Canning Equipment List

Last Updated on May 9, 2021 by cmoarz


Welcome to the canning equipment list. Here you will find all our recommended tools and products to start your canning adventure.

Want to give the gift of canning this year for Christmas? Check out our tl;dr section by clicking here to quickly add an entire equipment set to your amazon cart for easy checkout!

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Pretty Frugals Canning equipment list

Thing’s you will need if you intend to start in the canning hobby.

Water Bath (required)

A water bath is nothing more than a large enough pot that can hold a canning rack on the bottom and a snug-fitting cover. Many foods can be canned without a pressure canner and this is what you use for them. Any pot will do for this, But if you do not have one read below for our review on a few products. Click this to read more below.

Pressure Caner (required)

You are extremely limited in what you are able to can successfully with just a normal water bath. A pressure caner allows you to can these sorts of fruits and vegetables that you couldn’t with a normal water bath, This includes fish and other meats.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any real budget options, although we tried to wrangle up some just for you. If the price doesn’t matter, We also included our favorite pick. Just click here to scroll down.

Measuring Cups and Spoons (required)

You likely already have a bunch of these, and really they don’t need explanation. We do have some recommendations below for this, however. Consider it’s something you use so often in the kitchen, it’s always good to have a couple of them.

This is especially true if you measure a lot of liquids, perhaps you would be better off having a measuring cup specifically for liquids, or dry even. At the end of the day though, they are basically all the same with different units. Click this to read our reviews below.

Long Handle Spoons (required)

Another one of those things you have plenty of already, but can never truly have enough! At the moment we have no true recommendations for these as any long handle spoon will do, even a sterile stick will do (don’t do this though).

Interestingly enough, there are people who are always on the lookout for the “best long handle spoon” which is a little fun of course. But all the best to everyone, Finding the perfect spoon is something worth achieving.

I guess if you are one of those people, This is the spoon we use the most. It’s a lovely spoon, made of titanium and has the perfect sized spoon at the end. Would we recommend it? Yes. Are we going to tell you to rush out and buy one?

No. It’s just a spoon. It’s a GOOD spoon, don’t get us wrong, But it is still A SPOON!

Cutting Board (required)

The true pride of a chief is his cutting board. Just kitting, that’s his knives. Cutting boards are important too tho! I’m flabbergasted at how many people tell me they don’t have a cutting board, or worse, They just use their counter!

Ok now that your squeals of terror are over, Cutting boards are super important to have around the kitchen. This is especially true when you are canning as you are going to be cutting SO MUCH FOOD.

We look for a cutting board that’s large enough to hold 2-3 different cuttings as well as a none slip undercoating that prevents it from being annoying on the countertop. We chose this one, But we did not write a review below.

Food Processor (optional +alternative)

A lot of people have gone their entire lives with out needing or using one of these technological miracles, Including myself. I went years with out one…

Until I got one.

That day my life changed forever. I stopped spending large amounts of kitchen time prepping, it allowed me to make more soups and larger meals, and overall just made my life so much easier.

So is it worth it to get one? Yes! Should you? Well, that’s up to you. Canning requires a lot of cutting, and if you want to save time and get things done a bit quicker, a food processor is certainly the main way to go about that.

Not all food processors are built equally though, So check out our recommended list below for the best value for your buck. There are also some nice alternatives to food processors that are much cheaper, at least for canning reasons. Click here to view those alternatives, and also read more about our reviewed food processors.

Timer (optional)

A timer is a great addition to the kitchen, especially when it comes to the hobby of canning. But honestly how many clocks, watches and phones do you already own?

Is it absolutely necessary to have a dedicated kitchen timer? No of course not. You have so many alternatives. Should you have one? That’s up to you, it’s nice to have an egg timer. They really come in handy.

But you can download free phone apps with pre-programmed times or just use a watch. Click here to read more about those free apps and our recommended egg timer in case you decide you want one.

