Nickel. Manufacturers refer to this typical stainless steel alloy formulation — using 18% Chromium, and 8% Nickel, respectively — simply as “18/8”. This is also the typical makeup for items with the description “food-grade stainless,” or “medical-grade stainless.” The primary metal in stainless steel is Iron, of course — which is generally present at levels in the range of 700,000 to 800,000 ppm. Additional metals typically found in stainless steel (mentioned above), tend to be present at levels anywhere from 100 to 10,000 ppm.
Section #3) Isn’t Stainless Steel completely safe for cookware?
There have been some studies indicating that cooking in stainless products (or otherwise using stainless items for food-use purposes) may cause some of the metals contained in the stainless item to leach into the food contained in the item… I have carefully read several of those studies — and in my opinion, the cooking methodologies and tested usage of the item (as demonstrated in these studies) are not typical of the actual, anticipated uses for these items “when used as intended” by the manufacturer (and when used in the way most people typically cook their food).
Instead, the studies appear to have pushed the limit (as many studies do), not just to determine IF metals leach from stainless with cooking, but to see under what conditions/ what kind of usage might induce leaching (of Nickel or other metals) into the food cooked in a stainless pan (as an example). One of the most popular studies cited by cookware manufacturers attempting to disparage the use of stainless steel for everyday cookware (in promoting their non-stainless steel cookware) is a study in which tomato-based products (highly acidic) were cooked for a very long time (longer than one might typically ever cook tomatoes) to determine how much of the metals might leach into the tomato sauce under those conditions.
- Study Example — “Stainless Steel Leaches Nickel and Chromium into Foods During Cooking” (Published September 19, 2013):
- Most notable in this study — cook times used were from two to 20 hours (!) I personally don’t normally cook anything in a stainless pot or pan for more than 10 to 20 minutes — maybe (rarely) for an hour, at most. Also note the concluding sentence of the abstract (image below): “Stainless steel cookware can be an overlooked source of nickel and chromium, where the contribution is dependent on stainless steel grade, cooking time, and cookware usage.”
- Also notable in this study: the leaching decreases/ stabilizes over time (after the sixth use/cycle with “seasoning”). So if you wanted to rely solely on the information presented in this study, you could (in theory) buy some new stainless pans, put tomato sauce in the pan, cook for 20 hours (wash, rinse, and repeat six times) — and then any leaching for long-form cooking in these pans should be (at least) stabilized/minimized. Said another way: if you have been using your stainless pots for years (or decades), it is not likely there is an ongoing concern (with the exception being for those who have Nickel allergies/sensitivities or have a recommendation from a doctor to avoid any exposure to Nickel or Chromium).
- Most notable in this study — cook times used were from two to 20 hours (!) I personally don’t normally cook anything in a stainless pot or pan for more than 10 to 20 minutes — maybe (rarely) for an hour, at most. Also note the concluding sentence of the abstract (image below): “Stainless steel cookware can be an overlooked source of nickel and chromium, where the contribution is dependent on stainless steel grade, cooking time, and cookware usage.”
So (again, in my opinion, based on the studies which I have read), the concern for leaching of Nickel (and/or Chromium) into food cooked in stainless is primarily only a concern under atypical/extreme-use scenarios — not under “normal use as intended” scenarios. As always, I invite Lead Safe Mama readers to share any research with me that might contradict this understanding.
Section #3.a.) Caveats — for ensuring you are using Stainless Steel appropriately/safely
Based on the research I have done (including reviewing many of the above-mentioned studies and conducting XRF testing of thousands upon thousands of stainless steel items), it is my understanding that stainless steel is safe for cookware and other food-use items, with the following caveats:
- If you actually have a Nickel allergy — or if your doctor is concerned because you have tested positive for unsafe levels of Nickel or Chromium (in a blood, urine, or hair test), you may want to avoid stainless. Stick with clear glass and well-seasoned cast iron (unless you happen to have Hereditary Hemochromatosis) and — if appropriate/recommended by your doctor — emphasize raw foods in your diet whenever possible.
