Pressure Canner Brands

A pressure canner is an essential tool to have when a home canner wants to expand his or her range of knowledge and skill. Yet, it can be a leap at first. While not overly expensive, a pressure canner is not cheap either, and does require storage space, so a home canner often has to really ponder if this is something they are going to use enough to make it worthwhile.

Once you’ve decided that you will actually use one, or at least decide to gamble that you will, then you need to decide which one to buy.

Minimum size of pressure canner

The minimum size canner that the USDA will recognize as a canner that is compliant with their safety protocols is one that will hold 4 x 1 litre (US quart) jars at once.  See a fuller discussion on this page: Pressure cookers versus pressure canners.

That being said, some in the home canning field are leery of anything smaller than a 16 quart pressure canner. (Note, though, that All-American makes and sells the “All American Pressure Canner 910 10 Quart” canner which it says will hold 4 x 1 quart jars.)

For the purpose of capacity discussion here, 1 US quart = 1 litre.

Here, in this University of Georgia video, Dr Elizabeth Andress of the National Center for Home Food Preservation, discusses minimum size (she also discusses pressure canners with just high and low settings):

Typical pressure canner brands

Most home canners and professionals in the field recognize no brands other than All American, Mirro or Presto.  The Clemson University Extension Program refers to “recommended pressure canners” as being “American, Mirro, Presto”  ^[1] Alternatives to Smooth Top Ranges. Accessed March 2015 at https://www.clemson.edu/extension/food_nutrition/canning/tips/19smooth_top_alternatives.html  We are listing all brands for the sake of thoroughness and intellectual rigour.

Pressure canners for glass and induction top stoves

All-American says that some, though not all, of its pressure canners are suitable for smooth / glass-top stoves. See here.

Presto currently says all its current models are fine for smooth / glass stove tops.

If you have an induction top stove, it appears that only one brand / model as of 2020 seems to have a stainless steel bottom that will work on it without an adapter disk, which is Presto. Other brands would require an induction burner adaptor disk / plate between them and the burner.

Safety of modern pressure canners

Modern pressure canners are 100% safe.

Even as far back as the 1980s, home canning professionals regarded the pressure canners being made then as completely safe. In 1986, an extension agent from Maryland wrote:

[Dr Gerald] Kuhn had a kind word for the safety of modern canning equipment. “There is practically no way the new deluxe pressure canners can blow up and cause injury to anybody,” he said. “It is so safe that we can no longer tolerate the ignorance of people who say: ‘I had an aunt who lost an arm due to an exploding canner.’ This doesn’t happen with today’s equipment.” ^[2]Jenkins, Kathryn. New guidebook available this fall giving up-to-date home canning tips. Frederick, Maryland: The Frederick News-Post. 19 June 1986. Page F-1.

The older pressure cooker / canners that blew up were the ones made as quickly and cheaply as possible in the States right after World War Two with metal suddenly freed up from the war effort to meet pent-up demand. These were made with inferior materials and had zero safety features. See “Pressure Cooker History” on CooksInfo.com

Index of brands

All-American
Fagor
Granite Ware
Mirro
Presto
Parts for older brands no longer in production

All-American Pressure Canners

See separate All-American Pressure Canners page.

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Fagor

Fagor pressure canners are non-standard, but as of fall 2018, there appears to be another reason not to consider them as a pressure canner choice. The company has ceased active operations in North America.

Fagor posted the following PR release on their Facebook page on 4 October 2018:

After 26 years of doing business in the US and Canada, it is with great sadness we have to communicate that Fagor America will be closing its doors. Due to the financial difficulties of the parent company in Spain, the US subsidiary will no longer sell its product line in North America.

Unfortunately Social Media accounts, including the Facebook page and Facebook group cannot longer be monitored.

At this time, service and coverage of Fagor warranties and products continues uninterrupted. Replacement parts can be purchased at: [https://www.adcoservice.com/fagor-products/replacement-parts] and the Customer Service team can be reached at: [email protected] or by phone at: 1-800-207-0806. We truly appreciate your support and the trust you have placed on the Fagor products and wish the circumstances were very different.  Thank you ^[3]https://www.facebook.com/FagorAmerica/posts/10156213824130141?__tn__=H-R

As of 2015, Fagor made two models of pots, Duo and Splendid, that advertised themselves as a pressure canner. Both had a capacity of  10 US quarts (litres) which holds 4 x 1 litre (US quart) jars. At first blush, the two models looked pretty much the same, but we’ll cover the difference in a minute. Each canner had a stainless steel base, and thus either could run on all stove tops, including smooth and induction. Fagor also offered a canning kit bundle based on the Duo model. Fagor is a Spanish company, though apparently most production now happens in China.

Fagor produced a separate manual for canning called the “Home Canning Cookbook“.

Fagor advertised its pot as capable of pressure canning, and gave directions for its use as a canner in the manual.

The canner will hold 4 x 1 US quart (litre) jars, or 5 x 1 US pint (½ litre) jars. All their recipes, though, are for 4  x 1 US pint batches. There’s only a very few canning recipes in their regular Fagor manuals, so for a greater variety, you’d want to consult their specific home canning manual (mentioned above.)