Jar lifter (required)

2 things always hold true when canning food. The jars are hot, and the jars need to be kept sterile. That’s where a jar lifter comes into play. This little bad boy will stop you from burning your hands trying to lift hot jars out of the water bath or pressure canner.

It will also help you put them in the pot in the first place without getting leaving any hand oils and keeping them nice and sterile. It’s a must and we have a recommendation below, just click here!

lid wand (required)

A lid wand is just a simple stick with a magnet on it with a release mechanism. This helps you move your lids around without contaminating them after sterilization. It will also assist you in removing them from the hot sterilizing water and placing them onto the bottles.

You can always make your own at home with a simple magnet and duct tape, But we do have a few recommendations below, click here.

A fine mesh bag, cheese cloth, jelly bag (optional)

If you don’t already have these we suggest you pick a couple up. These are insanely useful in the canning process, as well as other things such as making homemade cheese or just straining a very fine pulp.

Most cheese cloth is all the same, All the same, we recommend these.

Kitchen Scale (required)

So hears the thing about scales, They aren’t all equal. In fact, Most scales don’t work for kitchen uses because they are either too sensitive or not sensitive enough.

It’s important to have accuracy in the kitchen and a scale that can handle really small and really heavy loads, or else you risk ruining your recipes, Or worse, You mess up your jar acidity levels and poison yourself with botulism. We, of course, have a recommendation below!

Wide mouth jar funnel (Required)

A wide-mouth jar funnel is just a normal funnel that has a spout the same size as a canning jar, with an extra-wide base. This allows you to easily and accurately fill a bottle without contaminating it’s interior with something like a ladle or spoon.

To stay botulism free you definitely want one of these, our recommended bellow.

Canning Jars

You can buy these anywhere, But it’s cheaper to buy them offline as their weight increases shipping dramatically.

This one is obvious, right? You can have everyone on the list but you won’t get much canning done without the jars! There are a few rules for jars that we follow so you should heed our recommendations below. Some of rules are:

  • Use standard jars. Don’t go weird and get none standard, trust us. How do you know if they are standard? Well, you can either use our list below or it should say if they are standard. Most jars are a national standard anyway.
  • Wide mouth best mouth. But regular works ok too
  • Don’t use recycled jars you buy at the store. You can use your own jars over and over again, But don’t try to can anything with say, a mayo jar.
  • The best jars have straight walls, no curves. This makes it easier to freeze liquids if you want to freeze your cans. It also makes it easier to store.
Canning lids

Way back when canning jars used to contain a lot of bad things, Such as led plastic, wax, etc. Today we have high standards on what lids can be sold in a store, usually 2 pieces, a lid, and a ring. These usually come with your jars. Get the same brand.

Now, Onto our recomendations!

Canning Equipment List recommendations

Best Water Bath Canning Pot, Our Recommendation

We only have 1 recommended water bath. At the end of the day, you want something none reactive, Large enough to hold many cans at a time, sturdy, and has a cover. The Granite Ware 21.5-Quart Porcelain Canner fit’s all these criteria very well.

It also comes with a rack which is super important if you want to use it as a water bath, as can’s can’t be allowed to touch the bottom of the pot or they will shatter.

Personally if you are really looking to get into canning, Any pot and rack will work as a water bath, But what you really should focus on getting is a pressure caner. You can view our pressure caner selection bellow.

Best Pressure Canner For Home Canning And Our Recommendation

So if you are serious about being able to can anything and EVERYTHING you NEED a pressure caner. Why? Well, some foods just can’t be preserved without a pressure caner.

Anything preserved in a normal water bath needs to have a high acidic content in order for botulism not to form. This, as you can imagine, means you can’t can meats, fish and none acidic vegetables and fruits.

That’s a problem considering most of the canning you are going to do will be none acidic, I guarantee it.

You start off saying “ah I’ll just can some tomatoes and stuff no biggy” but than the canning bug hits you and you want to can more and more!