- Avoid “long-form” cooking of high-acid foods in stainless steel vessels. One specific example (per the study noted above): don’t cook tomato-based products for hours on end (for reduction purposes) in stainless ware. Using stainless (as I do in my home) to quickly sauté vegetables (or to cook pancakes, eggs, or to boil water) should be a non-issue. That said, my current preferred vessels for simply boiling water are clear borosilicate glass (link one and link two), and my preferred “pan” for pancakes is an uncoated vintage cast-iron griddle that spans across two burners.
- In any home (as I have written about previously), cookware should optimally consist of an assortment of materials — (e.g. clear, undecorated glass; plain, enamel-free, undecorated cast iron; and stainless steel). Never rely on just one pan or just one type of pan. Mix things up! I also prefer hand-made unfinished natural wood for utensils, and use those in conjunction with stainless utensils — you can see some examples here.
- If you are choosing stainless cookware for your family, you should purchase the highest-quality stainless steel cookware you can afford. That said, even less-expensive single-component stainless items should not present health concerns as long as caveats #2 and #3 above are followed! In my work, I recommend both inexpensive and expensive stainless options; as long as the items are made of 18/8 base metal (and used as intended), the health impacts should generally be the same.
- Avoid inexpensive insulated stainless steel water bottles — as many of those are sealed using a solid-Lead sealing dot (link with details here) and sometimes with much lower quality stainless.
- Stainless steel water bottles should be used only for water (never for coffee, tea, juice, or other acidic beverages), with the water changed daily with rinsing between uses. Link with details here. For water bottles that might hold something other than water, I prefer glass (link with options here).
- Note: many stainless steel cookware vessels also have some non-stainless components (like glass lids with painted logos, cast Aluminum valves, Brass handles, etc.) — these can test positive for unsafe levels of Lead (or other toxic metals), so the considerations here (in asserting that stainless is a safe option) only apply to cookware in which ALL components are stainless steel. A good example of the type of cookware to be wary of is this stainless steel Butterfly brand pressure cooker from India.
- When possible, choosing low-Nickel or Nickel-free stainless (400 series alloys — also sometimes simply referred to again by the (approximate) percentages of Chromium and Nickel present as “18/0”) is preferable. Here’s a good example of some high-quality low–Nickel stainless cookware — link with details here.
Section #4) Is Nickel-free stainless steel really a safer choice?
In our family, we do not have a concern for high-quality stainless steel cookware containing Nickel:
- We intentionally use an assortment of cookware of varying materials, so do not have excessive exposure to any metals through any one particular pot or pan.
- This lack of concern is supported by the fact that none of the six of us — in our nuclear family — has ever tested positive for Nickel at concerning levels, nor exhibited any Nickel sensitivity (with jewelry, for example).
- Additional evidence supports the possibility that high-quality 18/8 stainless is relatively inert in many applications (when used as intended vs. cooking acidic tomato sauce for 20 hours!): stainless steel has long been widely used (for many decades — nearly a century actually, since 1926 — see the image with a link below) for medical devices internally/inside the body, with success.
Even in light of these considerations demonstrating the safety of 18/8 stainless, out of an abundance of caution — given the fact that research is always discovering new potential impacts — it might be worthwhile to consider choosing Nickel-free (or low-Nickel) stainless. Maybe opt for using glass alternatives — like for water bottles — whenever possible. This is among the many reasons why these low-Nickel pans are my favorite for cooking for my family.
Section #5) What about multi-layer construction Stainless Steel pans with a Copper “core?” Or, with an Aluminum “core?”
For stainless pans with a Copper or Aluminum core (the Copper or Aluminum layer is specifically added to the vessel — “sandwiched” between two stainless steel layers — for the purpose of even heat dissipation), the core is normally fully encased between layers of stainless steel and, as it is not exposed, there is no opportunity for the Copper or Aluminum layer to impact the health of the user.
The exception to this common construction for pans with a Copper core are some designs in which the Copper core is visible as a band of Copper showing around the lower edge of the pan (as an accent for decorative purposes, see image below). However, again, this does not impact the food cooked in the pans at all, as it is not a food-contact surface. The image below shows the exposed decorative copper edge on a pan with a copper core. Note: I no longer recommend this brand of pan and am only sharing the image to demonstrate this one point.
Section #6) What about Stainless Steel with measurement markings on the interior surface of the pots or pans?
