A point-by-point response to KitchenAid’s public statements regarding Lead Safe Mama, LLC’s findings of Lead contamination in their standard mixer attachments

ByTamara Posted: Updated:
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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 of 2023 (March 2023 print edition).

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Monday — December 26, 2022

Hello friends! There are more than a dozen articles about this issue (Lead contamination of KitchenAid brand standard mixer attachment paddles, whisks, and dough hooks) here on the Lead Safe Mama website. I am writing this today in an attempt to share all of the background in one place, for those who are new to the concern. Below you will also find KitchenAid’s official response to this concern, as of December 22, 2022 — and our complete dissection and call-out (point-by-point) of the greenwashing and deflection that KitchenAid has packed into this rather short statement. If you are new here (as I expect many of you may be), and you have no idea who I am and are unfamiliar with the consumer goods testing we do here at Lead Safe Mama, LLC — a short summary of our work and recent accomplishments (& citations in national and international press) can be found at the bottom of this article. You can also check out our “Press” page on this link.

I apologize that this is a very long article — but I wanted to cover all of the bases, and answer all of the questions in one place. I have broken this article into the following sections;

  • Section #1) What you need to know if you own one of these KitchenAid stand mixers
  • Section #2) Will the Lead contamination of these mixer attachments poison me and my family?
  • Section #3) Some of the history of the issue (of Lead contamination in KitchenAid attachments)
  • Section #4) All of the paddles and attachments with test results published here on LeadSafeMama.com
  • Section #5) KitchenAid’s December 2022 public statement in response to these findings
  • Section #6) Our response to KitchenAid’s public statement 
  • Section #7) A communication template for you to use in reaching out to KitchenAid to request replacement (Lead-free) paddles

Section #1) What you need to know if you own one of these KitchenAid stand mixers

1.A.) Here is the background that is most important for you to understand if you own one of these:

  • The standard attachment package that comes with most KitchenAid countertop stand mixers is primarily made of cast Aluminum.
  • KitchenAid offers an “upgrade” to Stainless Steel attachments for about $100 extra – for the set of three (whisk, dough hook and paddle).
  • Cast Aluminum parts are usually a mix of Aluminum materials that have been melted down together and poured into a form to make that object (vs. other manufacturing processes, like the case of say, a cookie sheet – in which a piece of virgin aluminum sheet is just rolled out and bent or stamped to make the item)
  • In general, Aluminum is never the safest/healthiest material for use in cookware – but that’s a whole other conversation!
  • Cast Aluminum, which involves melting and re-forming various aluminum materials, is almost always Lead-contaminated. You can see the following examples of Lead-contaminated Cast Aluminum here on this website by clicking any of these links: hand juicers, garlic presses, ice cream scoops.
  • “Virgin“ Aluminum [i.e. original Aluminum raw stock – sheet, plate, bar, or tube – as supplied from an Aluminum mill / distributor] is not normally contaminated with any Lead.
  • One reason Cast Aluminum is often contaminated with Lead is because it is common for the Aluminum “stock” used (melted down and cast into a new product or part) to be sourced – entirely or in part – from recycled Aluminum…which can contain various contaminants.
  • The KitchenAid standard Cast Aluminum paddles and other attachments have been available in two versions: “burnished” (bare metal Cast Aluminum), and white or gray nylon-coated Cast Aluminum. [However it is my understanding – based on the recent communication from KitchenAid –  that KitchenAid recently stopped selling the “burnished” (uncoated bare metal) standard attachments – but they are still available for purchase on Amazon – image below: https://amzn.to/3VB8NZe.]
  • Most consumers cannot initially (prior to use) tell the difference between the burnished Aluminum and Stainless Steel options and often assume burnished Aluminum is Stainless Steel.
  • Testing done by Lead Safe Mama, LLC (beginning in 2009) – on both new and vintage (20 years old or older) – KitchenAid stand mixer attachments has demonstrated that virtually all of these standard (Cast Aluminum – burnished or nylon coated) KitchenAid brand stand mixer attachments are Lead-contaminated [We have only ever come across one single “non-detect” reading for Lead, having tested several hundred examples].
  • This is for ALL YEARS of manufacture and ALL MODELS of KitchenAid Stand Mixers, as well as ALL KitchenAid stand mixer attachments (not just the standard three).
  • This includes attachments sold in 2022 (link with details – including video showing testing of new paddle purchased in December of 2022).
  • Only KitchenAid brand attachments that were/are expressly marketed and sold by KitchenAid as “Stainless Steel” (which is- again – an optional upgrade, in most cases) are not made of Lead-contaminated Cast Aluminum.
  • Note: even the standard Whisk attachment (which has a stainless steel body of the whisk) has a top attachment point – where it attaches to the mixer – which is still (a separate piece made of) Lead-contaminated Cast Aluminum — unless you have purchased the all-Stainless Steel “upgrade”.  
  • This is what the Stainless Steel “upgrade” set looks like when new:
  • The burnished (uncoated) paddles may leave gray streaks in your batter. It is very possible (and highly likely) that this is causing at least some Lead contamination of your batter (given the Lead levels typically found in the burnished paddles) – in spite of the fact that KitchenAid states it is “not harmful” – see screenshot below. I haven’t yet done any dust-wipe sampling of the burnished paddles, but I will add that to my to-do list, to see if we can support these concerns with some additional science! Screenshot below was taken from KitchenAid’s site 12/26/22.
  • The nylon coating on the gray and white attachments often chips, leaving the bare Lead-contaminated Aluminum showing and creating the opportunity for that bare Lead-contaminated aluminum to come into contact with your food (creating a similar concern to that of using the bare burnished paddles.)
  • These stand mixers are sold with a Prop 65 warning for cancer and reproductive harm (this s a screenshot from their website on 12/26/22);

1.B.) Greenwashing and Action from KitchenAid

  • Since I first reported on this issue in depth (in 2014), KitchenAid representatives have responded with three types of responses: 
    • Denial / Gaslighting: “Our products are safe and have no Lead.”
    • Deflection / victim blaming: “Our products meet FDA requirements and if you treat them well (and hand wash them and keep them in good shape) there will be no concern.”
    • Admission – along with a caveat / more victim-blaming: “Our products may test positive for Lead at very low levels, but there is no concern — if you take care of them and they aren’t chipped.”
    • Below are some comments shared with me by readers this month:
  • With the most recent round of outrage on social media over the past couple of weeks (December 2022), KitchenAid “got their legal team involved” and issued the statement (below – section #5) which I will discuss in detail below, as well.
  • More important than their greenwashing “official statement” is the fact that they are now replacing some (or all three) Lead contaminated standard attachments for customers who ask. HUNDREDS of Lead Safe Mama readers have been in touch with me over the past couple of weeks and have either received a single free attachment replacement (Lead-free / Stainless “upgrade”) OR a full replacement set of the three standard attachments. This is significant — because it is a tacit acknowledgement that the concern is legitimate (WHY would they be replacing these standard paddles with the “upgrade” to Lead-free Stainless Steel if the concern for Lead in their standard paddles were not legitimate?) 
  • Given Lead Safe Mama, LLC has still not heard from the company (either with a dumb “cease and desist” letter from their attorneys, or a more polite “Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention!”), it would appear that their new remedy for folks who call in with this concern is to offer replacement paddles. This is EXCELLENT, as this response is what has the most integrity under the current circumstances.
  • IF you have an older set (or even a new non-Stainless set) I do encourage you to call their customer service number (it is actually printed on some of the machines these days – see image below!) and (based on the image below) appears to be USA: 1-800-541-6390 or CANADA: 1-800-461-5681. UPDATE: A Lead Safe Mama Reader informed me (12/27) that KitchenAid has set up a separate number just to deal with this concern. That number is: 866-698-2538 (so you may want to try that first!)

