healthy kitchen: safest slow cooker?

peggy_j

Not sure if this is the right forum, but the discussion on cutting boards made me think it may be ...

I want to replace my old slow cooker (which has a Teflon liner. ug). I thought the ones with ceramic inserts could be a good bet but when I began my research, one website claimed that some brands use a ceramic glaze that leaks leads.  Any suggestions? That same website suggested VitaClay. I'd like to choose the safest option available. Any thoughts?

http://vitaclaychef.com/rice-cookers-and-slow-cookers/vitaclay-2-in-1-rice-n-slow-cooker-6-cup-vf7700-6?vmcchk=1

OneBadBoob

My slow cooker just went kapoot last week and I am looking for another and listening to your advice.



The most impotent things to me were the timer

Leah_S

Peggy, what website suggested the Vita-Clay?

As far as I know, lead in ceramic cookware is illegal.

I tried checking Snopes but i couldn't find anything on ceramic cookware.

Leah

peggy_j

I had googled "slow cooker cancer" and this pdf was on the first page of results. I don't know this group at all; they could be a front for the VitaClay company for all I know. ha. thoughts?

http://www.prevmedgroup.com/newsletter/whatsupp-29-2011-05.pdf

Leah_S

Well, it's interesting, but there are NO citations. They name companies that they say have lead in the ceramic coating but not how they know. The  name another company that they say doesn't have lead, and how do they know? They asked customer service.

So it's as good as having a conversation with.... well, anyone. In other words, not verifiable.

None of this means the VitaClay isn't good - it might be terrific. I also can't comment on price since I have absolutely no idea what's a decent price for a crockpot in the U.S.

Oh, dear, Peggy, it looks like you might want to keep researching.

Best of luck.

Leah

peggy_j

Leah, thanks a lot for your comments. Good point. Those claims are completely unsubstaniated. I googled "slow cooker lead" and fell into another research sink hole. Apparently there are a lot of questions/opinion on this. (and someone was kind enough to point out that lead could theoretically appear in any ceramic or enamel glaze, like our coffee mugs and plates, the lining of my toaster oven etc) I live in CA and we have stricter standards than many states (I've seen warning stickers on items that exceed the lead standard, such as kitchenware imported from Mexico).   One website mentioned where you can get lead swabs to test your stuff.

FWIW, this was an interesting (unsubstaniated) comment from a random person

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/758162

"you could do a standard potter's leach test which is to place a slice of lemon on your piece. Leave it for several hours, remove it, and see if the glazed surface has discolored. If so, it may leach whatever chemicals the glaze was made of. Of course, even if it did, if the glaze didn't contain lead or cadmium or some other ingredient of concern in the first place, then there isn't a problem."

FWIW, some people have questions about the clay inserts because the material comes from China. i.e. even if the clay is safe, there are questions about manufacturing standards after those news reports these last few years.

I don't want to bog people down with my incomplete research but I'll keep looking over the next few days and post things if I come up with anything relevant.    So much for getting a new slow cooker this weekend. ha!

3monstmama

I don't bother with a slow cooker.  I use my oven on low (200 or 190) and a cast iron pot with a tight lid---Le Crueset and the like.

I do my cooking over night.  Works just fine and keeps me from collecting more stuff.

peggy_j

3monstmama, your idea of using the oven is probably a good idea. I'm just paranoid about leaving it on all the time (I usually use my slow cooker on the weekends, so I'm mostly home, but I sometimes leave the house for an hour or two. Would hate to do that with the oven on. Or leave it on while I sleep. But glad it works for you)

Anyway, to follow up on my slow cooker quest, I did more research and there's nothing definitive either way. (how's that for being helpful?). Supposedly some reporter out west (Utah?) had tested items and found lead. I can't find his articles, though.(found a few dead links) . So I have no idea how much truth there is to this. But, being the good paranoid BC survivor that I am, I did a little home research. I bought a new slow cooker, and did the "lemon test" (see my post above) and nothing leached at all. I got a LeadCheck test from the hardware store. This test showed no lead. So, I'm going to trust that my new slow cooker is safe (or safe enough?) and certainly better than my old one with teflon. (yikes) FWIW, during my research there were questions about the ones with clay inserts (there are claims that they have some anti-stick coating that could leach). I also found some cookers with "cast aluminium" inserts. Again, antistick lining. The one I saw in the store looked like anodoized aluminum but the box didn't identify it beyond "cast aluminum," so I'm not sure what that surface is.

