I just recently picked up a QuickMill Silvano machine with a copper boiler. I'm a bit concerned the box it came in has a sticker on it saying: "Warning: This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm."

I'm wondering if other peoples Quick Mill or other brand machines come with the same warning?
I tried contacting QUICKMILL trying to find out what exactly it's referring to in the warning so I can try to minimize exposure, and they have not replied to any of my emails!

I called the store that I purchased it from and they basically said it's on everything that has metal and boils water, and it's a silly law they passed in California where they have to say that. But I'm not sure if that's totally accurate or not. There's bound to be a reason. I read that some copper boilers can have small amounts of lead from using recycled copper, so I suspect that might be the culprit. But any information would be helpful in solving this mystery.

I have actually sent off a sample of water to put through the machine to be tested for Lead, and I'm awaiting the results.

If I knew about this earlier, I probably would have gotten a stainless steel boiler machine and saved money at the same time.
I'm not too happy with QuickMills customer service.

Ben

Lead is used in the production of brass. Many espresso machines have brass boilers.

Here's another thread on the topic. I'm sure you'll find plenty more on the subject if you Google the web. I'm not sure, but I rather doubt that you'll find any definitive evidence that lead leaching from brass boilers presents a health risk. That said, my boilers are made of stainless steel .

Greetings,

The warning is the result of Proposition 65 passed in California in 1986. If the copper used contains lead that is the reason for the label. Google the warning and you will find plenty of reading material.

Cliff

You knew the Silvano had a brass boiler before you bought it, so why is it a shock that it has a Proposition 65 warning about lead on it? It cannot come as any surprise that espresso machines routinely use brass and copper in their construction.

Only in America...or in this case Canada.

From what I understand by reading the definition of a proposition 65 warning on a generic type consumer product you would have to expose yourself to 70 years of a concentrated amount of a toxic substance (in this case lead) to risk a 1/100,000 chance of getting sick. And this does not take into account the "no observable effect" ratio divided by 1/1000.

In other words, as the amount of lead (if any) in your Silvano would not equate to concentrated by any definition, you are more at risk of being abducted by aliens.

If you want to worry about something worry about how fresh the alien's beans are.

I would be more worried about breathing the air in general or even just getting to a car, let alone eating fast food...

Lead from the boiler... Minimal even if it made into the top 1000 risks in the home.

As usual the devil is in the detail and most warnings are just that. A method of complying with regs that were implemented to fix one problem and then get carried over to other products; without due diligence. It is often a knee jerk reaction and an attempt to tick every box on ever reg to try to keep auditors and litigation at bay

If ya worried about the lead... Google the MSDS for every item that might come in contact with your skin, the water and might be given off into the air due to heat ie. the plastic of the control box and all the electronics....

After that, you will stop using google as you will be afraid to use your PC and just want a simple coffee As it will be the safest option...

Every thing in life has a risk, from a quality perspective; only count the items that truly matter and don't get caught up in the white noise.

PS. Plenty of risks re SS and the impact that chlorine and other additives can cause when heated....

I was interested in this issue a few years ago. Copper, brass, nickel, chrome, stainless steel - if you look for information on any of these metals commonly used in espresso machines, you will find reasons why you should not consume water stored in containers made from any of these materials. Which is not to say that there is a health risk from using an espresso machine.

Little is known about the health effects of exposure to water that contacts these metals, in terms of concentration and duration of exposure. The best you will find is a guess.

There is a solution to this concern - use an HX machine.

Mark

Greetings,

From the 1960's song by Tom Leher,"Pollution", "Don't drink the water or breath the air."
I hope I got the punctuation correct.

Cliff

LOL - everything is known to the state of California to cause cancer. They are the proverbial boys that cried wolf. They have put so many labels on everything that they cause people to simply ignore them.

An ordinary diet contains about 70µg Pb / day.

Under CA Prop 65 :
WARNING : A healthy diet contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects of other reproductive harm