  • Ask for a replacement set because you understand your set is made from Lead-contaminated Cast Aluminum (an example script & text for you to use for your call or e-mail are below.)

The main thing to understand right now is that IF their attachments were Lead-free (and IF they were without risk) KitchenAid would NOT be offering one or more free replacements to Lead Safe Mama readers. Free Stainless Steel replacements is a great place to start — but they need to do more than that; they are trying to do damage control, but they also need to clearly acknowledge their past mistakes and discontinue – and issue a warning about – the Lead-contaminated Cast-Aluminum accessories they have been selling for decades!

Section #2) Will the Lead contamination of these mixer attachments poison me and my family?

2.A.) No Safe Level

First one must understand the there is no safe level of Lead exposure. All U.S. Federal Agencies (CDC, EPA, USDA, FDA, etc.) are in agreement [with the science – that conclusively established, many years ago] that there is no safe level of Lead exposure for human beings — especially for children. It is also common knowledge in the scientific and medical communities that, due to Lead’s extreme neurotoxicity, it literally just takes a microscopic amount of Lead exposure to poison a child. Here are some links related to this:

2.B.) How much Lead is “too much” Lead?

With the above context, it is also important to understand that kitchenware (and most home goods / dishes / furniture, etc.) are not regulated for total Lead content [that is easily-detectable with an XRF instrument — which is the type of consumer goods testing that we do here at Lead Safe Mama, LLC – link with details on the testing we do]. The total content regulations for Lead (regulations that separately limit both how much Lead can be present in the substrate, and the surface coating of an item, respectively) only apply to items expressly sold and marketed as items “intended for use by children“.

Kitchenware items (including these KitchenAid mixing paddles) are exempt from that standard — because they are not expressly sold as items intended for use by children (they are not for instance, a toy, or a piece of jewelry, or clothing made explicitly for use by children). U.S. Federal regulatory agencies do not consider dishware and cookware to be “items intended for use by children”, and therefore they are not currently subject to any regulatory limits for total Lead content.

IF these items WERE considered as items for use by children, the following regulatory Lead content limits would apply: substrates would not be allowed to have more than 100 ppm Lead, and paint or coatings would not be allowed to have more than 90 ppm Lead. Most of the KitchenAid Mixer attachments I have tested have had levels FAR IN EXCESS OF 100ppm Lead (see section #4 below for some specific test results as they relate to the 100 ppm safety threshold).

2.C.) But KIDS DO use these things!

The elephant in the room here is that OF COURSE kids use these things! We all know kids use these things! When you buy an heirloom-quality appliance for your home and your family you expect (especially from a high-quality brand like KitchenAid – a brand that ostensibly has a good reputation) it to be safe for EVERYONE in the family – by ALL standards (not just for standards that apply to use by adults). On top of that (and as a foundation for my upcoming CPSC violation report that I intend to file this week for these products), KitchenAid’s own marketing materials DO deliberately, expressly imply that these are safe for use by children — and intentionally strongly promote their use by children (see images below)! Please check out all these images from KitchenAid’s Instagram page (all of these screenshots were taken from the company’s Instagram page on December 13, 2022):

2.D.) “But is there an actual risk to my children (or grandchildren)?”

  • [Aside from acute-exposure risks], the concern for Lead exposure is not about our exposure to trace amounts from any one source.
  • The concern for Lead exposure is about what our total body burden might be as a result of aggregate cumulative exposure – from all sources, over the course of our lifetime.
  • This is because the impacts of Lead exposure on the body are cumulative; Lead builds up in the body over time by bio-mimicking Calcium, and Lead is not easily excreted. Scientists tell us that 90% of all the Lead that has ever been in a human being’s body is (and will forever be) still in the body — incorporated into permanent structures (in the place of Calcium!).
  • As a result, we need to avoid ALL potential exposure sources — especially sources that might cause the ingestion of Lead with our food and particularly sources we can control (since, unfortunately, some sources of Lead exposure are out of our control).
  • We also have a right to demand that all kitchenware (everything we use to prepare, cook, and serve our food) be Lead-free. Please read this article about the impact of aggregate exposure over time.
  • Separately, since we cannot simply trust manufacturers to make Lead-free products, we need to be aware that current U.S. regulatory standards (that are in place to ensure the safety of products that may come into contact with our food) only regulate those items for any leaching of Lead at the time of manufacture. What this means is that something that was determined to be “food-safe” at the time of manufacture may not be food-safe in 5, 10, or 20 years — once a coating begins to wear (as it does with these KitchenAid attachments). You can read more about that here.
  • Lastly, KitchenAid has apparently (quietly) discontinued the manufacture (and sale) of their non–coated bare-metal (“burnished”) attachments. As far as I know, no recall was made for these products. The reason these products were especially concerning is that countless readers reported to me that the burnished attachments left gray streaks (traces of the surface deterioration of the metal) in the dough they were mixing in their KitchenAid mixer. To me what this indicates is that some of the Lead-contaminated metal may have, in fact, been wearing off into the food — and this may be the likely reason that KitchenAid discontinued the product (but again, no recall was issued — because it is ostensibly not an item “intended for use by children” and, as such, was not illegal) — on top of that, anyone who has had one of the coated versions of these accessories for a long time will tell you that the nylon coating has definitely chipped (leaving the uncoated, bare, Lead-contaminated cast aluminum substrate exposed to interact with the food you are mixing- resulting in the same concern as with the burnished versions).

All of these factors (detailed above) support the conclusion that there is a definite potential exposure risk with these products. Given so many other potential sources of Lead in our lives, the potential exposure from using something like this (even on a daily basis) may not be measurable as something we can necessarily isolate and quantify. That said, I would not rule it out as a potential “hidden” exposure source, for example – in a family where one or more members have tested positive for Lead, and they have been struggling to identify the Lead-exposure source(s). If such a family cooks with one of these often (especially with the uncoated burnished paddles), and has already eliminated all the other known or suspected sources of Lead exposure in their environment — it is definitely a likely/potential contributing factor.

If you have one of these, and you use it on a regular basis, and IF you and your family have not gotten Blood Lead Level (BLL) tests done by your doctor recently – I think it would be prudent to get tested (here’s a link with more information about that). Do I expect that you will test positive for Lead (using a traditional Blood Lead Level test at a doctor’s office) if this is your only expected exposure source? No, I do not. If this is your ONLY exposure source, and you don’t use your KitchenAid mixer on a regular basis, it is unlikely you will test positive with a BLL test — but it is still a good idea to rule that out.

Please also understand the following: Your BLL does not need to be high enough to be measurable on a typical BLL test in order to potentially cause harm. A scientific study was done of women of childbearing age that clearly demonstrated that BLL’s as low as 0.43 µ/dL (“micrograms-per-deciliter”) can cause fertility issues and birth complications (link here) — and most BLL tests done at your doctor’s office have a low threshold of detection of 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0µ/dL.

