Which pressure canner to buy

Pbj ak

10-4 keep’em comin
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We’ve been canning using a big pot with a lid for a while and I think it’s time to upgrade to to a pressure canner to save some time.

I just wanted to ask if you guys were going to buy a new pressure canner, is there one that sticks out as being awesome or better than the rest? I can’t spend $500 but if there’s something that’s $250 (give or take) that will work better than a standard $100 canner then I’d like to go that route.


Any thoughts or advice is much appreciated and I thank you in advance.

Edited to add:

I read a couple posts on the forum recommending electric canners and I’m currently researching them but would like to hear the thoughts of folks that are currently using them.
 
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Following this myself as I have just borrowed on in past but have intrest in getting one.
 
If you can afford it go stainless , there are many other uses if its stainless instead of aluminum.

I'm actually on the hunt for an old style 40 qt one myself


If you decide stainless pm me and I'll throw ideas your way
 
I was hoping to hear other experiences with them as we have only used a big pot on the stove top and honestly don’t know anything about pressure cookers.

I hope to find something of good quality and from what I’ve read the stainless will last longer but aluminum will transfer heat faster. I’m looking for something that we can use often and for a long time as we have a decent size garden and plan to can well into the future.

@LeeMajors any thoughts on the stainless “old school” vs electric?
 
I was hoping to hear other experiences with them as we have only used a big pot on the stove top and honestly don’t know anything about pressure cookers.

I hope to find something of good quality and from what I’ve read the stainless will last longer but aluminum will transfer heat faster. I’m looking for something that we can use often and for a long time as we have a decent size garden and plan to can well into the future.

@LeeMajors any thoughts on the stainless “old school” vs electric?
Absolutely old school. As you can run water over it to cool it faster if needed.

You can build a fire under it in the yard and use it when shtf.

Something along these lines
All-American-30-Quart-Pressure-Cooker-Canner-large.jpg
 
I was hoping to hear other experiences with them as we have only used a big pot on the stove top and honestly don’t know anything about pressure cookers.

I hope to find something of good quality and from what I’ve read the stainless will last longer but aluminum will transfer heat faster. I’m looking for something that we can use often and for a long time as we have a decent size garden and plan to can well into the future.

@LeeMajors any thoughts on the stainless “old school” vs electric?


All American is a brand, look them up. You'll hand it down through the family.
 
I saw the All American cookers but I wasn’t planning on spending quite that much. The first ones that popped up in a search were $500 and they’re out of my budget. The wife was talking about ordering a $100 canner online and I thought I might surprise her with something a little better if it was worth the extra cost. I’ll try and look around and see what kind of deals I can find on them though.

10-4 on the old school @LeeMajors
 
I saw the All American cookers but I wasn’t planning on spending quite that much. The first ones that popped up in a search were $500 and they’re out of my budget. The wife was talking about ordering a $100 canner online and I thought I might surprise her with something a little better if it was worth the extra cost. I’ll try and look around and see what kind of deals I can find on them though.

10-4 on the old school @LeeMajors

Shop around for a used one, no gasket on them to go bad.

I have a 921, it will can 7 quarts or 19 pints, great piece of equipment.
 
Alright so the 921 looks to be around $300 new. I can probably swing that.

I don’t mind buying used as long as everything is in good working condition so I’ll see if I can find anything used before ordering new.

We have a regular electric stove with the old eye type burners (not a flat top). Are there any pros and cons to getting a bigger size besides the obvious price and being able to can more at one time?
 
Wife also wanted me to ask...

if you go with the later/taller version, is it harder to keep the temperature stable?
 
Good luck and keep us posted. The NC extension service has tons of great info regarding using pressure canners. Clemson has a great site as well.
 
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If you can afford the All American they’re easy to use in that the weight is the regulator and the gauge is secondary. Also, no gasket. If that’s out of the budget, the Presto is very popular.
 
I really like the All American but they are pricey. You can buy 3 of these for the same price. I've got two of the very older models and they are still good to go.
http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/Presto-Pressure-Canner-23-Quart.htm

I have this exact same model and have used it for many years. It has a great value. I was new to canning when I purchased.

I am a horticulturist and can year round. I will definitely consider an All American when it is time to upgrade but I am certainly been pleased with my Presto.
 
