Pressure canners

[Frozen Feathers]

Which is better a gauge or weighted pressure canner? Which do you use and what's good for a beginner?

 

[texaschickmama]

Great question Angie. My DH got me the Dummy book for canning and preserving. We are going to be a LOT more of that this year because we like tripled the size of our garden. I am going to be watching this thread.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I have three of the weighted kind. I've always had good luck with them. I couldn't comment on the gauge kind as I have never had one.

 

[RepoBob]

I have both types, my Mirco has a weight andmy AllAmerican has a guage and a weight. Boath work very well. I do like the AA better, but it was four times the price of my Mirco so I would expect it to be better.

 

[LoneCowboy]

I like the kind with the guage and the weight, that way if something isn't going quite the way you think it should, and it will, you will be able to look at the guage to have an idea why. Canning without a guage is like incubating without a thermometer/hygrometer.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Thanks for the input.
I was thinking about spending about $100. Is that too cheap?
I like this Presto one on Amazon , it has good reviews.
I only plan on using it a few times a year just for canning from my garden. I am going to freeze most of the veggies that I can but I would use it for tomato sauces and jellies.

 

[nccountrygirl]

Angie, you can use a water bath canner for jellies and jams.I use mine for most of my canning and it works fine for me.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Thank you Laura. The reason I am thinking of a pressure canner is that I don't have so much room in my kitchen to store both a bath canner and pressure canner and most of what I would like to can (Our own tomato sauce recipe is the main reason) would require a pressure canner.

I wish I had a big enough kitchen to store all kinds of gadgets. I always see all kinds of neat "toys" that I would love to add to my kitchen arsenal.

I really just need a kitchen remodel but DH is dragging his feet about that.

 

[MissPrissy]

I have both kinds. The big gauged canner does take up alot of room but if you are able to buy the bigger canner you'll be glad for it because you can use even 1/2 gallon size canning jars.

All American canners are some of the better brand canners and will literally last you a lifetime and will be passed to your children. If you decide you don't like canning you'll be able to sell it and recoup more of your money.

 

[LoneCowboy]

I don't like the new ones. I found a good used one on Ebay. I like them better because the walls of the canner are thicker.

You can buy all the new seals and such at The Mending Shed. They have a website, it's out of Utah. Orem or Provo, can't remember which, is sits right on the line between the two places.

If you add the extra acid (vinager or lemon juice) to your tomatos you shouldn't need to pressure can those. I only pressure can my green beans and low acid stuff like that. And I can lots of tomatoes each year. Pasta sauce, pizza sauce, Salsa, and diced tomatos