So my takeaway advice here:

Section #3) Some of the history of the issue (of Lead contamination in KitchenAid attachments)

I first discovered this issue around 2009, shortly after I started doing consumer goods testing. I subsequently first wrote about it in detail in 2014, and have linked that original article here. I have re-shared these articles every year – several times a year – to keep the awareness of the concern going. Then I learned about the stainless paddles (that were being sold as an “optional upgrade”), and I tested those [and found them to be Lead-free].

About three years ago (around the beginning of the pandemic), I learned that KitchenAid had created a scripted response for their customer service reps to read to Lead Safe Mama readers calling in with concerns. I saved a lot of screenshots from these conversations but never wrote up an article (due to the disruption and additional time demands the pandemic’s chaos imposed on our lives!) but they included various bizarre statements from KitchenAid reps including that my testing was “fraudulent” (um, no); that my test results “had been taken down from the Internet, because they had been disproven” (nope); and that I was “just a ‘blogger'” — and there was no science behind my “claims” (science is all we do here.) I did not bother responding to their ridiculous nonsense at the time, because I have had other more pressing priorities over the past three years (like working with families of poisoned children and filing reports to the CPSC on manufacturers violating Federal Lead regulations for consumer goods).

Fast forward to this month (December 2022) and a combination of factors came together to make a real storm happen, one that has appeared to generate some definite impact and change over at KitchenAid. Primarily the Lead Safe Mama Instagram page approached (and passed) 20,000 followers — as we were nearing Christmas and EVERYONE was baking (or thinking about baking, or planning on baking!). So when I shared the article on Instagram a couple of weeks ago (at the end of the week) and the post got a bunch of attention from the baking community (over the weekend), it likely led to KitchenAid receiving THOUSANDS of calls on Monday morning two weeks ago (December 12, 2022)!

  • Given the level of consumer demand and outrage that went with this flurry of activity this year, Lead Safe Mama readers started reporting that KitchenAid was offering to replace their Lead-contaminated paddles free of charge (link here).
  • After a handful of readers reported that they were offered FULL free stainless replacement sets (paddle, dough hook, and whisk) several readers then reported that KitchenAid was no longer offering full replacement sets, just 20% or 30% off coupons.
  • After that several readers reported that they were offered a free stainless replacement for their most used paddle or hook (whichever that was) with a 20% or 30% coupon to buy the remainder (so KitchenAid turned this into a money-making strategy! Jerks!).
  • Then again, over the last couple of days, I have heard that they have gone back to offering free full replacement sets (the stainless Lead-free options) to Lead Safe Mama readers who have been persistent yet polite in their requests.

That’s the story — so you MAY (or may not) be able to get free Lead-free replacements (the stainless steel set) if you call KitchenAid. Please note that they DO NOT have stainless replacements for ALL of their attachments (to go with all of their machines). Most of their attachments still only have the Lead-contaminated cast aluminum version. If you have (and use) those (like the meat grinder, etc.) please definitely consider stopping use for the time being and getting a Blood Lead Level test so you at least have a baseline to help guide your decisions moving forward. I will also start a petition to KitchenAid and you can sign on to that petition (I will link it here as soon as it is live) demanding that all of their attachments be made out of 100% Lead-free materials.

Section #4) All of the paddles and attachments (and other KitchenAid-related articles) including test results published here on LeadSafeMama.com. Each of the line items below is a LINK to a full article with images and test results for the item pictured.

  1. c. 1990s Vinyl Coated KitchenAid Fridge: 1,646 ppm Lead
  2. c. 1994 Kitchen Aid Paddles: 600 to 800 ppm Lead
  3. c. 2006 Dough Hook: 698 ppm Lead
  4. c. 2006 Burnished Metal Paddle: 644 ppm Lead
  5. c. 2007 KitchenAid Burnished Paddle: 607 ppm Lead
  6. c. 2010 Yellow Silicone KitchenAid Spatula: 970 ppm Lead
  7. c. 2014 KitchenAid Stand Mixer Attachments — Original Overview
  8. c. 2014 KitchenAid Paddle: 333 ppm Lead
  9. c. 2015 KitchenAid Dough Hook: 315 ppm Lead
  10. 2019 Red Silicone KitchenAid Spatulas: 11 ppm Lead
  11. KitchenAid Burnished Paddle: 445 ppm Lead
  12. KitchenAid Whisk Attachment: 274 ppm Lead
  13. Black Ceramic Liner of KitchenAid Slow Cooker: 386 ppm Lead

Section #5) KitchenAid’s December 2022 public statement and response to these findings

Here is the text of the above KitchenAid response to these findings. The above image is a screenshot that was shared by a LeadSafeMama.com reader on 12/22/22:

@KitchenAidUSA commented: Throughout our 111-year history, Whirlpool Corporation has been committed to providing safe products for our consumers.

The company’s aluminum alloy stand mixer accessories, including beaters, dough hooks, and whisks, are tested through a third-party, independent laboratory to ensure they comply with all applicable regulations in the locations where they are sold regarding Lead content. They are safe for any family’s cooking needs.

In addition, all current models of Aluminum stand mixer accessories have a food-safe coating over the aluminum that is tested both for Lead content and Lead migration to ensure that it is safe for all consumers.

Section #6) Tamara Rubin’s response to KitchenAid’s public statement – above (Point by Point)

Their Statement (#1):

“Throughout our 111-year history, Whirlpool Corporation has been committed to providing safe products for our consumers.”

Our Response:

111 years ago, safety standards for kitchenware to protect consumers from Lead exposure were not yet in place  — in fact, current regulatory standards still do not require that your products be Lead-free. Since you brought it up, let’s talk about your history: you manufacture durable, heirloom-quality kitchen appliances and other items that “last a lifetime” and are prized by cooks and found in a majority of well-appointed kitchens in this country. You have a reputation as being a company that is also concerned for our family’s health and well-being — yet you have a long track record of manufacturing Lead-contaminated products for use in our kitchens. From a metallic toxicants perspective, your company’s history, rather than setting a similarly high bar for excellence, is in fact, a shameful example of consistent “willful ignorance” / arrogant indifference — and gaslighting customers who contact you voicing concerns about the high Lead levels in your products! 

There is no safe level of Lead exposure — and there is no excuse for your persistent practice of unapologetic manufacturing and selling kitchen products with unsafe levels of Lead in one or more components [refrigerators (link); silicone spatulas (link); crock pots (link); and stand mixer attachments (link)]. How can we possibly believe your statement (that you are “committed to providing safe products”) when you have an extensive history of blithely manufacturing and selling Lead-contaminated products? On top of that, you have known of my findings of Lead contamination in your KitchenAid stand mixer attachments for at least nine years, yet have done nothing to fix the problem (except perhaps capitalizing on the issue by SELLING a Lead-free stainless steel option as an “upgrade”), and NOTHING to alert the public of your past mistakes and any efforts you have made to remedy them.

Their Statement (#2):

“The company’s aluminum alloy stand mixer accessories, including beaters, dough hooks and whisks, are tested through a third-party, independent laboratory to ensure they comply with all applicable regulations in the locations where they are sold regarding Lead content.”