The main difference between the Duo and Splendid models is that while the Splendid only had one pressure setting, “15 psi”, the Duo had two settings: a low of “8 psi”, and a high of “15 psi.” Fagor instructed you to do all canning on high; this means their canning guidelines are for 15 psi (as opposed to the more common lower 10 psi used by the USDA, Preso, All-American, etc. Further reading: Why is 10 pounds and not 15 pounds the base for pressure canning? )

A few processing times are different from what USDA times might be: the chile at 90 minutes is longer than the processing time for USDA chile, while a soup is only 40 minutes. In the actual canning manual, their timings for meat, seafood, etc, are the same as the USDA’s, while their mixed veg, Spinach, Greens, etc is lower. But if they have thoroughly lab-tested those recipes, that would be fine: remember, their canning is in theory at a higher temperature, because their high setting of 15 psi would in theory allow for shorter processing times. We don’t have access at this time to any information on lab-testing that might have been done for their guidelines. Their canning manual does say, though, “All of the Home Canning Recipes provided in this cookbook have been tested for quality and proper timing to meet food safety standards.” ^[4]Fagor. Home Canning Cookbook. 2009. Page 18. 

One curiosity in their canning manual would appear to be dill pickles being pressure canned at 15 psi for 10 minutes. ^[5]Fagor. Home Canning Cookbook. 2009. Page 46.  

Some canning discussion groups note three items of possible concern:

1. The pressure choices are low ( 8 lbs) and high (15 lbs.) Consequently if you want to follow USDA guidelines, anything you process in it would have to be processed at a higher than usual pressure: the few things such as fruit wanting 5 lbs would have to be processed at 8 lbs; and everything else wanting 10 lbs (at sea level) would have to be done at 15 lbs (perhaps not a concern if your altitude would require it anyway.)

2. The USDA requires an increase in pressure to compensate for increases in altitude above 300 metres (1000 feet); Fagor’s canning manual mentions no increase in pressure (and their canners wouldn’t be capable of it, anyway.) Though, to be fair, Fagor as noted does advise canning everything at 15 lbs, and 15 lbs is the maximum that the USDA goes to for elevation, anyway.

3. A vital part of the USDA pressure canning protocol is to vent the canner for 10 minutes before starting to bring it up to pressure.

The regular Fagor usage manuals don’t seem to mention venting or make it evident how you would do the venting;

Set the jars of food on the rack and lower the rack into the pressure cooker so steam can flow around each jar. Add 2-3 inches of boiling water to the bottom of the cooker (pour it between the jars, not directly on them, to prevent breakage). Put the lid on the cooker. Once pressure is reached, keep the pressure constant by regulating the heat under the pressure cooker.” ^[6]Fagor Duo Pressure Cooker Manual. 2008. Page 23.

Fagor’s separate canning manual, however, does definitely specify a 10 minute venting process:

Before you start counting the processing time you have to “vent” your pressure cooker. To do this, turn on your stove to a medium-high setting. Turn the pressure valve (black dial on the pressure cooker lid) to the steam release position (the picture of steam). You will soon see some steam coming out of the pressure valve. Wait for ten minutes, allowing steam to come out. After ten minutes, turn the dial to the pressure cooking position (indicated by the picture of a pot or a number “2”). Begin counting down the recommended processing time as soon as the valve starts releasing some steam again.”  ^[7] Fagor. Home Canning Cookbook. 2009. Page 15.  

Ed: Please see video at the top of this page, in which there is mention of pressure canners with just two settings on them.

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Note: Fagor is not a pressure canner choice we’d currently recommend, owing both to the non-standard pressure canning pressure choices, and to their not being active in North America as of fall 2018. We have presented the above information in the interest of thoroughness.

Granite Ware

Granite Ware made two models of pressure canners:

• a 12 US quart (litre), (model F0732-2) which holds 4 quart jars, 7 pint jars or 8 half-pint jars;
• a 20 US quart (litre) (model F0730-2) which holds 7 quart-size canning jars, 8 pint jars or 24 ½-pint jars.

As of 2021, listings for these products disappeared from the Granite Ware site, so they may be discontinued.

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Mirro

See separate Mirro Pressure Canners page.

Mirro pressure canner manual

See separate Mirro pressure canner manual page.

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Presto

See separate Presto Canners page.

Presto pressure canner manual

See separate Presto canner manual page.

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T-Fal

T-Fal now (as of 2017 / 2018) makes a device it calls a pressure canner. It does seem to meet the size requirements — it’s 22 quart, and it does seem to offer the correct pressures required. The Amazon page says, “Selective pressure control with 3 cooking-pressure options: 5, 10 or 15 PSI.” The page also says, “Suitable for Gas and Electric Coil Stovetop only.” So that means no smooth-top stove usage.

It comes with a recipe book, which we have not seen (as of 2018).

We don’t have any experience with this model so can’t comment further on it one way or the other. We are just noting its presence on the market.

Parts for older brands no longer in production

“For some models of Kook Kwik, Maid of Honor, and Magic Seal canners, replacement parts are carried by Presto®. Contact the Consumer Service Department at National Presto Industries Inc. at www.gopresto.com or (800) 877-0441.”

For advice about purchasing older canners, see here: Griffith, Patti. Making Canning Work for You. University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service. MP-119-12.  (Link valid as of Feb 2019.)

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