As you might imagine, in my research I found websites that cast doubt on seemingly every kind of kitchenware in the world (i.e. any ceramic or baked enamel kitchenware--pots/mugs/plates/etc --could contain lead if it wasn't produced correctly; even stainless steel pots and pans: some reports say the quality of the material can vary greatly and the "cheaper" kinds can leach nickle, etc.)  Among the truly concerned, it seems like the consensus is that anything has the potential to leach, so if you're really concerned, cook everything in cast iron, so at least you're leaching a substance that your body needs. After awhile it feels pretty extreme and believe me, all this research certainly takes the joy out of buying anything new for the kitchen. But...FYI. I hope this helps and doesn't turn us all into Debbie Downer in the kitchen. cheers!

Leah_S

Peggy, enjoy your new slow cooker. After a while, I think we have to stop worrying. We do our best but we can only do so much.

And I, for one, am not ready to eat a completely raw diet!

Leah

ptdreamers

God only gave you two arms.
If you're busy hugging the past you can't embrace the future.
Don't let the past kidnap your future.Wise words from Noah ben Shea. We would go crazy if we worried about every single possible harm we could do to ourselves. If we let BC(our past) dictate everything we do from here out(our future) then we can't truly move forward imho.

Have a good day.

leggo

I think as long as you don't buy anything "Made in China", your chances are that it will be lead-free and safe. Everything from there....dishes, cutlery, glasses, costume jewellry, kid's stuff...all seems to contain something dangerous. I agree with the above. I don't go overboard with safety but I do make sure I know where my product is coming from. Enjoy your new cooker! I love slow-cookers.

leggo

While I'm on the subject....raman noodles. OMG, watched a documentary about how they're made and where they come from. EWWWW!....made directly next to smoking electronic recycling and hanging to dry over raw sewage. Yuck! I can't believe I let my kids eat that stuff all this time.

Anonymous

There are so many things I stopped eating even before bc, but didn't know about the ramen noodles.  I try to buy Eoropean, Canadian anything or USA organic.  I love costco because i can get so much from there.  The only meat we do now i free-range and not grain fed, no hormones, etc.  same w eggs.  Am joining a raw milk ranch, buying into the herd, very excited to do so, alway wanted to anyway, butter, mozerella, kiefer, etc. 

My daughtter borrowed our slow cooker way early last year when her stove broke..... hum, and it wwas to be returned last week, ho hum, and I have a pot roast thawed to make for Hubby.  Perhaps I need to order a new slow cooker?  The oven will do for tonight though, good idea.

Sammyme

Hi Peggy

I am Interested to know which slow cooker you got? I see there are many all purpose cookers that also pressure cook but from my research Teflon should not be heated too high. Any advice appreciated thanks

ChiSandy

I have a KitchenAid, with the ceramic insert. I can't sear in it on the stovetop, but unless I just want to throw everything in and come back 8 hrs later to a finished meal, if anything needs searing, I do it in a pan on the stovetop.

Meanwhile, step back and take a deep breath. We can't cheat death, much as we may wish to. Almost everything, in large enough quantities, can be toxic, even carcinogenic. If we try and succeed in eliminating every one of those perceived threats, in the end we're all gonna die of something. Having a bc diagnosis, at whatever stage, is a reminder that our lifespans are finite. We all have only so much time left. Are we going to spend it obsessing over every little potential gremlin, and in the process let our opportunities to enjoy life's pleasures slip away?

Stuartlaw

Very informative thread.