Our Response:

      • Current applicable regulatory standards do not restrict you from manufacturing and selling Lead-contaminated products.
      • The fact that your stand mixer attachments meet current – lax – U.S. regulatory standards — standards which science has repeatedly demonstrated are not protective of human health—  is irrelevant.
      • We expect MORE from you as a trusted brand that we have let into our homes for generations.
      • I suspect an audit of your internal communications on this matter (compliance with all applicable regulations) might also provide some interesting insight, as it seems suspicious timing that you have stopped selling the burnished (bare metal) standard attachments AND you made a Lead-free alternative as an “upgrade” only after we (Lead Safe Mama, LLC) published our findings of Lead in your standard aluminum stand mixer attachments.

Their Statement (#3):

“They are safe for any family’s cooking needs.”

Our Response:

Current regulatory standards only guarantee some limited degree of safety of cookware products at the time of manufacture (meaning no leaching of any significant amount of Lead only when the product is new). These standards do not take into account the safety of heirloom quality products — i.e. that may be put in service in a family over time /across generations (with many decades of continual use.) Leach-testing standards only need to be met for any given product at the time of manufacture, and once an item has been used for 5 (or 10 or 20+) years a Lead contaminated item often will no longer meet the testing requirements it met when it was new. If those products contain significant levels of Lead contamination (as your cast Aluminum stand mixer attachments do), then the deterioration with use over time is likely to cause eventual leaching of Lead into food being prepared with these items.

Given this context, there is no defensible reason for KitchenAid to be selling Lead-contaminated kitchenware in 2022 (almost 2023) — especially with a near-$500 price tag… and especially given KitchenAid has an (obviously misplaced) reputation for being an ethical, reputable company, that cares about their customers.

Given you failed to take these recent actions (sensible, practical responses to the dangerous risks inherent in their Lead-contaminated counterparts) until customer awareness and pressure to act evidently rose to levels that you could no longer simply completely ignore — your language expressing the company’s “commitment to providing safe products for our customers” seems solidly in the realm of “disingenuous”, as it is belied by your actions — which appear to be, at best, reactive rather than proactive.

Their Statement (#4):

“In addition, all current models of Aluminum stand mixer accessories have a food-safe coating over the Aluminum that is tested both for Lead content and Lead migration to ensure that it is safe for all consumers.”

Our Response:

Welp, no!… ummm… have you SEEN your paddles after regular use by most families?! Poll any 20 random families who own your products (and who have had them in service for 5 years or longer), and I would bet that the coating on at least 18 of those families’ paddles is chipped and deteriorating — exposing the Lead-contaminated surface of the attachment to the food being prepared in the mixer. I’m frankly astonished that you would even mention this consideration, given the level of deterioration I have consistently seen – across the board – of the coatings applied to your paddles. This also begs the issue of the considerably more troubling fact that for many years you sold totally uncoated paddles — your “burnished finish“…which you quietly stopped selling (but which still can be found in limited quantities on Amazon as of 12/27/22) after spending years blaming the users for the fact that these “burnished” paddles left gray streaks in their food!. I think the time is now to have some independent scientific testing done on the potential for Lead-contamination of food being prepared with those burnished paddles…especially since you never issued a recall of those uncoated, significantly-Lead-contaminated paddles — and never even issued a public statement about the potential for concern,

Section #7) A communication template for you to use in reaching out to KitchenAid to request replacement paddles (the graphic is followed by the text in a format that you should be able to copy and paste and customize).

Dear KitchenAid,

I am a long-time customer. I purchased [or was gifted] a KitchenAid stand mixer in ____ (year), and have been using it regularly to cook for my family [children; grandchildren] since then.

I recently learned that independent scientific testing [conducted by a multi-federal-award-winning advocate for Lead-poisoning prevention, who is an expert on the subject of Lead in consumer goods] has definitively demonstrated that KitchenAid’s cast aluminum (nylon-coated or burnished) paddles and attachments that come with the stand mixers consistently test positive for unsafe levels of Lead — at levels so high that they would in fact be blatantly illegal if that much Lead were detected in any item manufactured and marketed today as an item“intended for use by children“!]

Well, my children (and /or grandchildren) use this mixer with me on a regular basis; I feed my family food made in this mixer — and I am not comfortable with the fact that your attachments are made of Lead-contaminated aluminum and that this was not disclosed on the packaging when I purchased my mixer. If I had known this at the time of purchase, I certainly would not have chosen this KitchenAid product for my family.

All Federal agencies agree that there is no safe level of Lead exposure for children — and that even a microscopic amount of Lead-exposure can cause harm (including neurological damage, and fertility impacts – including birth complications and infertility).

I also understand you make a Lead-free stainless steel alternative to your Lead-contaminated attachments, and I am calling at this time to request:

        • that KitchenAid stop selling Lead-contaminated products to unsuspecting young families &
        • that you send me a free set of the Lead-free stainless steel attachments to replace the Lead-contaminated ones that came with my mixer (as I understand you have been doing for many others calling in/writing in with the same concern).

Your name

Mom/ Grandma/ Auntie/ Dad (your official title in the family!)

Good luck out there friends!

Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on one of our links we may receive a percentage of what you spend at no extra cost to you. Please don’t purchase any of the KitchenAid-linked items in this post however, the Amazon links are there just to demonstrate that these products are still available on Amazon.
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100 Comments

  1. Hi. I can’t find their email address. Only mailing address and phone number. I’ve already tried calling them and got no where. I’d like to try emailing.

    Thanks!

    Reply

    1. I don’t have an email address yet – how about messaging them on social media? Instagram or Facebook or Twitter?
      T

      Reply

      1. I sent a registered letter to the address you gave and got an email back in reply asking for model and serial numbers. This is the email:

        Nicole L Thomas
        Executive Office Staff at Whirlpool Corporation at Whirlpool Corporation
        T 866-817-5404 Ext: 7045 E nicole_l_thomas@whirlpool.com
        W whirlpoolcorp.com

        Reply

    2. I just called Kitchen Aid today and they have a recording when calling in as if they already know what I am complaining about. They say the same thing as you’ve mentioned that they test their products and they either have no lead or don’t have lead leaching.

      I’m super concerned because I have beaters that got nicked from normal use within a week after I got them direct from Kitchen Aid.

      Reply

  2. I have send the following variation of Tamara’s template to Kitchen Aid in the UK at contact.webshop@kitchenaid.com. I have amended it for my circumstances and spelled aluminium the British way!

    Dear KitchenAid,

    It seems that lead hazards have been found in Kitchen Aid products in the USA – see here and here. Please can you tell me whether your products sold in the UK are, and have been since 2014, the same as USA.

    The mother and advocate who found the lead contamination suggested the following message that I have amended for my circumstances:

    I purchased a KitchenAid stand mixer for my daughter in 2014, and she has been using it regularly since then.

    I recently learned that independent scientific testing [conducted by a multi-federal-award-winning advocate for lead-poisoning prevention, who is an expert on the subject of lead in consumer goods] has definitively demonstrated that KitchenAid’s cast aluminium (nylon-coated or burnished) paddles and attachments that come with the stand mixers consistently test positive for unsafe levels of lead — at levels so high that they would in fact be blatantly illegal in the USA if that much lead were detected in any item manufactured and marketed today as an item “intended for use by children”.

