Question from Cheryl
Hi Debra and everyone,
I have been shopping for a new tea kettle. I just want a simple stove top type. All the kettles I see are made in China. For instance, Copco kettles abound at stores in our area. Does anyone know if Copco kettles are non toxic, or if the enamel kettles or stainless steel kettles can be assumed to be safe regardless of where they are made in general? I prefer not to risk shattering a glass pot. If both enamel and stainless steel kettles are equally nontoxic, is one more durable or rust resistant than the other? Thanks very much for any help you can provide.
Cheryl
Debra’s Answer
The first thing I want to say is that not all products made in China are toxic or contaminated. There is a lot of press on a small number of toxic and contaminated products from China, but there are many more products that are fine and safe. I personally know businesses that manufacture in China that are making good products. So “china” does NOT equal “toxic.”
About enamel and stainless steel. Elsewhere we’ve already discussed that stainless steel leaches. In fact, the first I read of this was years ago from Rodale Press, where they discovered that stainless steel water distillers were leaching metals into the boiling water in the distiller. So I would not use stainless steel kettle or pot for boiling water.
An enamel kettle is fine if the enamel is on the inside of the kettle. If it’s on the outside, it doesn’t protect you from the metal on the inside that the water is in contact with. If it’s stainless steel or aluminum, I wouldn’t recommend it. I looked at the Copco website and all their kettles are either stainless, enamel on steel or aluminum.
Personally, I heat my water for tea in a Visions glass pot. I don’t see the need for an extra piece of cookware just to boil water. Let’s be efficient with the resources of the Earth and have cookware that multi-tasks.
Is Corning Ware pot safe to boil water for tea?
Is it a vintage pot? I don’t believe they sell them anymore. The Lead Safe Mama blogger tests products for lead and found high levels of lead in some vintage corningware. Also, some models have an aluminum strainer which can leach aluminum into the tea. Look for a stainless steel or glass strainer.
My roommate has an enamel – coated demi tea kettle from Le Creuset. Today I was using it to drip coffee and at some point forgot to close the spout. I went back to check on it since it had not whistled and it had boiled dry! I’m not sure how long it was in this state, but I’m trying to find out what type of coating Le Creuset uses on the inside of its tea kettles. The inside is black with a slight texture. Should I pitch it and replace it? Or is it still safe to use? Help!
This is the kind of question you should ask Le Creuset. Call their customer service.
i had gray matter after boiling water for instant coffee in a cheap walmart kettle. it seems ok now but is it because maybe its not 304grade i should worry, i also have grandma’s corning ware and stainless steel cookware. one is scratched ., should i change it all
Probably. Cookware does wear down.
Hi Debra,
Thanks for this informative piece. Do you think enamelled steel kettles, such as this one from Riess https://www.amazon.co.uk/Classic-whistling-Handmade-quality-Austrian/dp/B00JG3CHVC
are ok?
Many thanks!
What is important is the material on the INSIDE. Find out what that is.
I just got a Le Creuset tea kettle and was surprised that the plastic around the release valve REEKS of flame retardant. Been using it for a while and it’s not offgassing. I don’t think it is on the inside, but close enough that it bothers me…as does the smell every time I boil water. Bummer.
Thanks for the warning.
what about glass tea kettles?.
They are fine.
I bought an enamel kettle, made in China, a couple of years ago and used it since. A week or so ago my mother commented to me about bad quality versus good quality enamel kettles and how if you look inside her kettle, which is an old (almost antique) type, there is no metal residue or stained patches anywhere, it simply is smooth and “clean”. I came home and checked mine, to my horror I realized it is not enamel inside, instead it is naked metal and when I brushed my finger against it my finger got covered with a dark brown filament… what of?… I hope I have not contaminated myself with dangerous metal particles as I have drank many many liters of this pretty looking Chinese kettle
I don’t know, but thanks for the warning.
If you are concerned about metal exposure, you can always take PureBody Liquid Zeolite, which removes heavy metals from your body.
I have been using corning-ware for cooking as well as boiling water for tea etc.
Do you know of any toxins in Corning Ware?
Thank you
Linda
The toxic exposure that MIGHT come from Corning Ware would be lead, to the best of my knowledge. The way to know for sure would be to test your kettle for lead. There have been many reports of people testing various ceramic items for lead and if I remember correctly Corning Ware came up once, I remember because it surprised me. But do your own test on your own kettle.