The 8 Best Pressure Canners for Beginners

If you have canning needs, you’d definitely need a pressure canner in your life.

If you’re buying your first pressure canner, you must get your hands on the best one suitable for beginners to have a great overall experience.

Pressure canning is a lengthy yet simple task. However, the right equipment can make all the difference in how the process goes for you. To make things simple, we’ve listed our top favorite products in this article to help you narrow down your options and get the best pressure canner for beginners.

Preserve your best produce, meats, and sauces and enjoy them all year round with the right pressure canner. Keep reading to learn more.

The Best Pressure Canners for Beginners

1. All American 921 Pressure Canner

Best Features: Made from durable hand-cast aluminum, strong phenolic top handle, automatic overpressure release

This pressure canner does not only have the best lid but is an excellent product that’s every canning enthusiast’s favorite. Designed with heavy-duty hand-cast aluminum, the pressure canner features an easy-to-clean and highly attractive satin finish. This model is available in various sizes. The 21-1/2 quart canner can easily hold up to 19 standard pint jars and can take care of all your canning needs. The lid is another great quality that features a metal-to-metal sealing system to keep maximum pressure for excellent canning. This is a dream-come-true for beginner canning enthusiasts.

2. Presto 01781 Pressure Canner and Cooker

Best Features: Warp-resistant heavy-gauge aluminum for even heating, deluxe pressure dial gauge, extra-large size for large quantity canning

Presto Pressure Canner and Cooker fits the bill if you want a model that’s both functional and safer. This one’s my favorite budget pick for all the amazing features it has. This model has a premium-quality dial-gauge pressure canner that works for beginners. It is simple to understand and maneuver so you can easily take care of pressure adjustments. Made from heavy-gauge aluminum, the pot is comparatively lighter in weight but offers great resistance to warping. The safety feature includes an air vent that comes with a cover lock to prevent it from opening when the pot is pressurized. Available in an extra-large size to place cans in large quantities.

3. Carey DPC-9SS Smart Pressure Canner and Cooker

Best Features: Multi-purpose cooking system, built-in safety features, standard and high altitude limiting valves

Pressure canning, pressure cooking, slow cooking, and steam cooking – name it, and this smart cooker will do it all. This multi-purpose cooker is designed with function and maximum ease in mind. This is one of the best canners for home use and works well for beginners. It has excellent safety features, including lock-lid protection, to help newbies cook and experiment without any fears. It also comes with a pressure limiting-valve that automatically releases high pressure to keep the food from spoiling. This product is dishwasher safe.

4. T-Fal Pressure Canner and Cooker with 3 PSI Setting and Pressure Control

Best Features: Polished aluminum stovetop canner and pressure cooker, pressure monitoring device built into handle, 2 canning racks to hold more jars

This one is another beginner-friendly pressure canner that allows large canning quantities at a time. The appliance is a multipurpose cooker and serves as both a pressure canner and a pressure cooker. It is designed from a rustproof, heavy-duty aluminum for secure and long-term usage. The canner has multiple setting options to maintain steady pressure. It has a simple design with essential and intuitive controls combined with excellent safety features so you can process a great batch of your favorite canned goods in just minutes.

5. Granite Ware Pressure Canner, Cooker, and Steamer

Best Features: Made of hard-anodized aluminum, adjustable pressure, ideal for canning at different altitudes

The Granite Ware pressure canner is a multipurpose model that can be used for pressure canning, steaming and pressure cooking. It’s a versatile appliance with a large steam insert, intuitive controls, and canning rack that offers a great experience to beginners. This versatile pressure canner offers different cooking options, a durable design, and a large pot for more capacity. For safety purposes, the canner has a pop-up pressure indicator to lock in the lid for maximum protection.  

6. Ball FreshTech Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker

Best Features: Electric water bath canner, simple dial to control temperature, energy-efficient

The 21-quart innovative ball pressure canner is a multipurpose electric cooker that can be used for various cooking needs. The large pot can easily hold up to seven quart-sized jars for canning. The unique design is equipped with a drain spout to allow easy water draining, making it easier to handle and move for beginners. This electric version is an energy-efficient model and very simple to use. Just switch in the plug, and you’re ready to begin.  

7. Mirro 92122A 15PSI Pressure Canner and Cooker

Best Features: Made from rustproof heavy-gauge aluminum, 3 cooking pressure options, reusable overpressure plug

If you’re looking for a multipurpose cooker that fulfills your pressure canning and pressure cooking needs, this affordable option by Mirro is an excellent choice. Made in polished aluminum, the canner features three different pressure settings for stable maintenance of pressure as per your requirements. It also has a sure locking lid system, a reusable overpressure plug, and a side gasket pressure release, which makes it a more appropriate choice for a newbie.  

Buyer’s Guide

Benefits of Canning Food at Home

Canning takes cooking one step ahead. I am listing down the top benefits below:

• Save Money: Buying the same quality food from outside can cost you much more than doing the canning yourself.
• High-quality food only: When you do the canning yourself, you know exactly what you’re eating. Home-canned foods are free of artificial flavors, colorings, preservatives, and high-fructose corn syrup.
• Better tasting food: If you’re using locally-grown, fresh ingredients, your homemade canned food will taste better than canned food that’s readily available.
• More access: You can store food in cans as per your needs so you can have more access to the ingredients you use the most all year round.

Pressure canning has many benefits. If you want to learn everything about this method, check out this informative video:

Features of the Best Pressure Canner for Beginners

Pressure Gauge

Choose a pressure canner that offers the right pressure to sterilize your food. It should be able to reach a temperature up to 240 degrees F. This is only possible if the pressure canner maintains pressure between 10 PSI and 15 PSI

Warp Resistant Construction

The best pressure canner would be constructed with high-quality warp-resistant materials, especially the vessel.

Cost

Always take the value for money factor into consideration when buying such appliances. You will find a range of different prices. Compare the features and make sure you are not paying too much for an item.  

Construction Material

Heavy-gauge aluminum is the ideal construction material for a good quality pressure cooker/canner. It is a robust material that will distribute even heat and will not rust or stain.

Seal Quality

A good airtight seal is a must for quality pressure cookers/canners. This ensures achieving and maintaining the right pressure throughout. If your canner has a rubber seal, make sure to replace it every few years for the best results.

Handle

Choose a pressure canner with a strong, sturdy, and well-constructed handle that offers maximum heat resistance for easy handling.

Capacity

The most common range is 20 to 25-quart capacity. You can pick the right one according to your pressure canning needs.  

FAQs

1. Is investing in a pressure canner worth it?

Most pressure canners offer multipurpose cooking options, including canning, pressure cooking, and steaming. This factor alone makes it absolutely worth it.

2. Can I use my regular pressure cooker for pressure canning?

Unless a pressure cooker is suitable for pressure canning, it should not be used for canning food. You can, however, water bath cans in both pressure canners and cookers without sealing the lid or building pressure.

3. Is it possible to can food without a pressure canner?

While it is possible, doing so would lead to canning high-acid foods. When you use a pressure canner for canning, the boiling water at 15 PSI raises the temperature to 250 F or more, which can kill the spores. For high-acid foods such as pickles and fruits, you can process the canning without a pressure canner as there are no chances of bacterium growth.