    I am not comfortable with the fact that your attachments are made of lead-contaminated aluminium and that this was not disclosed on the packaging when I purchased my mixer. If I had known this at the time of purchase, I certainly would not have chosen this KitchenAid product.

    All US Federal agencies agree that there is no known safe level of lead exposure for children — and that even a tiny amounts of lead exposure can cause harm (including neurological damage, fertility impacts – miscarriage, pre-term birth, and low birth weight; as well as stroke, heart and kidney disease).

    I also understand you make a lead-free stainless steel alternative to your lead-contaminated attachments, and I am calling at this time to request:

    • that KitchenAid stop selling lead-contaminated products &
    • you issue a recall for existing lead-contaminated items &
    • that you offer a free set of the lead-free stainless steel attachments to replace the lead-contaminated items to all customers (as I understand you have been doing in the USA for many others calling-in/ writing-in with the same concern)

    yours sincerely,

    Tim Pye

    —————————————————————————————————————–

    Tim Pye
    +44 (0) 7768 337619
    LEAPP Alliance

    Reply

    1. I just spent an hour on hold only to be told they are not replacing any paddles but they are aware of this “one individual doing an independent test showing unverified unsafe levels”. They offered me a 20% discount on a set of stainless paddles and when pressed told me the company would offer nothing more and that the lead level in the paddles was safe.

      Reply

    2. I sent the scripted email (with modifications to personal details) and this is their response. I called and the lady on the phone informed me that Lead being in their attachments is misinformation (eye roll!). She offered to replace my paddle attachment because the nylon coating is chipping and offered me 20% off of other attachments. Very frustrating!!!

      “Hello Suzi,

      Thank you for contacting KitchenAid. We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your inquiry.

      Throughout our 111-year history, Whirlpool Corporation has been committed to providing safe products for our consumers. The company’s aluminum alloy stand mixer accessories, including beaters, dough hooks, and whisks, are tested through a third-party, independent laboratory to ensure they comply with all applicable regulations in the locations where they are sold regarding lead content. They are safe for any family’s cooking needs. In addition, all current aluminum stand mixer accessories models have a food-safe coating over the aluminum that is tested for lead content and lead migration to ensure that it is safe for all consumers.

      If you have further inquiries please contact our KitchenAid Customer eXperience Center at (800) 541-6390. Our hours are Monday – Friday 8 AM – 6 PM EST.”

      Reply

  3. I called and they said they don’t have a replacement set for my specific (Costco) unit, and all they could do is notify me in tje future of a recall. Bummer. I asked if they would reimburse me if I buy an aftermarket set from a different brand and they said no of course.

    Reply

      1. I called today and they replaced my paddle attachment, no questions asked. When I said that my dough hook has 2 large chips, they said all they could do was a 20% off deal. Such a sorry excuse for a company.

        Reply

      2. Today I sent two e-mails requesting for stainless steel replacement attachments, with the form letter you provided, for my 1998 KitchenAid mixer. I received two form letter responses and then followed up with a phone call to the number they provided. I politely spoke to a nice lady from Georgia and explained why I was calling and about my two prior e-mail responses. Initially she looked up my model and serial number to see if the stainless attachments were available for my mixer, they were. Then she offered the 20% off of the three pack of attachments. I said, “while I do appreciate that discount I see that as recently as January 4th, 2023 another person posted that they received two free stainless replacements.” She asked to place me on hold for a short time. When she returned she offered one free replacement, dough hook or the flat beater. I took the flat beater and purchased the stainless wisk with the 20% discount for 27 dollars and some change. The paddle beater is on back order and should take 1-2 months and the wisk was in stock should ship out in a few days.

        Reply

  6. Is there a safe alternative for the 6qt kitchen aid mixer? Kitchen aid said there’s no stainless steel version for the 6qt, only the 5qt, but i don’t want to continue using the ones i have.
    How can we put pressure on kitchen aid to do the right thing if they don’t have a replacement for that particular mixer ?

    Reply

    1. I have the 6 qt from Costco. I have been told we can return it at anytime but I haven’t tried to yet. If I can ever afford the difference, the 7 qt Kenwood chef major mixer Costco sells comes with all stainless steel attachments.

      Reply

    2. I have the same issue. They told me there’s a pastry beater only in stainless steel for a 6qt lift bowl but it’s 59.99 with a 20% (11.99) off and they would offer me the coated ones for free bc mine are chipped. Ummmmmm no. Is there another big stand mixer that’s lead free? If they won’t change let’s go to the competition!!!

      Reply

      1. I was told tilt bowls only and 7 qt stand mixers only have the option of stainless steel. Other stand mixers never had a stainless steel option. Ever. So they cannot replace. My daughter has a 6 qt and she said they are stainless and kitchen aide said no, they are aluminum and there are no stainless available and never have been available. We were both on the phone as a three way call with Kitchenaide and they said there is no problems with lead and if there was then Kitchenaide would do a recall. No replacement, no discount coupon offered. Pretty much I was told it is what it is and it is safe. Maybe we should all call EPA, FDA and CDC etc and see if they are aware of the problem and see what they have to say.

        Reply

  7. My mixer is over 30 years old (white professional bowl lift) and the model number sticker on the bottom has been worn off. I realize they don’t make stainless steel paddles for the old mixers but since mine are chipped they will replace them if I had the model number. Does anyone out there have a model number for the mixers that are that old? I’m sure there was only the 1 professional one made at that time period.

    Reply

    1. I use mine near daily and am so disappointed to hear it’s got lead. Makes me think what other attachments I’ve been using that also have lead, as they have the same parts that turn dusty gray when washed

      I have a Sam’s club model, and it sounds similar to the Costco others have mentioned, in that it’s nearly impossible to find replament attachments for my model anyways. I’m SO disappointed in Kitchenaid, you would imagine for the price you’re paying the quality would be safe!

      Reply

        1. Just an update from July 2023– I called and they only offered a 20% off coupon, so I paid $85 to replace the attachments with the stainless steel ones.

          Reply

    6. I have the same one and just wrote to them. It’s model KSM5. Mine is not white — it’s gunmetal gray. But it’s the ProLine.
      This makes me very, very sad, as I have really loved this kitchen companion. I really feel betrayed by this company that I trusted.

      Jennifer

      Reply

    7. I checked my mixer after reading your comment. My husband gave this to me as a gift guessing in the late 70’s or early 80’s. I searched and finally found the Model info by removing the bowl – where the bowl connects to the mixer is where it was located. Mine is Model K45 “Household Mixer”. Other info listed: Volts 115, Watts 250, 60 Hz, Kichenaid Division, The Hobart Mtg Co, Troy, Ohio, Made in USA. Not sure if your mixer is the same, but try looking where the bowl connects to the mixer. Hope this helps you!

      Reply

    9. Did they replace them for you? I also have the professional 550 and they not replace anything for me. My daughter has the Professional 600 and they would not replace anything for her either.