I have previously cautioned about the concern for the potential for Lead in the food-contact surface measurement markings of stainless pots and pans (see markings on the interior of the cooking pot in the image below). These interior markings are typically either laser-etched, or painted-on. Sometimes they are also applied as vinyl decals (typically on the outside of vessels not intended for use with cooking).
While laser-etching is safe, painted or vinyl markings on any food surface are always a potential concern. However, more recent (post-2018) examples of measurement markings I have tested (on stainless steel vessels) have typically not been positive for Lead (this is a good example of that — link). In general, to be certain the markings are Lead-free (in the absence of testing a specific pan you might be interested in), look for etched or molded markings, or for pans with no interior markings on the food surface.
Section #7) But I heard you tested some stainless items and found them to be contaminated with other toxic metals; is that a concern?
Purchasing mass-manufactured products always has risks (possible contamination from manufacturing stream and/or supply chain variations), which is why I do my best to find (and write about) and recommend trusted brands which consistently manufacture products that test negative for Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Arsenic and Antimony, using XRF technology. It is for this reason (for example) that I only recommend ONE brand of insulated stainless water bottles (link) — as that is the ONLY brand of insulated water bottles that I have found to consistently test negative for toxicants across all recent years of production (specifically negative for the five metals listed in the previous sentence)!
That said, it is incredibly rare to find stainless steel cookware products that test positive (in the metal of the vessel itself — not in a non-stainless component of the product) for Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Arsenic, or Cadmium. However, recently (in the past year) I did some preliminary testing of two examples of pots/pans from one company (each example likely manufactured after January 2021), which tested positive with preliminary testing for trace levels of Mercury in the food surface. This is the first time I have ever found traces of Mercury in a stainless product! In response to these preliminary findings, I did a deep dive of research and confirmed it is actually possible for Stainless Steel to be contaminated with Mercury. I will be writing about that more (in detail) shortly — and will link that article here as soon as it is live.
Earlier products from this same company (tested and manufactured before 2021) have all tested negative for Mercury, so this potential “Mercury contamination” (if it can be confirmed with additional testing!) is likely a batch-specific problem. In response to this preliminary testing, and pending additional third-party testing, I removed this brand (All Clad) as a current recommendation in my store and shopping site and am working on doing additional testing to confirm whether or not other testing methodologies (i.e. other than XRF testing) might confirm trace Mercury in these pans — or if it is some sort of anomaly in the readings. And, if so, what might cause the anomaly (in rare instances, a combination of other metals will produce a reading — in the GUI interface on the XRF instruments — for a third metal that is not actually present, and I definitely need to rule this out). In the meantime, if you have All Clad stainless steel products purchased before 2020, I would not be concerned; if you have All Clad stainless steel products purchased after 2020, I would consider setting them aside for the moment until additional independent testing can be done to determine whether or not some of the pans may have low-level mercury contamination in the stainless, and (if so) what the batch-range is (the date-range of manufacture and product-range) for that potential contamination.
Note: one member of one of the families who owned one of the two pans in question was tested for metals and reported to me that their metals test was negative for Mercury.
Section #8) In Conclusion
The work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC is designed to educate our readers about the science behind any issues and considerations for any particular topic. Unfortunately, while science is the right place to start an inquiry, a lot of “science” (e.g. non-peer-reviewed studies, popular articles, etc,) is biased, and/or imprecise, ambiguous (depending on the intentions, origin, and funding behind any given study). Further/additional/more rigorous inquiry is often necessary.
With the conversation and considerations above about Stainless Steel, we are trying to give our readers as many of the answers to this inquiry as possible — in one place — so you can therefore move forward in making safer choices for your family. Ideally, we must acknowledge that industrially-manufactured manmade materials are inherently not “natural,” and therefore not always safe. On a practical level, we often have to choose between “lesser evils” and evaluate those choices based on particular considerations for our family (and the advice of our doctors). My family has chosen to continue to use stainless steel and currently do not have concerns (in general) with stainless steel toxicity.
