Looking for a good pressure cooker..are they all the same?

[doug_k48]

We are planing a winter garden but we need to get a good pressure cooker...can I get by with a used one? Guage or weighted pressure adjustments...I notice that most do not hve a guage...is this important/

Thanks,
Doug

[mcnerd]

Are you wanting a Pressure "cooker" for cooking food quicker or a Pressure "Canner" for pasteurizing (canning) food jars for long-term pantry storage? They are NOT the same thing.

A Pressure Canner with a dial gauge is for the sophisticated canner but it does require that you get the dial gauge checked for accuracy BEFORE you use it the first time and at the beginning of each canning season. Most of us no longer live in farming communities or near local Extensions that offer the testing so a "rocker gauge" pressure canner is more popular. You can also purchase conversions from a dial to rocker gauge for some brands, like Presto.

An inexpensive (under $70) rocker gauge pressure canner is the Presto 16-qt and can be found in most Wal-Marts, Ace Hardware, or similar stores that sell canning supplies. The expensive canners are the All-American and these get passed down in a family for generations.

Pressure Canners are used ONLY for processing low-acid foods (meat, vegetables). For high-acid foods (jams, jellies, pickled items) you use a Boiling Water Canner, which is nothing more than a big stock pot with a rack to boil jars in.

Rocker gauges have three (3) weight settings (5#, 10#, 15#). The 10# is the standard for modern canning and the 15# for higher altitudes.

[sparrowgrass]

Check out Amazon.com--they often have canners in their Friday sale or in the outlet store, for good prices.

[doug_k48]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcnerd Are you wanting a Pressure "cooker" for cooking food quicker or a Pressure "Canner" for pasteurizing (canning) food jars for long-term pantry storage? They are NOT the same thing. A Pressure Canner with a dial gauge is for the sophisticated canner but it does require that you get the dial gauge checked for accuracy BEFORE you use it the first time and at the beginning of each canning season. Most of us no longer live in farming communities or near local Extensions that offer the testing so a "rocker gauge" pressure canner is more popular. You can also purchase conversions from a dial to rocker gauge for some brands, like Presto. An inexpensive (under $70) rocker gauge pressure canner is the Presto 16-qt and can be found in most Wal-Marts, Ace Hardware, or similar stores that sell canning supplies. The expensive canners are the All-American and these get passed down in a family for generations. Pressure Canners are used ONLY for processing low-acid foods (meat, vegetables). For high-acid foods (jams, jellies, pickled items) you use a Boiling Water Canner, which is nothing more than a big stock pot with a rack to boil jars in. Rocker gauges have three (3) weight settings (5#, 10#, 15#). The 10# is the standard for modern canning and the 15# for higher altitudes.

Good info here...thank you!

[doug_k48]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparrowgrass Check out Amazon.com--they often have canners in their Friday sale or in the outlet store, for good prices.

I have also been looking on craigslist and of course at our local garage sales but they are hard to come by out here in CA...back east would be a diffrent story.

Thanks

[sallynilly]

My mother in law gave me an old Presto with the 'rocker' gauge. She had it in the 60's and the first thing I did after giving it a good cleaning was to replace the gasket which is a common size and easily available. If you find one used, I would reccommend ordering a gasket asap.
This older one will hold 6 quarts easily and 8 pints or half pints. I have a small pressure cooker which per the instructions says it can double as a pressure canner but I have never used it this way. It would only hold maybe 3 quarts at one time and would be useless for canning big batches.

If I were in the market for a new one, I wouldn't go cheap and $70 is too cheap. I would go for a heavier gauge for around $100.

[Jenyfari]

Hopefully you will have found yourself a canner that suits your needs but if you haven't you may like to check out this review on American Pressure Canners.

Best Pressure Canners: All American Pressure Canner Cooker Review

[SugarMama]

Mcnerd- great information !!!! My Mom used to can, sadly none of it was able to be passed down. I've been wanting to can for ages, just so unsure of where to start.

Doug- don't count on finding them in the east at tag sales- I've been tagging my whole life and never found a single one !

[mcnerd]

Canning methods changed heavily in the last 20 years, so you did not miss out on anything. Best you learn from the beginning with modern equipment and instructions. Canning is fun and easy, but just demands a big of respect to be safe (from poisoning yourself).