Chances are you’ve heard the rumors by now. Those Stanley cups that everyone can’t stop talking about on TikTok, they somehow contain lead?! That’s the claim that’s circulating so fast that many Stanley users have second-guessed drinking from their tumblers.
If you’re concerned about you, a loved one, or a child experiencing lead poisoning while using Stanley’s products, read on. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Stanley lead allegations and whether they hold merit.
So, what’s the history behind the Stanley cup lead claim?
First, a bit of history. Stanley has faced lead allegations online since March 2023, when a lead advisory blog named “Lead Safe Mama” created an article demonstrating that lead was embedded within Stanley’s tumblers. Then, in August, a viral TikTok emerged after a mother on tested her three-year-old’s Stanley cup and reportedly found lead. In a since-deleted video, she encouraged others to “stop using Stanley and get your bottles tested,” according to The Daily Dot.
TikTok creators quickly panicked. Fitness coach and influencer @sweat.w.sam posted an August 2023 video worrying over potential lead in her cup, encouraging viewers to test the Simple Modern tumbler for lead. Her video received over 1,700 likes. Others tried to refute the claim that Stanley cups would cause lead poisoning.
Are Stanley Cups testing positive for lead?
Yes and no. Stanley cup users that test the external surface of a Stanley cup, and particularly the bottom of the cup, are seeing positive results for lead tests. But those who test the interior of their Stanley tumbler — you know, where you’ll actually keep your drink — are getting negative test results.
One TikTok from influencer @dimelifting shows the creator performing a negative lead test, declaring that Stanley cups are “fine” to use. That video received over 11,000 likes. Wellness creator Jen Lauren also turned to TikTok, researching the lead claim and ultimately arguing Stanley products aren’t necessarily toxic.
“What [the original creator] tested was not a contact surface,” Lauren said in her video. “I think I’m gonna just keep on drinking my water bottle. There are so many products that we use that we don’t even realize have the same issue.”
Ultimately, she concluded the lead claims were overblown. “Listen, I don’t want lead poisoning,” she told her viewers, “but if it’s something that I’m not coming into contact with, I’m pretty sure we’re all good.”
So, do Stanley cups actually have lead?
According to The Daily Dot, lead solder is used to seal a bottom exterior central piece of certain Stanley cups. This solder is not inside the tumbler, nor is the user exposed to the solder unless a Stanley tumbler undergoes damage. Similarly, Dot reports that “most, if not all, Stanley cups produced today have a piece covering the area” on the exterior of the bottle that underwent initial lead testing. So yes, lead poisoning is a non-issue unless the bottom central piece’s cover comes off. Dot’s Braden Bjella ultimately ruled that “actual exposure of an everyday user to this problem area would be minimal or non-existent.”
Environmental website Green Matters came to a similar conclusion as Dot, citing the website’s reporting and suggesting users simply make sure the bottom of their tumblers aren’t damaged. “While lead is nothing to joke about, you can decide whether you need a completely lead-free cup or if you’re okay using a Stanley and keeping an eye on the cover at the bottom,” the site concluded.
For the record, Stanley officially confirmed how it uses lead in its cups while speaking to WCNC Charlotte. “We seal our vacuum insulated stainless steel products with an industry-standard pellet that includes some lead,” the company said. “The pellet is completely enclosed by a stainless-steel cover, making it inaccessible to consumers.”
Are Stanley products safe to use?
Let’s be clear here. Yes, lead is used in Stanley’s products. But it’s very unlikely that you, dear reader, would come into contact with the lead within the tumbler’s design. Stanley itself describes the lead’s external, “industry-standard pellet” as “inaccessible to consumers.” If your Stanley cup experiences extensive damage, severe misuse, or otherwise comes apart on the bottom? You might be exposed to lead. But this is the exception to the rule, and lead is not part of the interior of Stanley’s cups in any shape or form.
“It looks as though getting lead poisoning from a Stanley cup is very unlikely since the only part containing any lead is usually covered up and does not normally come into contact with the user or their beverage,” Green Matters concluded.
If you just received a Stanley cup for Christmas, or if you’re regularly maintaining your years-old purchase without taking it into a very dangerous place (like, you know, a construction site), you’re probably fine. But if you’re the type to throw your tumblers at the wall, bang them with a hammer, and run them over with your car? Yeah, I suppose that could lead to lead exposure. Maybe.
(featured image: Stanley)