In evaluating my comments above about long-form cooking, I reflected on the fact that I used to often make fruit jams/preserves in the summer (plum, blackberry, etc.) and that those are long-form cooking. I no longer do that — as concentrated sugars are not great for humans, and eating fresh fruit is preferred — but I don’t have a concern with using jam in moderation every now and then (not as a primary food staple). If I were to make a sandwich, I prefer almond butter and honey (for example) noting the honey is lightly-filtered, uncooked, and raw, with fewer opportunities for contamination from processing. This is a complicated journey and most choices and considerations impact others. In the end, you have to do what you decide is best for your family — and that includes factors of time and convenience. But if just one reader (you?) can make those choices from a more-educated standpoint (instead of just assuming that products sold to us by manufacturers are automatically safe) then the movement will have a small win for the future.
Here’s the Lead Safe Mama overview post with guidelines for choosing safer cookware.
For those new to this website:
Tamara Rubin is a Federal award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children. Tamara’s sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in August of 2005. She began testing consumer goods for toxicants in 2009 and was the parent advocate responsible for finding Lead in the popular fidget spinner toys in 2017. Her work was also responsible for two CPSC product recalls in the summer of 2022, the Jumping Jumperoo recall (June 2022) and the Lead painted NUK baby bottle recall (July 2022) and was featured in an NPR story about Lead in consumer goods in August of 2022. Tamara uses XRF testing (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 and reported on. Please click through to this link to learn more about the testing methodology used for the test results discussed and reported on this website.
Tamara,
Can you please let us know when you will retest and verify your recent findings on the All Clad? In the last 3 months, I replaced my cookware with All Clad and now I am extremely concerned.
I will post as soon as I have additional information. If you would like to send me one of your small pans to test that could be a helpful data point.
Tamara
I purchased in June 2020, should this be safe? Also, any thoughts on their pending class action lawsuit?
I’m in the process of replacing my stainless cookware. I’ve been doing a lot of research to make sure I purchase the safest options. I came across a brand called Heritage Steel, which I felt the most comfortable with. It’s made in the USA and they add titanium (316ti) right into the stainless mix (not coated), which from what I understand is probably the safest metal for cooking. It’s a medical grade metal. I will continue to replace my stainless cookware piece by piece with Heritage Steel.
Hi Tamara,
Where can I find the year of production of my All-Clad pans? I bought a set in March 2021… I really worry as I actively use them for cooking for my toddler (
Hi Maryna – I really don’t know any more than what I shared in this article at this moment. You could call All-Clad and ask that question of them directly. If you learn anything, please do report that back here. Thank you.
Tamara
Hi Tamara,
I contacted the customer service All-Clad with that question. They told me to send pictures of the box the set came in (thankfully, I didn’t throw it away) to find out when the set was produced. They also asked me for the link where I read about mercury contamination. So I’m asking you if I can send them the link of your article?
Sigh – sure – you can send them this. It’s preliminary testing – please articulate that it is “potential” contamination based on preliminary XRF testing that needs additional confirmation. I am clear about that in the article, so there’s no harm done, but I do need to do additional testing (as stated.)
Tamara
Our All Clad was purchased February 2020. Where would it fall in concern?
Also, do you have any recommendations for those with nickel allergies?
Hi – I don’t have any more information on the All Clad concern yet. I will publish it as soon as I do. Make sure you are subscribed to the newsletter so you get an alert when it is published. For the Nickel allergies consideration these pans may work well: https://tamararubin.com/2022/04/my-favorite-lead-free-pans/
Well this is seriously bad news. I tossed my LeCreusets based on your advice and now I have to worry about my All Clad? Many of us have purchased newer All Clads and have no idea exactly when. Please let us all know more about this soon. To the above lady using Titanium I suggest not trusting that either. Titanium leaches and there have been studies linking titanium dioxide to DNA damage. As for the pans you now like the best they have Vanadium which isn’t great.
