Ceramic Mugs

XRF test results for 2009 Design House Stockholm green glazed Starbucks mug sent in by Shelly in California

July 18, 2023December 7, 2023

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…

Interlaken, Switzerland souvenir ceramic mug (2022): 6,151 ppm Lead on the interior food surface.

December 18, 2022December 7, 2023

1 Comment

Published: December 18, 2022 – Sunday I purchased this at a souvenir shop in Switzerland (November 2022) — following a long group discussion/collective speculative inquiry with my kids about which souvenirs were likely to be Leaded and which were likely to be Lead-free [it’s a strange “game” of educated-guessing we sometimes play for dark “fun” with…

Handmade ceramic mug with white, blue & brown glaze: 39 ppm Lead in the substrate & 23 ppm on the food surface (safe by all standards).

December 17, 2021December 19, 2021

6 Comments

Reading #1) Unglazed white base-clay of mug 60-second reading Lead (Pb): 39 +/- 4 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 5 +/- 2 ppm Mercury (Hg): non-detect Bromine (Br): non-detect Chromium (Cr): non-detect Iron (Fe): 3,910 +/ 84 ppm Zinc (Zn): 212 +/- 9 ppm Titanium (Ti): 2,629 +/- 442 ppm Indium (In): 5 +/- 2 ppm Tin…

Ikea mug with blue, orange and yellow design, made in Thailand. Item 15199: 82 ppm Lead + 41 ppm Antimony.

June 27, 2020February 10, 2021

1 Comment

When tested with an XRF instrument this mug had the following readings: #1.) on the plain white glazed components of the mug Barium (Ba): 2,399 +/- 492 ppm Zinc (Zn): 21,100 +/- 900 ppm Iron (Fe): 321 +/- 112 ppm Bismuth (Bi): 147 +/- 56 ppm Titanium (Ti): 134 +/- 76 ppm #2.) on the…

Ikea mug with blue & red floral design, made in Thailand. Item 15199: Lead-free, Cadmium-free, Arsenic-free, Antimony-free.

June 27, 2020February 10, 2021

3 Comments

When tested with an XRF instrument this mug had the following readings: #1.) on the plain white glazed components of the mug Barium (Ba): 2,594 +/- 381 ppm Zinc (Zn): 23,500 +/- 900 ppm Iron (Fe): 383 +/- 93 ppm Bismuth (Bi): 125 +/- 44 ppm #2.) on the blue decorated components Barium (Ba): 3,818…

Rae Dunn ceramic “Calm” coffee mug purchased at Marshall’s: 100 +/- 20 ppm Lead (within safe range for Lead)

June 20, 2020May 17, 2024

3 Comments

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama 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 four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe…

Target Threshold Earthenware Easter Bunny mug: 217 ppm Lead in the black accents, 90 ppm on the white glaze

March 14, 2020February 21, 2024

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…

2018 Chicago Christkindlmarket Kinder Club commemorative cocoa mug: 19,700 ppm Lead (90 ppm is unsafe for kids)

February 11, 2020December 7, 2023

2 Comments

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…

Royal Heritage Fine China mug for Harry & Meghan’s May 19, 2018 wedding: 28,800 ppm Lead. 90 ppm is unsafe.

November 20, 2019May 3, 2021

I’m always looking for a way to possibly draw the attention of the Royal Family to the issue of childhood Lead poisoning. After all – they have babies AND they live in old Lead painted houses [and I would wager that if I were invited to their home to do a Healthy Home Consultation, I would…

2019 Sweese brand “Eco-Friendly” & “Lead-Free” ceramic mug: 29 ppm Lead. Note: This is Lead-SAFE by all standards.

November 19, 2019March 26, 2021

14 Comments

This company (Sweese) is obviously doing an excellent job trying to create a completely Lead-free product… however the ceramic mug pictured here (a new mug purchased in 2019 from Sweese) simply is not Lead-FREE. I would classify this as “low-lead“, “almost ‘Lead-free’” , or even “Lead-SAFE” — and accordingly, instead of imprinting the bottom of the mug…

How toxic is YOUR Starbucks Christmas mug? This one has 1,037 ppm Cadmium — a carcinogen (over 40 ppm is illegal*)

November 16, 2019November 29, 2023

8 Comments

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…

How much Lead is in YOUR new Starbucks mug? Golden Ceramic Mug: 15,700 ppm Lead (90 ppm is unsafe for kids)

November 16, 2019November 29, 2023

13 Comments

This is an ad-free article. To make a contribution to help us keep our most widely-read articles ad-free, click here. Thank you. Introduction: 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…

2018 Starbucks Brown Ceramic Mug: 513 ppm Lead in the brown glaze – inside and outside. 90 ppm is unsafe for kids.

November 16, 2019November 16, 2019

1 Comment

When tested with an XRF instrument, this 2018 brown-glazed Starbucks-brand mug (purchased new at a Starbucks store in Washington State in 2019) had the following readings: On a part with just the brown glaze: Lead (Pb): 513 +/- 29 ppm Barium (Ba): 2,820 +/- 101 ppm On the unglazed ceramic bottom of the mug: Lead…

Things From Canada – Handmade Look Ceramic Mug: 28 +/- 12 ppm Lead in the substrate (safe by all standards!)