      Reply

  8. In case this is helpful to anyone…. my email never got a response. I called the 866-698-2538 # and to make a long story short, let’s just say you should immediately ask for a supervisor in the small appliances dept. I was on hold/on the phone for a total of 2 hours 15 minutes. I was asked how I got this # since it isn’t the small appliance customer service number listed on the website. I told her I was given this # as a direct contact for calls related to the request for FREE stainless steel attachments to replace the lead contaminated cast aluminum. She did not ask how/where I Was given the information. At this time, they claim to only be replacing ONE part – EITHER the flat beater or dough hook and offering 20% off additional parts. I stated multiple times that my primary concern was the wire whip since it doesn’t have a protective coating and I was told that the whisk is stainless steel and only the attachment head is cast aluminum. I did finally get her to concede on sending me a stainless steel wire whip and a new COATED flat beater to replace mine that is chipping. I assume the decrease in parts offerings is due to the # of calls. When I stated that I knew for a fact that MANY consumers were given all 3 parts she just said “at this time we are only offering to replace EITHER the flat beater or dough hook and can give you 20% off other parts.” They are still giving you statement #2 from above about their third party testing, safety, blah blah blah and implying that the concern lies with the consumer in hand washing the whisk and adjusting the mixer pin every 6-12 mos to make sure the beater isn’t hitting the bowl improperly to cause chipping. Stainless steel wire whisks are on back order for 6-8 weeks, of course 🙂 She also said my complaint would be filed so that if new actions are taken in the future they’ll be in touch with me (I won’t hold my breath). She also confirmed that they ARE Still selling all 3 original cast aluminum pieces.

    Reply

    1. They wouldn’t replace mine (nylon coated paddle attachment) with the stainless steel, which is so frustrating. They would only replace it with another nylon coated paddle attachment and offered me 20% off stainless steel accessories.

      Reply

  9. Well, I just ended my call to (800) 541-6390. I was given the same script responses to the lead inquiry. The representative kept repeating the same things over and over. I even stated that there is enough lead detected that KitchenAid is required by California Proposition 65 to provide “special product labeling for products containing certain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm if the product will expose the consumer to such chemicals. Lead levels in these products comply with FDA standards.”

    The only customer courtesy offered to me was 20% off toward the purchase of stainless steel attachments.

    https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/fact-sheets/lead-and-lead-compounds

    Reply

    2. Same – I’ve been passed around from person to person. Legal script read over and over. And then a 20% discount on attachments. Bogus and very maddening. I am mad!

      Reply

  11. I just called the #8666982538 and after 5 minutes or so “John” answered. As soon as I said Kitchen Aid mixers ( I have two) and that I had learned the paddles needed to be replaced because of lead contamination, the call was dropped. Maybe a coincidence? I don’t think so. I’m sending a certified letter next. I’ll let you know my results.

    Reply

  15. I called the Canadian kitchen aid number and the rep launched into his speech beginning with “in our 111 year history” and he refused to admit it was anything but allegations and offered me nothing. He said I can buy the stainless attachments.

    Reply

    1. Hello Connie

      I am canadian too.

      Last week, my wife called the KitchenAid customer service phone number and she used the proposed script in her own words.
      The KitchenAid representative used the same speech yours did: long history of quality …
      My wife was polite and firm, she did not take no for an answer et she was successful.

      We received the stainless steel attachments two days ago.

      So it’s worth trying again.

      Best regards.

      Reply

  16. Hi, my mom bought me my kitchen aid mixer in 2007. My flat paddle coated white had chips on the bottom, so when I saw this information posted on social media I decided to call kitchen aid right away. The lady gave me a line that she uses hers and loves it and never heard of it having lead. I told her I use mine frequently, and my kids lick the batter off the attachments! Ugh. I asked for stainless steel replacements and was told those do not fit my model. But she was willing to sell me a new coated paddle. I told her no. I said for the price paid for my mixer, I expect better quality and not be told I have to replace something the company is knowingly selling with high lead. I will make sure I let all my friends know what is happening here, and she quickly offered a free coated paddle. I’m not satisfied with this because I love my mixer and don’t want to expose my family – I hope a class action suit creates a recall on these products and that kitchen aid starts shipping safe replacements.

    Reply

  17. They had me on hold for an hour and a half, I escalated to supervisor, and she continued to only offer me a coupon and 1 free attachment. The next level of escalation was to write to the corporate office, she refused any request for phone escalation. If you’re fighting for the 3 attachments and to ask them to stop manufacturing, here’s the address she gave me: KitchenAid Corporate Offices 553 Benson Road Benton Harbor, MI 49022. She said turn around time would be 2-4 weeks for reply.

    Reply

  18. Not sure if this will help, but I work tangentially with the EPA and I’ll see if I can bring this to someone’s attention.

    Reply

  21. Write a letter to the CEO Marc Bitzer

    Whirlpool Corporate office
    553 Benson Road
    Benton Harbor, Michigan
    49022

    I spent 2 hours on hold. Again was told same as everyone, a discounted rate which I will not accept. My solution new paddles or refund me for the mixer. I will be writing to corporate office.

    Following is list of executives I will be sending to as well. I will be posting on social media. I will also be researching to find email addresses for the executives.

    Winn Everhart
    Ava Harter
    Pamela Klyn
    James Peters

    Reply

  23. I called and spoke with a “supervisor” this morning (Canada) she said “there is a lady on social media making false claims, there is no lead in our products”. She gave me an address to write if I want to talk to someone else.

    Reply

  24. Now they aren’t even responding in chat if you say mixer. I have a screenshot that shows they are saying due to extremely high volume, chat is not available only after I said it was about my mixer.

    Reply

  25. Hi, have been waiting on the phone for over an hour, listening to elevator music. I have chipped white KitchenAid things and would like to get the stainless replacements. But Kitchen Aid is NOT answering. Is there a better number to reach them where a real live human being will answer? Or a viable email? Tried both of the tel #s above with no human interaction. Grr!!!!

    Thank you for the alert on the lead on those things. I’ve had my KItchenAid for years, but this is the first time I’ve heard of the lead problem.

    Reply

  27. i will email, no one answers the phone, on hold forever and all you hear intermittently is that you may not receive your order on the date stated when you order. Ridiculous and frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

  28. Update, I voiced my disappointment on social media to have kitchenaid reach out and ask me to give them a call back. This time the person I spoke too told me people who’s mixers are 2 or 3 years old are getting replace but because mine is 10 plus years I don’t get a replacement. Because I’m a longer standing customer, I’m less important is essentially what I heard.

    Reply

  29. I have a model k from 1973. Waited on hold for 2 hours. They first offered a 20% discount on the upgrades. Then the offered one free paddle. I asked for a supervisor and got a free paddle plus 30% off the other two. Now I just have to worry about whether the enamel coating on my machine has lead. Is there any way to tell? Thanks for doing this!!

    Reply

  30. I tried calling the 866 number and after waiting almost 30 minutes, was told to call the 800 number. When I called that number I was on hold then told to call back during business hours of 8-6 EST. IT WAS 4:30! I tried the chat and was offered a product information brochure then to try back due to high volume. I then sent an email complete with pictures of my peeling attachments and the label with the model number. I am now wondering if my son’s stomach issues and my recent blood pressure and joint pain may be lead contamination. I use my mixer alot. Thank you for bringing attention to this. I am a Registered Dietitian and I intend to notify my Pediatricians about this.

