“Lead Free”

Xtrema sent a letter to resellers to discredit my finding of heavy metals in their “Metals-Free” cookware. Read it here.

May 25, 2019April 17, 2024

Important background points to understand: XRF testing is entirely distinct from leach testing. XRF test results are not somehow magically negated by leach testing results. If a product passes leach testing for metals, that does not somehow magically mean it is “metals-free”; it only means that it passes leach testing for metals at the time of…

One of my most disappointing finds recently: purple 2019 ForLife Q Tea Cup w Handle “lead-free” mug: 541 ppm Lead

May 23, 2019January 21, 2023

4 Comments

This story is a perfect example of why I hate recommending any mass-produced product!… Earlier this year (2019) I bought a set of these mugs [ ForLife Q Tea Cup with Handle 10 ounce purple mugs ] as a birthday gift for my good friend Carissa (because I had tested a cute unicorn mug of hers…

White Ceramic Bone China Fine Porcelain Dowan Bowl: 35 ppm Lead + 17 ppm Cadmium (safe by all standards).

March 25, 2019May 19, 2021

12 Comments

This product is marketed online and sold as “Lead Free” on Amazon (below is a screenshot from the Amazon listing for this product taken on 3/25/2019 – 7:50 p.m.): When tested with an XRF instrument this white ceramic bowl had the following readings (with a one-minute test in consumer goods mode): Inside food surface of…

Thrift Store Find For Today: BW Stevenson’s 1972 Record Album “Lead Free”: 8,357 +/- 167 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe]

February 24, 2019February 24, 2019

2 Comments

Really, I don’t need to say much about this one, right? So funny that an album named “Lead Free” even exists – let alone the fact that it is positive for more than 8,000 ppm Lead! LOL (#RandomThingsTamaraFindsHysterical!) My husband bought this for me (for $1), knowing it would likely test positive for a high…

Rancho Gordo Tehuacan Clay Bean Pot (Unglazed) from Puebla, Mexico: Lead Free!

February 10, 2019July 12, 2021

5 Comments

This is a rare find. A piece of Mexican pottery that is marked and sold as Lead-free that is ACTUALLY Lead-free. The reason for this is that it is entirely unglazed. I think this is a terrific option if you are looking for a bean pot or cooking vessel of this type and if I…

Boroux “lead-free” water bottle painted logo positive for: 2,235 ppm Lead, 140 ppm Cadmium, 301 ppm Arsenic.

January 5, 2019March 26, 2021

13 Comments

When tested with an XRF instrument, the painted-on logo on the outside of the Boroux bottles (which are advertised as “Lead-free”) was positive for Lead, Cadmium and Arsenic. To confirm the results, I did three sets of readings, each with different sections of the painted logo within the scope of the XRF (which is about…

Email I sent to VitaClay via their website (in response to finding Lead in their “Lead-free” product).

November 26, 2018February 7, 2024

12 Comments

Published: November 26, 2018 Note: we are not aware of any changes made by VitaClay in response to this communication (in response to the testing & reporting done by Lead Safe Mama, LLC). Our communication to VitaClay: Hello. Your Lead-free VitaClay slow cookers have tested positive for Lead. I am the person who did the…

Another “Lead-free” product tests positive for Lead. VitaClay Chef Slow Cooker: 70,400 ppm Lead — read on for more info.

November 25, 2018January 7, 2024

21 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…

Ryan And Rose “Cutie Teether” White Rattle; non-detect for Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Arsenic & Antimony – thank G-d!

November 21, 2018March 7, 2020

Ryan And Rose Cutie Teether This “Cutie Teether” by “Ryan And Rose” was sent to me new in an unopened package (purchased October 2018). Here’s the link to this exact product on Amazon: LINK*. When tested with a high-precision XRF instrument it was negative for any of “the bad stuff” (Cadmium, Lead, Mercury and Arsenic) and…

2018 Dollar Store Christmas Wine Glass by Greenbrier International: 1,299 ppm Cadmium

November 20, 2018January 2, 2024

2 Comments

2018 Dollar Store Christmas Theme Wine Glass by Greenbrier International, Inc. Made in the U.S.A. For exact XRF test results, scroll down. To learn more about XRF testing, click HERE. I was really surprised that this was 100% Lead-free, but not surprised that it tested positive for a high level of Cadmium. Related: What…

Ceramcor Xtrema “Metals-Free” Saucepan Positive For Lead, Cadmium, Cobalt, Iron, Nickel, Chromium and other metals when tested with an XRF instrument.

August 3, 2018April 17, 2024

57 Comments

In August of 2018 I tested yet another Ceramcor Xtrema “Lead-Free” pan that ended up being positive for lead.This pan was purchased direct from the company, c. November of 2016. These pans are advertised and promoted as being metals-free, and specifically as being lead-free — yet when they are tested with an XRF instrument the coatings have…

Made In Mexico Ceramic Glazed Bowl Marked “Lead Free”: Positive for more than 300,000 ppm Lead [that’s 30%!]

June 13, 2018March 26, 2021

2 Comments

Mexican pottery bowl purchased new c. 2007. Marked “Lead Free.” This bowl tested positive for more than 300,000 ppm Lead in the glaze when tested with an XRF instrument. Most of the Mexican pottery that I have tested that has been labeled “Lead Free” has tested positive for at least 1,000 ppm lead. This piece was unique,…

Another Corkcicle, advertised as “Lead Free” but 597,000 ppm Lead in the exposed sealing dot on the bottom (90 ppm & up is unsafe for kids)

March 3, 2018January 8, 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 sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama, LLC — a…

I am SO TIRED of companies that label their product “Lead Free” when it is not! Corkcicle: 181,400 ppm Lead

March 3, 2018January 8, 2024

3 Comments

Corkcicle prominently labeled “LEAD FREE” on the packaging, however, the center sealing dot on the bottom (on the outside of the bottle — see the second photo) tested positive with an XRF at 181,400 ppm Lead [+/- 2,100 ppm]. (!) It’s actually probably much higher than that (close to solid Lead solder), but the dot…

Emile Henry Mixing Bowl, Purchased at Williams Sonoma c. 2014: 1,647 ppm Lead on the food surface.

January 14, 2017November 21, 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…