November 12, 2019December 19, 2023

3 Comments

When tested with an XRF instrument the brown glazed mug pictured here (sent to me by a reader in Canada) had the following readings: 1) On a part with primarily brown glaze: Lead (Pb): Non-Detect / Negative Arsenic (As): Non-Detect / Negative Cadmium (Cd): Non-Detect / Negative Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect / Negative Antimony (Sb): Non-Detect /…

Made in Canada Goldentop Teslin Yukon Ceramic Mug: 13,100 ppm Lead (90 is unsafe for kids) + 416 ppm Cadmium.

November 12, 2019November 16, 2019

When tested with an XRF instrument the Goldentop.Ca mug – made in Canada (sent to me by a reader in Canada) had the following readings: 1) On a part with the scope focused primarily on the decorative elements: Lead (Pb): 13,100 +/- 300 ppm Arsenic (As): Non-Detect / Negative Cadmium (Cd): 416 +/- 22 ppm Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect…

Canadian Things – 2009 Starbucks Red & White Ceramic Mug: 1,005 ppm Cadmium (a known carcinogen) + 259 ppm Lead.

November 12, 2019November 12, 2019

When tested with an XRF instrument this 2009 Red and White Starbucks brand mug (sent to me by a reader in Canada) had the following readings: On a part with just the white glaze: Lead (Pb): 259 +/- 23 ppm Arsenic (As): Non-Detect / Negative Cadmium (Cd): 17 +/- 7 ppm Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect / Negative…

2019 Cost Plus World Market brown ceramic mug with blue glaze: 39 ppm Lead (safe by all standards.)

November 9, 2019

1 Comment

When tested with an XRF instrument this brown ceramic mug with light blue glaze (“Made in China” and purchased at World Market in November of 2019 for $3.99) had the following readings: XRF test focused on unglazed brown ceramic base of cup: Lead (Pb): 39 +/- 14 ppm (safe by all standards) Chromium (Cr): 1,605 +/-…

Portmeirion “The Botanic Garden Circa 1818” Coffee Mug, 1972: 49,700 ppm Lead (90 ppm is unsafe) + Cadmium too.

August 19, 2019August 19, 2019

5 Comments

I do not know the exact year of manufacture of this piece, however the markings indicated it was made in 1972 or later. It is a Portmeirion piece from the collection marked as “The Botanic Garden Circa 1818” and it also has the date “1972” on the bottom as well as the words “Susan Williams-Ellis”,…

Star Wars Storm Trooper ceramic mug (Dollar Store find): 605 ppm Lead (90 is considered unsafe for kids’ items)

July 14, 2019February 18, 2024

2 Comments

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…

Talk Show “Set Mugs” Series (Used By Hosts & Guests) The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Lead Free & Cadmium Free!

June 5, 2019January 13, 2020

5 Comments

The Ellen DeGeneres Show Set Mug: Lead-Free, Cadmium-Free, Arsenic-Free – because of course it is! You rock Ellen! When tested with an XRF instrument, this gray and white Ellen show official set mug had the following readings: White text on outside of mug: Barium (Ba): 1,969 +/- 130 ppm Chromium (Cr): 2,924 +/- 191 ppm…

Talk Show “Set Mugs” Series (Used By Hosts & Guests) Today Show: 830 ppm Cadmium (75 is illegal in Denmark)

June 5, 2019June 5, 2019

When tested with an XRF instrument, this orange and white Today Show official set mug had the following readings: White on outside of mug: Lead (Pb): 88 +/- 23 ppm [considered safe by all standards.] Cadmium (Cd): Negative / Non-detect Arsenic (As): Negative / Non-detect Mercury (Hg): Negative / Non-detect Antimony (Sb): Negative / Non-detect…

Talk Show “Set Mugs” Series (Used By Hosts & Guests) The Talk: 1,829 ppm Cadmium (75 ppm Cd is illegal in Denmark)

June 5, 2019June 5, 2019

4 Comments

When tested with an XRF instrument, this mug had the following readings: White on outside of mug: Lead (Pb): Negative / Non-detect Cadmium (Cd): Negative / Non-detect Arsenic (As): Negative / Non-detect Mercury (Hg): Negative / Non-detect Antimony (Sb): Negative / Non-detect Barium (Ba): 1,867 +/- 204 ppm Zinc (Zn): 24,800 +/- 1,000 ppm Copper…

New Post: “Does My Mug Have Lead?” – Talk Show Host Edition! Do you think these mugs will have Lead?

May 25, 2019May 26, 2019

10 Comments

Saturday, May 25, 2019 Well, I think I just came up with “a scathingly brilliant idea”* so check out this train of thought / logic… [bear with me, it’s kind of long – as with everything I write – lol!] One of my most popular posts of all time is my post about choosing a…

New (August 2018) Rae Dunn Ceramic “Gulp” Coffee Mug from Marshall’s: 108 +/- 18 ppm Lead (safe by all standards)

April 21, 2019January 24, 2024

3 Comments

To see more examples of Rae Dunn pieces Lead Safe Mama has tested, click here. Read more: Can I test my dishes with a LeadCheck swab? When tested with an XRF instrument, this ceramic “Rae Dunn Artisan Collection by Magenta” brand “Gulp” coffee mug (Made in China) purchased at a Marshall’s in Portland, Oregon for about…