I have 2 vintage canners that I got off Ebay years ago, both mid-70s vintage Prestos with gauges. Color is HARVEST GOLD! which screams the year of my birth...
I use my smaller 16qt one more than the big 21qt that I can double-stack pints in. These are out there everywhere, and new parts like gaskets and pressure relief plugs are plentiful as well.
Unless you're doing it for a living, the All-Americans are way overkill for the average home canning season.

ddbfc55fe29f54ff7abd0e269469dc2a.jpg
1bba0b70326910acecb370dd6931ced9.jpg
 
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Everywhere I look for a new American... sold out - not available
 
I have several pressure cookers and one of my favorites is an old Presto made in 1975. Got in the buy USA mode and bought the All American 921 from Red Hill and have not looked back. Just canned 7qts of butterbeans, getting set for hard times.
 
Well I can’t find an All American 921 in stock unless it’s $500+. Now the pesto cookers are $190+.
 
Late reply but a friend of mine ordered an All American 930 from their website this week. On backorder with an anticipated deliver January or February 2021.
 
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If you wait until the price goes down you may be waiting a long time, similar to guns and ammo. Buy once, cry once. Figure your ROI on the money you may save, and the quality of the food you can. As long as the world sucks like it does now, the more peppers are born. Prestos are good products. All Americans are better for ease of use, longevity. And lack of gaskets to replace. If we werent so old, and had somebody to hand it down to wed would have the AA. Our kids could care less. They will starve.
 
You've got a lot of good advice above.

We have one of the presto's, a small All American, and a large All American. I prefer the All Americans just because I like the old school design, and it's simple, and the only thing that we've had wear out or break are the rubber locking bolt handles...but they still work. We run at least 25 - 30 cycles with it per year, with various items being canned. Heck, we do about 15 cycles just to get all the green beans canned.

If $ is a concern and you don't can a ton of stuff you'll be fine with the presto and won't regret it.

You should also be fine with your old style electric stove, and no, there's not any difference in temp regulation for a bigger one except it just takes a little longer to heat up.
 
Over a month ago I got lucky and found a 16 quart Presto canner on clearance at my local Walmart for $17. This past week I went to a local auction house and found another Presto canner. Paid $42 for it. Missing a lid handle and the canning rack. Got it home and discovered it was in the wrong box. It was in a Presto 16 quart box. Based on the serial number it is a 17 quart. Ordered parts online for it. Total of $87 in it with purchase price and parts. For me just starting out an learning they'll do. But if things do normalize maybe I can get a good used All American at a decent price.

The one on the left is the Walmart clearance one. The one on the right is from the auction house.
20200918_064753[1].jpg
 
Haven't bought new in years, but Presto and American are historically good to go. I pick up older ones from yard sales or estate sales cause I'm typically on the hunt for large ones. There's not much to them, couple gaskets, you can replace the pressure or temp gauge if you need to. If you get a used one just look for pitting on the inside and avoid ones that show it.
If you look around sometimes you can find the older style ones with the wire double decker setup instead of the plates, they're really nice and you can run a batch of 14-16 qts at a time.
 
Over a month ago I got lucky and found a 16 quart Presto canner on clearance at my local Walmart for $17. This past week I went to a local auction house and found another Presto canner. Paid $42 for it. Missing a lid handle and the canning rack. Got it home and discovered it was in the wrong box. It was in a Presto 16 quart box. Based on the serial number it is a 17 quart. Ordered parts online for it. Total of $87 in it with purchase price and parts. For me just starting out an learning they'll do. But if things do normalize maybe I can get a good used All American at a decent price.

The one on the left is the Walmart clearance one. The one on the right is from the auction house.
View attachment 247886

i meant to reply earlier (crs setting in), both style canners are great and will do the job it just boils down to preference. i prefer not to finagle with the gasket (although it really isnt much of a hassle), and i do like having he visual back up of the gauge (and thats all it us unless you have it calibrated).

both of those will serve you well for many many years
 
We have the presto canners. 16 qt weight only types. Also have a presto 23 qt with gauge that we have wound up just using for water bath canning because its taller.

We have used the 16 qt canners a lot and have had no problems with them. Have used them on the old style electric stove and gas stove equally well.

I inspect annually and every few runs and have yet to have to change seals or blowout plugs. I was thinking to change the plugs as a precaution but they still look fine after all these years.

At this point buy whatever you can get your hands on and learn to can.
 
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