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Buying a Pressure Canner—What to Consider

Are you in the market for a pressure canner and confused by the many models and features available? Read on to discover some features to consider.

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Updated:

April 12, 2023

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Pennsylvania State University, Jon Cofer

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Basics Types of Pressure Canners

Pressure canners are defined by the method used to indicate the amount of pressure inside the canner. A dial gauge pressure canner has a dial that is usually marked with one pound increments with the dial moving as the pressure builds or decreases inside the canner. A weighted gauge pressure canner has a weight that jiggles to indicate the amount of pressure. Both types of gauges work equally well and will preserve food safely when used correctly. See below to help decide which you prefer.

The dial gauge has the advantage of adjusting the pressure by small increments which prevents using more pressure than necessary at high altitudes. For canning low acid foods at an altitude of 1,000 feet or below, the pressure is brought to 11 pounds. At higher altitudes the pressure is increased. You do need to keep an eye on the dial gauge while processing food to adjust the burner heat so that pressure does not go below 11 pounds or excessively above 11 pounds. It is virtually impossible to keep the pressure exactly on 11 pounds; it is OK if the pressure goes slightly above. However, if the pressure falls below 11 pounds, it is necessary to start the processing time over. If you choose to pressure can fruit, the pressure setting for canning high acid foods is 6 pounds at 1,000 feet or below. Dial gauges can go out of calibration and should be tested for accuracy each year before the canning season.

The weighted gauge usually is designed to indicate pressure at 5, 10, and 15 pounds. Some weights are a flat disk about one-half inch thick with 3 holes--one indicating 5, another 10, and another 15. A different type is a three piece weight with a stem used by itself for 5 pounds, one disk added for 10 pounds, and two disks added for 15 pounds. There is also a pyramid shaped weight that comes apart in three pieces. The weight is placed on the vent pipe to build up pressure. Check the pressure canner manual to see how the weights are taken apart and how they are applied to the canner. Most weights are easy to use, but some designs can cause steam burns as you place them on the vent pipe. A weighted gauge indicates the pressure by “jiggling.” Again, you will need to check the manual to see if it jiggles so many times a minute or if it jiggles continuously while processing. An advantage of a weighted gauge is that you can hear when it is at the correct pressure and do not need to be in close proximity the entire time the food is processing. The pressure for processing low acid foods at or below 1,000 feet is 10 pounds for a weighted gauge canner. (A 5 pound weight is used for high acid foods.) At altitudes above 1,000 feet, the only choice is to use the 15 pound weight. It is not possible to make the incremental adjustments in pressure that can be made with a dial gauge. Weighted gauges do not go out of calibration unless they are damaged by chipping or bending—this seldom happens—and therefore do not require yearly testing.

Method of Seal

Most canners have a rubber gasket in the lid that seals against the top of the canner base. With the gasket in place in the trough of the lid, the lid slides into place on the canner. Occasionally the gasket will need to be replaced as it shrinks over a period of time. A gasket usually lasts two or more years unless the canner is used quite frequently.

Another type of canner seals metal to metal—there is no rubber gasket in the lid. The lid and the canner are beveled so that the two come precisely together. The lid is held in place by six lugs. The lid and canner lip must be lined up exactly to prevent the escape of air and steam. The All-American Canner is the only canner that has a metal to metal seal.

How Heavy is the Canner?

If you have seen a canner made before 1970, you likely have seen one made of heavy aluminum that is heavy to lift even before filled jars of food are added. Most canners made today are light-weight aluminum and easier to handle. However, the All-American is a heavy weight aluminum.The weight of the canner does not affect the safety of the food processed inside.

What is Your Heating Source?

Most canners can be used on gas and electric burners? Manufacturers caution against using portable burners because of the danger of tipping over. Some burners may be too high for heating. Several manufacturers say not to use their canner on a smooth top stove. In some cases the weight of the canner may crack or otherwise damage the ceramic top. In other cases, the heating method of the stove may cycle on and off as it reaches a certain temperature. If this happens, it will cause the temperature inside the canner to fall and could cause the food to be under-processed and potentially unsafe.

Increasingly induction burners are becoming popular. These require a magnetic metal to conduct heat to the pot. Several manufacturers have developed a pressure canner with a stainless steel bottom that is suitable to can on an induction burner.

One manufacturer has an electric digital pressure canner that works with sensors to automatically do each step in processing and even pre-heats the jars. It automatically adjusts for high altitude canning. It can also be used as a boiling water canner. However, it holds less jars—only 5 quart jars or 8 pint jars. It claims it meets USDA home canning guidelines, but USDA and the National Center for Home Food Preservation do not endorse any canner.

Cheap Brands

Increasingly there are new brands of pressure canners in discount stores and online. We have no information on the testing that has been done to determine if these canners safely process low acid foods. Some of these have weights instead of dial gauges. Some brands only have a weight for two settings. Look at the assembly of the weight to see if it will be easy to use. Look at the size of the canner. Some less expensive brands hold less than 7 quart jars.

Size of the Canner—How Many Jars Will It Hold?

Traditional pressure canners are 16 quart and the slightly taller is 23 quart. The 16 quart canner holds 7 quart jars and 10 pint jars. The 23 quart canner holds 7 quart jars and 20 pint jars (two layers of pints). To use USDA canning recipes, a pressure canner must be able to hold at least 4 quart jars. The All-American canner is also made in a taller size for two layers of quarts and three layers of pints. Keep in mind that this will be a very heavy canner to move when it is filled.

Other Features

All canners should have a vent pipe, a pressure lock, and an over pressure plug. They are most often located on the lid but some models have the pressure lock and over pressure venting in the handle.

Electric Multi-Cookers

Electric multi-cookers are not suitable for pressure canning. None of these have been tested to use USDA recipes and we do not know that the recipes they supply are safe to control food borne pathogens. Examining the specs of several brands of electric multi-cookers show that the PSI is less than that recommended for pressure canning. When manuals include recipes, they are often for items that can be water bath canned. Penn State and other extension sites do not recommend them for canning.