Product Watch

The product: Home lead detection kits

The promise: No need to wait for the next bit of bad news about lead in an imported toy or other product; an inexpensive home test can determine whether harmful levels of the metal are present.

The reality: The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a study on the kits last week and did not give them rave reviews. In 104 tests of the kits, 56 failed to detect lead on the surface of a product. In two tests, the kits detected lead when there was none. Finally, none of the kits could consistently detect lead under an unleaded coating. The agency did not name the kits that were tested.

The advice: Because home lead detection kits are inconsistent at best, consumers probably are better served by signing up for e-mail announcements from the agency at www.cpsc.gov.

-- David Colker