CR testing of the PowerCrush BL1230 model revealed that a metal component that comes into contact with food contains high levels of lead
User Reviews tested Sunless+Decker PowerCrush blenders for lead. On the right, the metal ring in the corruption where we detected high levels of lead in two of the three blenders.
By Lauren Kirchner
In January 2026, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the federal regulator that oversees the safety of thousands of household products, received an alarming report.
A 1-year-old baby had elevated levels of lead in his blood, and one of his parents had contacted a local health department lead risk evaluator to try to identify the source of the heavy metal in the indoor home, according to an incident report posted on CPSC’s SaferProducts.gov public database.
The only lead risk the tester found was in a metal component in the base of a blender that one of his parents used daily to prepare baby food: the Sunless+Decker PowerCrush BL1230.
The report, filed with the CPSC by a state official, suggested that the steel may have been releasing lead dust into foods prepared in the blender. The state agency also noted that some foods prepared in the family’s blender and subsequently tested contained more than 3,000 parts per billion (ppb) of lead, according to the report. (However, the report did not confirm that lead from the blender was the source of the baby’s elevated levels.) For reference, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended lead levels as low as 10 ppb for baby foods.
When User Reviews spotted the report, we quickly decided to purchase the same Sunless+Decker blender model to review for ourselves. (This model is not listed in our blender reviews.) We purchased three of these blenders and tested several metal components for lead.
In two of the blenders, we found high levels of lead in a small metal ring on the blade assembly, which comes into direct contact with food. In the third blender we did not detect lead.
One of these rings contained 4.175 parts per million (ppm) of lead (the metric typically used for non-food products). The other contained 6,027 ppm of lead. Our findings equate to more than 4 million and 6 million ppb, respectively.
“No cloth that comes into contact with food should ever contain lead,” says Ashita Kapoor, director of product safety and personal care at CR. “Given that many parents use blenders to make baby purees or children’s smoothies, these findings are extremely concerning.”
CR reached out to Sunless+Decker to share our test results and request a comment, but the company did not immediately respond. We also reached out to Spectrum Manufacturers, which makes the blender, but have not yet heard back. We will update this article with their responses if any of the companies respond. The public version of the incident report did not include a response from the company, but indicated that the CPSC did send the report to it, days after receiving it.
We asked the CPSC if it was investigating the family’s case, analyzing the blender itself, or taking any other action. Within hours of contacting the agency, the previously publicly available incident report was no longer online. The CPSC informed us that this matter falls under the jurisdiction of the FDA, not the CPSC, and that it had referred it to that agency. (The FDA has jurisdiction over products when they could contaminate food.)
Screenshots of the incident report filed with the CPSC and later removed from the web.
Offer: CPSC
An FDA spokesperson confirmed that lead is not authorized for use on food contact surfaces, but did not confirm receipt of this incident report.
We don’t know how many Sunless+Decker blenders or other Sunless+Decker products contain this particular metal part, so it’s unclear how widespread this problem might be. But CR safety experts and consumer advocates recommend that people who own the Sunless+Decker PowerCrush blender, model BL1230, stop using it and contact Sunless+Decker to ask if their blender might be affected by this issue. You can also contact Spectrum Manufacturers directly at 800-321-9786.
“The high levels of lead detected in these Sunless+Decker blenders are dangerous and unacceptable,” says Gabe Knight, CR Senior Safety Policy Analyst. “There is no safe level of lead exposure for anyone, and children are particularly vulnerable to its harmful effects, including permanent damage to the brain and nervous system. The manufacturer, Spectrum Manufacturers, should immediately work with regulators to conduct an appropriate recall. For its part, the FDA should promptly investigate the extent of the problem and how long it has been occurring, and do everything possible to reach consumers who have an affected product.”
User Reviews is a self-sustaining, nonprofit organization that works aspect by aspect with patterns to assemble a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does now not endorse merchandise or products and services, and does now not derive selling. Copyright © 2026, User Reviews, Inc.