    Reply

  31. Just called and they maintained they’re safe and offered me a 15% discount. Said I was not pleased and would not be buying kitchenaid again and she ignored that statement. She said all their attachments are on back order.

    Reply

  32. Ouch!! My Mom used one of the long-discontinued 4.5 quart mixers. It had a tinned steel bowl, that screwed to its base by means of a large screw in the middle of the bowl’s base. Flat paddle, whip and dough hook were all uncoated aluminum. (I wonder now if the oft-used attachments had an indirect part to play in my Dad’s mental dementia? I will never know.) Mom’s machine is now being used by my brother (no kids at home anymore), but, since I remember tongue-cleaning the paddle before 1960. I will be sure to tell him. And my son, who has a newer one. My own machine is a 1996 one, I think, with the white coated (coming off) attachments. The grinder, though, is white heavy plastic. Its not heavy enough to have a lead inside, though. I hope………………..

    Reply

  33. Following my wife and both daughters have these and use for our families and grandchildren and others very concerned.

    Reply

  34. My serial number on my mixer is WP3870836 model number is K45SSWH. Please send replacement beaters as ny paint is coming off.

    Reply

  35. Just tried the number given above (U.S.), and didn’t want to wait too long on hold as I have LIMITED minutes.
    Also tried emailing the form letter to the email address above, but it came back because “The user or domain that
    you are sending to (or from) has a policy that 550-5.7.1 prohibited the
    mail that you sent.” ( I use Proton mail, so will try my gmail address next.)
    For a company which I highly recommended because we had AWESOME customer service with them previously, I’m VERY disappointed.
    Praying I haven’t poisoned any of our farmers market customers.

    Reply

  36. Hey all! I came across this whole kitchen aid deal after my cousin(which also has one) notified me she saw something on FB! I then started googling and thankfully came across this “article” I’ll call it. It has been so helpful! My husband gifted me our stand mixer back in 2017 and I have used it more and more over the last couple years then when it was newer. Anyways, I finally was able to call in and spoke with a very nice representative named Summer. I didn’t bother to ask for last name, having worked/ran customer service departments.. I personally never gave that information out. I was not comfortable! So I do not bug others for it. Anywho… I briefly explained I came across this information and said I in fact was a long time customer and almost all my small appliances are from them. She then went on to not deny or say that this all was a “lie” ect like some other reps have claimed to have told you, but said that they’ve not recalled any of their accessories because when tested by them it falls into the “allowed limits” which I proceeded to tell her that it should not be allowed at all. We may be exposed to Lead unwillingly in our lives, but to have it in my house? For many years? By a well known/loved/trusted brand doesn’t make sense to me. That it isn’t acceptable. I did go on to tell her I understand she just works for the company, but I will be writing the CEO/Corporate office. She offered to give me my file # so that way they can just pull up information and not make things a longer process by asking questions and so on. I just started that i’ll write it to let them know they need to do better. I did ask her what can be done, because as much as I love my mixer it will not be used unless i’m using a stainless steel attachment and I have 0 problem using my $15 black and decker hand mixer my MIL got us years before the stand mixer. She said at this time they are offering ONE free of cost attachment. I did tell her the coated paddle I have used, but I use the whisk more often even to make cookies. Which I do A LOT. She said she will get that replacement sent to be and it would take 4-6 weeks and will be delivered with FedEx. She also said like some comments did mention that IF anything changes i’ll be notified since I am in the system…Which I don’t really believe as if this has been going on so long why hasn’t the company many a post trying to tell their “beloved” customers that this is not true… not even in the slightest?

    Long story short, I shall move forward. Happy to have a replacement sent. Still a bit frustrating to say the least. Our son has an appointment tomorrow, I’ll speak to the doctor about getting BLL checked at least him first. Then look into getting my husband & I’s.

    Reply

  37. Thank you for your website which contains valuable information.
    I have tried numerous times to contact Kitchen Aid regarding the lead in the attachments. My mixer has the white attachments. I have spent hours on hold and and have not been able to talk with anyone..extremely frustrating.

    Reply

    1. I was offered 20% off or a replacement (nylon coated paddle). I didn’t do anything for now. I have a reference number and the offer stands for 7 days. No mention of being backordered.

      Reply

  38. I called the number you posted as their designated number to handle this. After 20 minutes, someone answered. When I told her what I was calling about, she said “we’re not handling that issue, I’ll have to transfer you to another number. She gave me the other number, then transferred the call. I proceeded to wait ANOTHER 90 minutes on hold and finally gave up. Nobody is answering these calls!

    Reply

  39. I just got off of the phone with KitchenAid. I waited over 2 hours and 20 minutes on hold to get a hold of a representative. I was told that there is no lead in their products and they are safe and have been tested as such. Consequently, nothing would be done to replace the attachments. I asked to speak to her supervisor. More time spent on hold. After being given the “our products are safe” spiel and going around and around, she agreed to replace only one of the attachments: either the flat beater or dough hook. The beater is back-ordered for at least 6-8 weeks. I was then told that no complete sets are being sent out and out of nowhere, she started saying that my bowl and beater must be misaligned if I am concerned about the coating chipping. There is nothing wrong with my mixer or alignment and is not the issue. This shift of culpability was shocking. I was then told that I could send a letter to the team above hers if I was not satisfied with only one attachment being replaced. Also, when I mentioned that I had two mixers in my possession that I planned on giving as gifts shortly, I was told that the recipients would have to contact KitchenAid after registering the mixer if they were concerned. Very disappointing and a waste of three hours of my time.

    Reply

  40. I just got off a call to 866-697-2538 (USA) after a long hold, it’s just a generic customer service #, not specific to the replacement of lead contaminated parts. I was immediately transferred to the small appliances department and received a message that it was outside their normal hours (8:00 AM- 6:00 PM Monday-Friday). I called from CA at 1:30 on 1/24/23, Tuesday, which is well within their normal hours (4:30). Seems fishy to me.

    Reply

  41. I did send the letter that you so graciously posted to KitchenAid via Facebook. Of course I got the same response and most of you got. I responded again but heard nothing. So sad they certainly could care less about consumers. Won’t be purchasing KitchenAid products for my well used kitchen.

    Reply

  43. To say I am disappointed and concerned with KitchenAid’s response on this is an understatement. I spent about 3.5 hours on hold, waiting, being hung up on after transfer, being put on hold again for an hour, calling back again. None of the numbers went to a customer service person, only “parts”, and they either put me on indefinite hold or transferred me to no one and hung up or told me to call back at a different number, which took me to the same place. I posted on their social media ads in the comments and got the standard, lifeless PR line over and over. I tweeted and got no response. I sent a Facebook messenger private message and got nothing. Finally I called again and after a long hold got someone. She told me there was no recall, and because there was no stainless steel attachment available for my model, the best she could do was send ONE enameled paddle. I said, the mixer I bought included a “pot metal” paddle, whisk and dough hook, and we have since purchased two new enameled paddles, and you plan to just send me one paddle that still contains lead?

    Eventually she put me on hold until a supervisor was available. I said, if there are no stainless steel attachments available for my model, then you should replace my model and the attachments, not offer me more lead-containing attachments. They would not make it right. If and when there is a lawsuit on this, I am down. Their negligence and feigned ignorance in order to save a buck are simply appalling.

