Pressure canner ??

Miz Mary · #1 05/07/10, 01:07 PM

What size and brand is best , and why ?!? I want to buy one, but not sure where to start !!

MN Gardener · #2 05/07/10, 01:17 PM

How much canning are you going to be doing? I have an all american that double stacks and I love it. But I can a lot and if you have smaller batches, you don't need that big of one.

suitcase_sally · #3 05/07/10, 01:18 PM

You can buy a 12 qt. model, which will hold 9-10 pint jars, but for about $20 more, you can get a 22 qt. model which will hold 20 pints (these would be regular mouth jars, not wide mouth).

You can get a 22 qt. Mirro model for about $80 new, or you can pay $400 for the Cadillac of brands, All American. If you have never canned, go with the Mirro model. It does exactly what the more expensive All American does, at far less money. If you decide canning is not for you, you haven't put out a lot of money.

Canners are like cars, they both get you from point A to point B, but the Mirro model doesn't have to have the pressure gauge re-calibrated every year.

Over on the "Preserving the Harvest" forum, this question comes up about once a week. It's hard to answer a "which is better" question. It's like asking "Which is better - Pepsi or Coke?" It's a matter of taste. If one is truly "better" than the other, the "other" wouldn't exist.

Miz Mary · #4 05/07/10, 01:41 PM

I'd like to can all seasonal veggies/fruits ...... salsa..... some meat .... for a family of 3 ...... I make jelly in a water bath canner now ...... It would be so much healthier to eat from my own jars of food ..... not store canned or imported foods !!

katy · #5 05/07/10, 02:01 PM

Hi Miz Mary, it's great that you are doing some canning, that helps. I agree with the others that it depends a great deal upon the amount of canning you plan to do. Presto pressure cooker--aluminum--, served me well for 30 years and i still have it. Have added Presto--Stainless Steel--, cooker-- and i have canned in both of these, now people will boo hoo that, but it works.

If money were no object, I might be inclined to add an ALL AMERICAN brand for the simple fact that it does not need the rubber seal. didn't know that the pressure calibration needed to be checked every year,,,,,, pain in the ankle. their link is -- http://www.allamericancanner.com/all...surecanner.htm

I cannot find factory web sites for Presto nor Mirro, thay may mean that they have been sold off to God knows who. My favorite thing about Mirro is that they have one weight which has 3 different pressures, more versatile.

All of that said, many people have two or three canners, for those really big harvests. Glad you like it so far.

**clovis** · #6 05/07/10, 06:50 PM

You might do a search for pressure cookers on this site. This has been a very popular topic in the past.

The All American brand is very popular, and I, too, would suggest the larger size so you are able to do the 20 pints.

You would probably save big $$$$ if you bought a used model from ebay.

HTH!

ChickadeeL · #7 05/07/10, 08:39 PM

Size is not the only consideration....if you have a flat top cooktop that will also change which ones will work for you.

I know the All Americans are supposed to be wonderful but I can't use them because of my ceramic cooktop. Apparently they are not completely flat on the bottom?

Also, some flat tops say not to can on them at all, and some say it is okay.

Just a few more points to consider.