I love your work, but sometimes, it freaks me out. You say that cooking tomato-based dishes for over 2 hours is unusual, but two of my best dishes are cooked like that. Chilli and braised pork butt. Maybe that is a difference between Oregon and Texas. Thinking about safety, I bought a mid-tier, 12qt stainless stockpot that allows me to maintain a proper simmer of my chilli, for 40 minutes. I had to test a few pots to find one that woukd work on my stove. Would it be safer to use my Staub enameled, cast iron pot for this? Even more popular, is my braised pork shoulder, based on the recipe in Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. It uses crushed tomatoes and beer. My son asks for this as his birthday dinner. Due to to high demand, I started braising 9-11lb pork butts, in a large, stainless roasting pan, w/o the rack. “Low and Slow” cooking is the key to great pork. It can braise for 9-16 hrs, depending on various factors. I had even planned to cook a pork butt during the 2021 Texas Winter storm, to help keep the house warm. Ha Ha! Our power was out for 54 hrs and then we had no safe drinking water. No pork either. I recently bought a 7qt Staub pot, so I guess I’ll have to switch to smaller butts, to use that instead.
I had this same thought when I read this article. Low and slow cooking. People do this all the time around where I live. I used to make tomato sauce on the stove top in my stainless steel pot that took quite some time. I have changed it up recently partly because I’m allergic to nickle and was concerned of the leaching. Now I cook it in glass in the oven instead.
That is a good idea to try. I’ll keep it in mind cuz I have a large borosilicate glass bowl. I just realized that I have almost done what was suggested, get through 6 extended cooking cycles, w acidic food, and then don’t worry so much.
Hi! I’ve been following you for a few years now. Thank you for all you do to help inform us. You’ve helped me to think about these things and I’ve made some better choices now thanks to you.
I think I’m allergic to nickle and would like to buy nickle free stainless steel at a more affordable price than what you recommended. What do you think of the brand HOMICHEF? This is the set I am considering…
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01GHCQ33C/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=AA0JXIBOQVERM&psc=1
Or do you know of any other sets that I can afford.
Thank you
Thank you for all the hard work you do! Really incredible! I have an All-Clad that was a gift last Christmas (2021) so interested in what you learn.
Any news on the All-Clad? I reached out to them and they simply said their products meet prop 65 standards and are safe for intended use. My husband just replaced all our pans with All-Clad and now I’m feeling anxious about it.
So glad you provided a little more information about these studies (about how cooking acidic foods for a long time in stainless steel can cause leaching of nickel etc, at least for the first half-dozen or so times you cook this way, then the leaching will likely stabilize). So helpful. One of the main things I used to use my slow cooker for (and will now use my recently-purchased Instantpot for) is a vegan, curried kidney-bean dish called Pujabi Rajmah, that cooks primarily in an onion and tomato slurry for ten hours (this time is what allows the beans to cook to the point of getting creamy). So while I thought: who on earth cooks tomatoes for hours on end? Well, I guess that would be me. Now I’ve got some decisions to make. Luckily, I see there is an Instantpot version of the recipe as well; I hope it will yield the same result. Barring that, I may have to move this circus to the oven.
Actually, if your husband is vegan, he may want to try the recipe if he doesn’t have one like it already, it’s on the website ‘Indian as Apple Pie’:
https://www.indianasapplepie.com/blogs/indian-as-apple-pie/15715748-slow-cooker-punjabi-rajmah-spiced-kidney-beans. (I notice the Instantpot recipe has slightly different spices than this one.) It’s so flavourful even my brother and husband who are meat-eaters love it. And now I can hopefully make it without that pinch of lead and ideally, without that dash of nickel either.
Thank you for commenting!
Would you expect the ring holder from IKEA stainless steel measuring spoons to be safe? Baby was playing with my set and I forgot about the key holder potentially being an issue. It smelled like metal, usually stainless has no smell? Thanks so much!
is the “homichef” cookware a good nickel free stainless option? has this been tested at all
Hi Tamara,
I found your website after trying to look for bakeware that is safe to use. I wanted to buy a madeleine pan to bake madeleines for my grandma but I can not decide on whether to buy a tinned steel Madeleine pan or a silicone coated Madeleine pan. As you mentioned in your article the silicone coating contains chemicals that is not safe and will leaked into the food. Is it better to buy a Gobel tinned steel Madeleine pan instead of a silicone coated one? Is there a stainless steel mold without any coating? Gobel also make a Rectangular Stainless Steel Cake Pan that I want to buy but it has a Prop 65 warning on the webstaurantstore.com website. Does this mean it contains lead? Thanks.