    Reply

  44. I just got off the phone with a Kitchen Aid customer service person. Was first given the standard response that their products are safe. I explained that I need replacement parts due to the lead contamination. He offered a 20 % discount. I advised that was not acceptable. He then said he could send me one replacement part, either the dough hook or the flat beater. Again I stated I needed all three attachments replaced due to the lead contamination. He again advised that they are only replacing 1 attachement and I could have a 20 percent discount on the other attachments. I grudgingly advised I would accept the dought hook replacement at this time and would wait on the rest of the replacements when the class action happens. He took my name and address and stated it would be 4 to 6 weeks to receive the part. Be sure to have your model and serial number available when calling.

    Reply

    1. Maybi ask which model you have? I was told only the tilt and 7qt models had stainless steel options. I have a 5.5 Qt and a 6 qt so they would not help me

      Reply

  45. Where can I purchase the stainless steel replacement set? I have not been able to find them anywhere. I think KitchenAid should replace them, but I’d rather just purchase them than wait or spend all day on hold. I have a KitchenAid Professional 5qt Stand Mixer – KV25G0X that is the bowl lift type. I cannot find any on Amazon or the KitchenAid website, but I am also not sure what to search for. Thanks.

    Reply

  46. Just wanted to mention when I called to in the past to talk about getting new paddles in general, and mentioned that my paddles were starting to show the metal through the paint, even though I am very careful with them. They told me that sugar breaks down the paint, and that you have to replace them regularly. I had just bought this from Costco a year ago and yes, I do make chocolate chip cookies regularly (I use a cup of sugar in each batch) but you would think that the product or the paint should at least last five years! How do you have a paint that is broken down by sugar on a mixer?

    Reply

  47. I call BS. If the paint is broken down by sugar, why would you use it on a mixer? That’s equivalent to using water soluble paint outside in a rainy climate. Doesn’t make sense

    Reply

  48. Something to note, some metal alloys have lead deliberately added to them, because it makes it easier for machine tools to cut the material.

    Same goes for alloy 360 (C36000 or ISO CuZn36Pb3) brass.

    Reply

  49. I thank you for your information and thorough investigation. I just got off the phone with Andrea of KitchenAid customer service and got the same answers and propaganda that you have shown they give. in addition, I was told that they didn’t even make stainless attachments for my mixer because it is a bowl-lift model. The stainless attachments are only for the head-lift models. I informed Andrea that I will be finding a new mixer that is NOT KitchenAid, and she did not seem to care. I bought my mixer in 1988 and have loved using it all these years, but I feel betrayed by an organization that I had trusted. I will not recommend KitchenAid to anyone, and will actually discourage anyone I know from even considering to buy something from them.

    Reply

  50. Current shameful response to replacement request from KitchenAid:

    We understand your concerns, but there is no Recall of any KitchenAid Stand Mixers. Throughout our 111-year history, Whirlpool Corporation has been committed to providing safe products for our consumers.

    The company’s aluminum alloy stand mixer accessories, including beaters, dough hooks, and whisks, are tested through a third-party, independent laboratory to ensure they comply with all applicable regulations in the locations where they are sold regarding lead content. They are safe for any family’s cooking needs.

    In addition, all current models of aluminum stand mixer accessories have a food-safe coating over the aluminum that is tested both for lead content and lead migration to ensure that it is safe for all consumers.

    Reply

  51. So angry with kitchenaid. I personalized the email template and finally got a response two weeks later with the same garbage everyone keeps saying that they are claiming they are tested and safe. Boycott kitchenaid. So done.

    Reply

  52. I just called kitchenaid about this and was told it’s fake and the attachments are safe. I asked for data sheets and test results saying so, and she said that’s not available. She tried to say they are FDA approved …my job is to get FDA approval for drugs (the only thing they approve at all), and so I knew this was a lie and that the FDA has nothing to do with this in any capacity. She told me there is no one else to contact by letter or email or escalation. I was completely dismissed and gaslighted by the kitchenaid rep and I’m disgusted.
    Tamara’s description of her youngest son reminded me of my son, who has severe ADHD. (We live in a 1929 house, and I have always been highly aware of the risks.) I feel very defeated right now.

    Reply

  54. My daughter had elevated lead recently which sent me down the lead rabbit-hole and eventually to this website. She has subsequently been re-tested and blood lead level is now below 2 so a sign of relief but I can’t go back to NOT worrying about this. I contacted Kitchenaid today via their online portal and received the same standard blah blah response as all of you. I followed up with a phone call a received the same nonsense, only the rep kept waffling back and forth between saying there is NO LEAD and saying the lead levels are safe. She eventually offered me 20% off SS attachments and when I said that wasn’t acceptable she put me on hold and then returned with an offer of 30% off or they would replace one with stainless steel and offer a discount on the other attachments. When I pointed out that any offer of any sort of replacement seems to indicate acknowledgment of a problem, she just kept saying ‘third party testing’. I asked to see the test results and she emailed me the same script I had already received. I said, if kitchenmaid has nothing to hide, then they should publish the results. Plenty of other products publish the various test results that pertain to their products. It’s obviously because we will ALL see that there really is lead in their products. After an hour of going back and forth I finally gave up. Not sure what I am going to do at this point. I don’t have the money to replace my mixer and I’m currently afraid to use it because of the chips (only 3 years old). Tamara, have you ever had an independent lab do testing? I thought that I read that you had but I couldn’t find this anywhere. It’s one thing for them to say some crazy lady is spreading rumors (not that you are at all!) but quite another to refute an independent lab report.

    Thanks!

    Reply

    1. I am an independent testing source. The instrumentation I use is scientifically accurate even outside of a lab setting. You may want to read this for context although I do need to follow up on this because KitchenAid is relying on this being “not an item intended for use by children”. https://tamararubin.com/2023/01/lead-safe-mama-llcs-cpsc-violation-report-lsm_01_2023-reporting-unsafe-levels-of-lead-found-in-kitchenaid-stand-mixer-aluminum-attachments/

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      1. I do not doubt the accuracy of your testing–I was just thinking that if test results were coming from multiple independent sources that this would only strengthen the argument. Incidentally, even if they are claiming that these are not items intended for use by children, their current language is that they ‘are safe for any family’s cooking needs’. I don’t see a loophole where children are not part of the family. The full text of one of the emails is below:

        Thank you for contacting KitchenAid Small Appliances.

        All KitchenAid stand mixer accessories are safe to use. KitchenAid adheres to lead safety guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Canada’s Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA), and the European Commission.

        KitchenAid is a 103-year-old company, whose commitment to safety mirrors that of its 111-year-old parent company, Whirlpool Corporation.

        We are aware of social media efforts intended to exploit misleading information concerning the safety of stand mixer accessories. Whirlpool Corporation strongly disagrees with any efforts to spread misleading information concerning the safety of these accessories.

        It is a fact that aluminum alloys can contain trace levels of lead; all current models of aluminum-based accessories have a food-safe coating that improves durability. Both the base aluminum alloy and the coating have been tested by a third-party, independent laboratory and are safe for any family’s cooking needs.

        Please contact KitchenAid Customer Service at 800-541-6390 to look into this issue. Our business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

        We appreciate the opportunity to assist you. Thank you for being a loyal KitchenAid customer.

        Reply

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