Lead Safe Mama


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UPDATE to CPSC Report No. 20230128-D3DF9-2147351113 – Lead Contamination in KitchenAid Stand Mixer Attachments Marketed for Children’s use

#LeadedHousehold· #LeadedKitchen· 2023· 2023 CPSC Report· 2023 CPSC Violation Report· Beater· Blades· CPSC· CPSC Violation· CPSC Violation Report· CPSIA· CPSIA Violation· KitchenAid· Mixer· Viral Post· Whisk· XRF Testing· XRFTesting

Introduction (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, her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005. Since 2009 Tamara has been using 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. Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February of 2023.

February 6, 2023 – Monday

Hello. 

As an update to report number 20230128-D3DF9-2147351113 (regarding Lead Contamination in KitchenAid Stand Mixer Attachments Marketed for Use By Children, as a possible CPSIA violation) I wanted to submit the following information in support of this report.

First, I expect you may have heard some of the social media buzz around this issue. In response to the deflection and dismissal of the concern made in the recent public statements about this issue published by Whirlpool/ KitchenAid we created the following graphic which supports the concern (please continue reading below the graphic).
 
 

Second – below are all five of the related advertising images from just one KitchenAid Social Media Campaign asserting/implying/stating/demonstrating that these Lead-contaminated products are intended (by the Manufacturer) to be used by children (and safe for use by children) – in which KitchenAid markets/advertises/expressly encourages that these Lead contaminated products can be/ should be used by even the youngest children and in which KitchenAid shows young children using their Lead-contaminated products (products with Lead levels that exceed the CPSIA substrate limit of 100 ppm Lead in the substrate of items intended for use by children – products typically testing positive for Lead [using XRF technology] at 300 to 2000 ppm in the substrate). 

 
There are five images below and each is next to the text block from KitchenAid which states: “When your kitchen doubles as a classroom, why not add making to the curriculum? Getting hands-on in the kitchen is both educational, and fun. How do you involve your mini-makers in the kitchen? Show us with #MakeItTogether and tag @Kitchenaidusa.” 
 
Please note that the five examples below are just ONE advertising campaign where KitchenAid depicts children using these Lead-contaminated products and encourages children to use their products.
 
Over their past 103 years in business one can find many such images that reinforce this marketing shared by KitchenAid (and reinforce the KitchenAid fabricated understanding by customers – based on these marketing campaigns: that these items are safe for children of all ages to use.)
 
It is the fact that these products are being manufactured and marketed expressly and intentionally as products intended for use by kids which (based on our understanding of the CPSIA) is the primary fact that makes this a CPSIA violation.
 
The above fact (the marketing of these products for use by children), combined with the fact that KitchenAid has publicly stated that they know that their products are made of a Lead-contaminated substrate in addition to the fact that they make Lead-free “upgrades” as an alternative – all support our request that you issue a recall for the Lead-contaminated products as noted in the original filing of this report. 
 
We also request that in the absence of a recall (or prior to a recall), you demand that KitchenAid make a public statement that their products are not safe for use by children and not intended for use by children (given they do not comply with CPSIA limits for Lead in the substrate of items intended for use by children) and demand that that they remove all marketing images from any of their publicly available materials (online or printed) that depict their products being used with or by children.
 
Thank you.
 
Another update on this matter to follow shortly.
 
Tamara Elise Rubin
Owner – Lead Safe Mama, LLC
7933 SE 15th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97202

415-609-3182

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Diana says

    Even if the children themselves aren’t using the appliance, it’s still being used with the intent to prepare food for children and coming into contact with their food. Does that fall under the legal terms of “intended for use by children” ? I sure hope so!

    Reply

  2. C says

    Does this also apply to the separate set of “stainless steel” attachments you can buy? Unfortunately I own a kitchen aid stand mixer but opted for the glass bowl option and immediately bought the stainless steel attachments… but no longer trust the brand…

    Reply

  4. Brittany says

    I just called today and they said that the rumors are false and their attachments do not contain lead and they WILL NOT be replacing them. No recall is available either. So frustrating! The lady went on for 5 minutes. I let her talk and then she offered me a 10% discount. Ya right!

    Reply

  6. Colleen says

    Been fighting with Kitchen Aid who, depending on which rep answers the phone when I call, can’t even agree on whether or not stainless accessories even EXIST for my model. And of course they insist the parts are all safe and the accusations of unsafety have “been proved false.” I finally told the latest woman that we could agree to disagree, but at the very least I didn’t want to feed my family bread WITH PAINT CHIPS IN IT! My dough hook started chipping during the first week. I saved up for that mixer and paid over $600 on sale. They ultimately ended our call by trying to sell me three replacement accessories for a price “at 20% off” which would have added up to $108. I told them I would sooner pay for off-brand accessories which they recommended against. UGH.

    Reply

  7. Brenda says

    Tamara,
    Are there lead free, stainless steel , KitchenAid attachments?
    if not, I should consider purchasing a new leadfree mixer…
    Thank you for all you do!!
    Brenda

    Reply

  8. Laurie says

    You are a rock star! Thank you for fighting for what is right. We have been using our mixer with leaded parts for about 15 years now! My kids use it all the time. I, for one, cannot afford to spend $99 to get the stainless steel ones, so no more mixer until I can. It is outrageous that they are profiting off their unethical behavior in the first place. Our mixer was beat up in one of our moves and some of the exterior paint has chipped off showing the metal underneath. Should I also be concerned about that?

    Reply

    • Tamara says

      Thank you for your comment.

      The exterior paint on a model that is newer than 30 years old is probably Lead-free.

      T

      Reply

  9. Christine says

    Are there any mixers you recommend? I’ve been mixing my baking with a fork since I learned my 1950’s KitchenAid mixer likely has lead. Was giving the food to my kids :'(

    Reply

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