So do YOURSELF a favor and pick up a pressure caner. Here is our recommendations:

Budget Option

Sale
Zavor DUO 10 Quart Multi-Setting Pressure Cooker & Canner with Digital Cookbook and Steamer Basket - 3 1Qt Jar Canning Capacity, Polished Stainless Steel (ZCWDU04)
  • Named “Best Buy” pressure cooker by America’s Test Kitchen and “Best of the Test” of stove-top pressure cookers by a leading culinary magazine
  • Constructed of high-quality stainless steel and compatible with all domestic stoves including gas, electric, ceramic and induction
  • The DUO is equipped with the highest standard in safety systems that have been tested and approved in the US by UL laboratories. The automatic locking handle will securely lock the lid into place when closed
  • Intuitive pressure regulator knob with a “HIGH” (15psi) pressure position, a “LOW” (10psi) pressure position, a “Release” position that automatically releases pressure after cooking and a “Clean” position to remove the knob for cleaning. When Pressure Canning, a single pressure level of 15psi will be mantained, that allows to reach the temperature needed to safely preserve low acid foods
  • Includes a 10Qt Stove-top Pressure Cooker & Canner that fits up to Three (3) 1Qt Mason Jars or up to Four (4) Pint Mason Jars, Stainless Steel Steamer Basket, Quick Guide, User’s Manual and Digital Cookbook with over 50 recipes (jars, canning rack and other canning tools NOT INCLUDED). The unit is not compatible with pressure gauges

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Pros:

We chose this as the best budget option because it’s affordable, it’s on sale very often, and it’s a proven contender. It’s been seen on America’s test kitchen, a built-in safety system (which all pressure caners should have mind you).

It’s large enough to hold 4 quart jars at a time which is excellent for the price point.

Is this worth going into the canning equipment list? Yes, yes it is.

The Cons:

It’s not the most expensive one out there, Obviously otherwise it wouldn’t be in the budget section. Your mileage will very. If you take care of it to manufactures specifications this should last you many years, However if you don’t take good care of it, it will eventually need to be replaced.

Our Recommended Pick

Zavor EZLock Stove Top Pressure Cooker 10 Quart - Canning Ready, Stainless Steel, Multi Pressure Levels, Easy Locking, Induction Ready, 4 Jar Canning Capacity, Digital Cookbook & Steamer Basket
  • EASY & SAFE LOCKING - Thanks to the Universal Locking Mechanism the lid easily locks into place with the turn of a knob. It will clamp onto the pot from any position and, if pressure is built inside the pot, will not unlock
  • VERSATILE & RELIABLE - The Pressure Settings, that range from HIGH Pressure at 15 PSI to LOW Pressure at 10 PSI, provide the flexibility to Pressure Cook even the most delicate dishes
  • FASTER THAN OTHER COOKERS - Pressure cookers prepare food 3x faster than any other cooking tool. They save you time and energy in the kitchen and produce a more flavorful and nutritious meal
  • BUILT TO LAST & FOR CONVENIENCE - Constructed of high-quality stainless steel and compatible with all domestic stoves including gas, electric, ceramic and induction. The unit itself is not electrically powered
  • INCLUDES - Top-of-the-line 10 Qt Stove-top Pressure Cooker & Canner that fits up to Four (4) 1Qt Mason Jars or up to Four (4) Pint Mason Jars, Quick Guide, User's Manual, Digital Cookbook and Stainless Steel Steamer Basket (jars, canning rack and other canning tools NOT INCLUDED). The unit is not compatible with pressure gauges | 10-year warranty

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Pros:

  • It was recommended by Amazon for a reason, it’s a top seller and that’s because it’s a good pressure caner.
  • It’s got a nice solid 11.77-pound weight to it
  • it’s made of sturdy metal with a safety system
  • Depending on the model, it will hold between 1 and 5 jars
  • One of the best none leak strong seals we’ve seen on a device without lots of locking mechanisms.

We’ve personally used this one all the time in the past and have had a great experience with it. This is one of the major reasons it’s in our recommended section, not to mention the price is great.

