Sip Easy with Our 4 Favorite Lead-Free Mugs
The U.S. has adopted a much stricter stance on lead in the past 60 years, regulating the acceptable amount that’s in so many household products. As scientists began sounding the alarm about adverse health effects from lead, legislative bodies and regulatory agencies started taking action.
One common household product you might not associate with lead is coffee mugs. Most ceramic products do not contain near the amount of lead they used to, but older mugs might be over the limit.
Having said that, companies don’t always abide by the rules when producing new mugs, either. It can be expensive to replace processes involving lead at factories, and some don’t want to incur the related costs. Federal agencies are constantly monitoring products, but individual consumers might want to also stay vigilant. Additionally, the glazes and coatings of some modern mugs may contain lead that can occasionally leach into the liquid.
If you want to ensure you can enjoy hot beverages without ingesting any amount of lead, read on to discover our favorite lead-free mugs.
What is a Lead-Free Mug?
A lead-free mug contains no measurable amounts of lead, a heavy metal that has been shown to have many adverse health effects if too much enters the body.
No amount of lead has been shown to be safe, but the health risks are cumulative. In other words, the more lead you ingest over time, the greater the likelihood of symptoms such as high blood pressure, fatigue, weakness, hearing loss, eye problems, and brain fog. Children are at increased risk for lead poisoning as their brains develop.
Top 4 Lead-Free Mugs: How We Chose
As we scoured the market for the best lead-free mugs, we considered a few key factors:
- Safety. This one likely goes without saying. We only chose mugs that are indeed lead-free, and we gave special consideration to those that took extra safety precautions, like limiting the use of potentially irritating or toxic chemicals.
- Value. Being lead-free isn’t the only perk these mugs have to offer. Each pick promises to give you plenty of bang for your buck thanks to careful design, quality materials, and access to reliable customer service.
- Price. While lead-free and high-quality materials can come with a higher price tag, we selected products at different price points to give you a well-rounded list to choose from.
Our Picks
All featured products are chosen at the discretion of the author and DGHQ editors. However, Do Good HQ may make a small affiliate commission if you click through and make a purchase.
1. Duralex Cosy Glass Mug
| Material | Tempered glass |
| Size | 12.37 oz (6 mugs per set) |
| Price at Publishing | $42.43 |
This lead-free mug has been made by the reputable French company Duralex since World War II. The tempered glass material is 2.5 times stronger and more durable than ordinary soda-lime glass. With a crystal-clear interior and exterior, you can see every little detail of your hot or cold beverage.
Highlights
Have you ever taken a glass right out of the dishwasher and filled it up with something cold, only for the bottom to shatter? You’ll be hard-pressed to make that happen with these shock-resistant Duralex mugs. They are safe to use in the microwave, dishwasher, and freezer.
Things to Consider
Most people’s favorite parts of their coffee mugs are the funny and cool designs. If you like a little pizazz with your morning coffee, you’ll have to add it to these mugs yourself.
2. Anchor Hocking Café Glass Coffee Mugs
| Material | Tempered glass |
| Size | 16 oz (6 mugs per set) |
| Price at Publishing | $24.99 |
Anchor Hocking, an Ohio-based company, produces each lead-free mug by hand at its Lancaster facility and has been since 1905. Each 16-ounce mug also weighs one pound and has an oversized handle for easy access.
Highlights
These mugs feature weighted bases, which decrease the chances of spills. We also love the elegant look of Anchor Hocking’s glass mugs, which are great for almost any occasion.
Things to Consider
Anchor Hocking’s mugs are safe to use in the microwave and dishwasher, but the care instructions beyond those settings were a little convoluted. The company website has a section for caring for bakeware, but it’s not clear whether these instructions were transferable to mugs and drinkware.
3. Spinware Coffee/Tea Mug
| Material | Ceramic |
| Size | 12-14 oz |
| Price at Publishing | $44.75 |
If you want to support artisans who spend a great amount of time on their products, you can’t do much better than Spinware and their mugs. This particular lead-free mug features three beautiful patterns along with the naturally exposed clay that offers plenty of flourishes.
Highlights
Spinware is keen to use lead-free glazes, which cannot be said for many sellers on Etsy and other online marketplaces. Additionally, each mug is safe to use in the dishwasher and microwave.
Things to Consider
The price reflects the craftsmanship and care Spinware spends making each product. Also note that mugs may have slightly varying capacities, which is unavoidable with handmade processes.
4. Uncommon Clay Potbelly Mug
| Material | Ceramic |
| Size | 16 oz |
| Price at Publishing | $34.95 |
Another hand-crafted product, this potbelly, lead-free mug will surely stand out among the other mugs in your cabinet. In addition to the chestnut-sage mug, Uncommon Clay offers mugs in varying combinations of black, peacock green, cayenne, rust, white, and sapphire blue.
Highlights
We love this mug’s wide base and oversized handle, which cuts down on spills. What better gift for the, er, clumsy person in your life? The colors are gorgeous, as are the glazes. It’s also safe to use in the microwave and dishwasher.
Things to Consider
Although the advertised capacity is 16 ounces, we found that it was more suited to 12 ounces. Depending on the amount of creamer or milk you like in your coffee, the 10-ounce setting on your coffeemaker might be best with this mug.
How to Choose a Lead-Free Mug
Transparency is always paramount when we select products, and this list was no exception. We ensured that the companies offering sets of lead-free mugs were reputable as well as highly regarded.
The same goes for individual artisans. Being accountable to customers on Etsy means fulfilling orders on time and responding to communications. We were pleased with each seller we interacted with and were happy with all the products.
If you want to ensure that your coffee mugs are entirely free of lead, we hope this list has provided more than enough options to satisfy your desires.
Featured image via Spinware