Ting, check out this article Tamara write, as an answer to your question about prop 65: https://tamararubin.com/2022/08/why-do-some-stainless-steel-cookware-items-have-a-prop-65-warning-isnt-stainless-steel-non-toxic/
I found it very helpful.
Any updates on All Clad? I need to purchase a pot soon.
Hi Tamara, any updates on the All-Clad issue?
Updating my last comment to say that stainless steel from what I’ve read can be contaminated by mercury, however being wrought it is all dissolved and so any mercury contamination should theoretically be on the surface and able to be cleaned off. Idk, just a random thing I came across. Could these pots have been contaminated? Maybe with a thermometer somehow? Just tossing ideas around. I don’t love the idea of mercury possible being in my pans.
Just wondering if there is any update on All Clad. I contracted their customer service and they don’t seemed to be trained in this area. I got a generic response that their pots and pans are food safe. I asked if they did third party testing for heavy metals and they said no. Wasn’t exactly confidence inspiring.
Would love an update too. A petition like the one for Kitchen Aid would make sense.
Hello Tamara – thanks for all you do. One topic that I’ve been searching for is coffeemakers. In my pursuit of anti-plastic and aluminum for coffee making, one I use is a stainless steel moka pot – Giannina, from Italy. My friends/relatives use is the popular Bialetti (made in China). Have you done any testing on any coffeemakers?
there’s a few articles that say studies show even slightly acidic and slightly basic liquids like fruit juice and milk still leached nickel and/or chromium.
and the thing is a lot of people do cook soups and stews for many hours.
it’s possible the amounts leached are so small they wouldn’t affect health, even in the long term, but it’s not really known. all is really known is it’s not as toxic as lead or aluminum.
these are 2 of the articles:
https://www.debralynndadd.com/q-a/stainless-steel-leaching-into-food-and-beverages/
https://www.happy-mothering.com/why-were-switching-from-stainless-steel-to-glass-water-bottles/
the first article has a list of studies at the bottom of the article.
the 2nd article links this study, but is paywalled:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00192042
Thank you so much for sharing these links!
T
I make bone broth and it simmers for 12-24 hrs. I’ve been doing it in a stainless steel pot. Is there a better option?
I’m disappointed that we were given nothing specific about mercury levels in all clad and have not heard any updates in months. Especially since this is a company I specifically bought from based on recommendations from this site. I think we deserve a more thorough explanation.
Mercury levels, are all sets contaminated, what series of all clad pans, etc
All we can say definitively right now is that more research is needed – this appears to only be an issue (if it is an issue – which we have not yet confirmed) in saucepans (not frying pans or other products) from this brand purchased in the 2020-2022 range of production years. We don’t know how pervasive it is and we have not yet confirmed it is an issue at all, so unfortunately there is nothing more to share. If you purchased yours in 2021 or later – you may want to set your sauce pans aside until additional testing can be done. if you would like a more definitive answer we encourage you to send yours out for leach testing and report back here with what you learn.
Thank you for this clarifying comment! And all of the work you do!
Tamara,
Can you recommend where we can send the pans for leach testing? All I use from All Clad is the sauce pans. I rarely use the frying pans.
Thank you
I don’t currently have a lab I know of that will do leach testing for consumers. When they do that sort of thing it normally costs about $300 per item – so it is better (more economical) to just stop using them and buy some other alternative pan until more information is available. Ikea has good inexpensive choices. Most of the all-stainless options at Walmart or Target should be fine too.
Hi Tamara, thank you for all the information you share on this site.
In this post you mention that you no longer recommend the all clad with the copper and aluminium core. Would you mind sharing the reason for that? Or maybe a link where you explain it if there is one?
I am asking because I recently had a baby an soon we will have to start cooking for her. So I started to pay attention to the tools what we use to cook and most of them are not safe. I was looking to buy one of these multi layer stainless steel, so knowing your reasoning may help me decide.
I just read through the other comments that it is not the multilayer building what you stopped recommending, but the all clad brand because of the possible mercury contamination.
Can you confirm that you still think that other multilayer stainless steel brands are ok in your mind? Or do you think that only pure stainless steel is better?
I’m curious about hexclad. Have you tested it? Is it lead free? Thanks