Has anyone reused their flat lids for canning?

[old fashioned]

I have noticed the rubber seal on my flat canning lids are sometimes undamaged and look as good as new even when they've already provided a good tight seal on the jars.

It's true enough some lids are obviously not in as good a shape and should not be reused.

My Ma & Aunt would always say that "some" store-bought jars & lids could be "used one more time" before discarding, but not canning lids-"once is enough".
I'm just wondering if store bought lids can be reused, why NOT canning lids...if in good shape?
I am experienced enough to know if the lid doesn't seal, either use or discard immediately

Anyone do this?

 

[patandchickens]

Sure, I do it from time to time (mainly because of having everything boiling and ready to go, and then realizing I am out of new lids ). I've seldom had problems from it.

(e.t.a. - in fact, last year I figured out that if I don't have enough *used* lids around either, I can just open a couple of older jars of things, use those lids for what's on the stove right now, and put the old now-lidless jars in the fridge to eat ASAP )

There is really no reason not to do it sometimes IF you don't mind a slightly greater rate of seal failure (not just short-term, but also in longer-term storage).

Best use is for things like jellies and jams, where the sugar is a good preservative and the solidity of the product means that surface mold can be scraped off and the rest is reasonably safe to use. Second choice would be pickles, where the acidity of the product makes seal failure not such a huge deal as it would be in other things. I would not personally reuse lids for anything you really care about losing, though, especially not for pressure-canned things that can have so many more nasty *kinds* of spoilage.

JMHO, good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[farmerlor]

I have noticed the rubber seal on my flat canning lids are sometimes undamaged and look as good as new even when they've already provided a good tight seal on the jars.

It's true enough some lids are obviously not in as good a shape and should not be reused.

My Ma & Aunt would always say that "some" store-bought jars & lids could be "used one more time" before discarding, but not canning lids-"once is enough".
I'm just wondering if store bought lids can be reused, why NOT canning lids...if in good shape?
I am experienced enough to know if the lid doesn't seal, either use or discard immediately

Anyone do this?

I belong to a canning group and know a woman who does this quite often. Of course sometimes the seal fails but she just eats whatever it is and doesn't worry about it. I do my canning in such massive quantities that I'd be terrified I'd have several seal failures and some product would go to waste.

 

[old fashioned]

Thanks for the info, it's great to know.

Pat-I've reused the store bought jars & lids for just those things-jams & pickles & a few tomatoes (at the time I was out of lids & jars & thought toms are high acid so why not) and for the same reasons.
But just how often/many times can you safely reuse lids before having to finally toss em?
And yeah, I only use a water bath-oops I guess I forgot to mention that.

Farmerlor-I figured anything that didn't get a good seal would be eaten first....and anything with reused lids would be put in front to be used first--even with a good seal

 

[partyfowl]

Has anyone ever tried these?

http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/About_TATTLER.html

 

[old fashioned]

PF--I've never seen these before, only the old stand-bys from Ball & Kerr.....and even Ball products are getting few & far between
Thanks for the info.

 

[freemotion]

Oh, my, I think I need to start saving up for those.....I have enough metal lids stocked up to get me throught this year, but I think the frugal in me needs to start stocking up on those babies! Awesome! I have been worrying about a shortage, or worse, a big price hike. Re-usable? Yeah!

(runs off to save to favorites....)

 

[valmom]

Oh, I like those Tattler lids- I may need some this year.

I have re-used lids, especially for my yogurt that isn't processed, and jams. But, then again, I don't have a pressure canner and don't can much. Jams and pickles are the most common that I do.

 

[Jamsoundsgood]

Those Tattler lids are awesome! I will definetly be getting some before canning season this year! Maybe just replacing a little at a time though.

 

[freemotion]

Shhhh, don't tell anyone, but they are sending me a sample. I will try it out with my next batch, and if it seals (I tend to be a skeptic, especially when it comes to parting with a lot of my hard-earned cash!) as they say, my plan is to replace ALL my lid use with these lids. That will be hundreds of dollars to start up, but will probably save thousands over the next few decades!!!!

Thanks for letting us know about these!