What size canner should I get?

[Lady Henevere]

After experimenting with jellies and water-bath canning, I'm ready to move on to pressure canning. (Hanging around this forum for a while, how could I not be? ) I think I want an All-American so I don't have to deal with replacing gaskets (though I could be talked out of that, so feel free to tell me if you have other opinions). I don't know what size to get, though. I have a gas stove with big grates on top, so weight shouldn't be an issue. I have a small family and I don't have farm land (just a back yard and a farmers' market), so I don't think I will be doing huge batches. I know some of you have more than one canner so you can do a bunch at once, so I'm wondering if I will regret buying a small one. Any advice here? Thanks much.

 

[sufficientforme]

I bought the All American 15 1/2 quart canner. It does 7 quarts and 10 pints at a time, that was big enough for my family at this point. If you invest in the All American it will be something you will have to pass on to the next generation, the others require more maintenance but many swear by the Presto ones.
The truth is for me I bought the All American because it is made in AMERICA and I think it's important to support and it has a massive amount of followers who will use nothing else.
I also went with the 15qt rather than the 21 which is the most popular because of storage issues, I have no room and smaller was better and it does the same amount of quart jars just not as many pints.
Watch Amazon.com sometimes they are a fantastic price with free shipping, I paid (I believe) 175 plus free shipping last year but have seen them even cheaper on sale.

 

[Ldychef2k]

I have a Presto 23 quart which I bought for the economy of it. I could have bought a smaller All American, but not I am glad I didn't. I would have wanted a bigger one, and would not have felt free to do it because of the investment already made. With the Presto, if I want to upgrade to an All American, I would be okay with it, and would even be glad to have two canners going at once. The AA is better quality, of course, and if I had my druthers I would have the largest one they make ! But in the end, if I were to want two canners, I think I would but a second Presto, just because of cost.

 

[2dream]

I have two presto's. One old (over 15 years old) which is wonderful and I love it. I have had to replace gaskets two times. The second presto was purchased last year and warpped the 1st time we used it. I shipped it back and they shipped us a new one. I am not thrilled with the quality at all. We have to be extremely careful with the heat. The old presto does not have that issue. I say if you can afford the AA buy it. As far as size goes, get the largest one you can afford to do the amount of work you think you will put it too.

Last year we had both canners going at once, this year we are doing good to use one canner. My old one holds exactly 7 quarts and 7 pints. The new one will hold 14 pints but only 7 quarts. We were so disgusted with the quality we have not even gotten it out this year. Wish I had gone with the smaller AA.

 

[freemotion]

I would get the big AA!!! Never used one, but I sure wish I had one...er...two! You can always put fewer jars in the bigger one, but you have to run the canner twice if you have a couple jars too many for the smaller one.

The only reason I got Presto was because it was the only one approved for my flat-top electric range. I am switching to gas now and wish I had an AA or two.

 

[Farmfresh]

I bought the All American because I started canning using my MIL's old ALL American that she got when she graduated from High School. It was a million years old and worked like a top. After using it I tried to use an older Presto - one time then I sold THAT at a garage sale. I was already too spoiled.

Buying a NEW All American was painful. VERY painful. Several years later I would do it again in a heart beat!

My canner holds one layer of quart jars or two layers of pints. Since I can most of my veggies and pressure cooked items in pints, it was the best choice for us.