For beginners we definitely recommend this bad boy. If you don’t believe us tho, Go check out all the happy customer reviewed over on Amazon!

The Cons:

Doesn’t come with a rack

Professional Grade

All American 1930: 21.5qt Pressure Cooker/Canner (The 921) - Exclusive Metal-to-Metal Sealing System - Easy to Open & Close - Suitable for Gas, Electric, or Flat Top Stoves - Made in the USA
  • PRESSURE COOKER + CANNER - All American 1930 Pressure Cookers/Canners offer an easy solution for home canning. The USDA recommends pressure canning as the only safe way to can meat, vegetables & fruits. Holds approx. 19 pint jars or 7 quart jars.
  • METAL-TO-METAL SEAL - Only All American 1930 Pressure Cookers/Canners feature an exclusive, precision machined, metal-to-metal sealing system. Positive action clamping locks form a steam-tight seal without any costly-to-replace gaskets.
  • EASY TO USE - Since our seal doesn’t use a gasket, the cover can be easily opened & closed. Each model also features an easy-to-read steam gauge, an easy-to-clean satin finish, and a precision machined regulator weight for accurate pressure control.
  • DURABLE - From the sturdy phenolic top handle to the double-thickness edges that provide additional protection on points of heaviest wear, this pressure cooker/canner is built to last.
  • FROM OUR FAMILY, TO YOURS - All American 1930 is a family-owned company focused on quality manufacturing above all else. We take pride in casting high-quality products that families can cherish for generations to come.

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

This thing is absolutely massive at 21.5 QT. Most people home canning won’t need such a beast, However we decided to add it to the list anyway.

This pressure caner can hold a whopping 18 standard pint jars or 7 large jars. We don’t recommend buying as a beginner, However, if you aren’t, you should consider giving this a look over.

Cast by hand out of high-grade aluminum, It’s exactly what you would expect out of something made for professionals. Including a long warranty.

Best Measuring Cups and Spoons Our Recommendation

We’re not going to bother to recommend you just any old measuring cup. You already have some good, handy Pyrex ones anyway right?

But the entire point of this article is to make your life easier and the best way to do that is to.. well.. make your life easier.

That’s why we’re recommending this liquid measuring cup.

OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Angled Measuring Cup Set, Black
  • Patented angled surface lets you read measurements from above
  • Eliminates the need to fill, check and adjust
  • Standard and metric measurement markings
  • Dishwasher safe and BPA free

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

I’m going to be honest, I don’t have a lot to say about measuring cups. They serve a couple of purposes, and they do it well. You can’t really go wrong with anything you buy as long as it’s accurate.

But the thing is, Measuring liquids can be tricky and it’s great to have one specifically designed for that use.

As for measuring spoons, There isn’t much point in min-maxing that. Go to your local Walmart or dollar tree and pick one up. Or just add this to your cart. Simple, cheap, and effective.

What the best mini food processor

Why mini? Well because they are affordable, they are the perfect size for your average home caner. No wasted potential here.

So what is the best mini food processor in our opinion? That’s easy, it’s the Cuisinart Mini-prep 4-cup processor.

Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus Food Processor, 4 Cup, Brushed Stainless
  • SUPERIOR FUNCTION: The Cuisinart 250-watt mini prep plus food processor quickly chops and grinds with a patented reversible stainless-steel blade.Voltage: 220 V
  • CONTROL: Push-button control panel with durable yet lightweight plastic body - Auto-reversing SmartPower blade that chops and grinds for two powerful processing options
  • EASY CLEAN UP: Dishwasher-safe bowl and lid for easy clean up, wipe the motor base clean with a damp sponge or cloth
  • INCLUDED: Comes with a 4-cup work bowl with handle, Stainless steel blade, spatula and instruction/recipe book
  • LIMITED 18-MONTH WARRANTY: Refer to user manual for troubleshooting steps and questions surrounding warranty policies – this product is BPA free

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Why did we choose this one? There are so many different companies and models available right? Yeah, it was actually pretty daunting. So this is how we decided:

When looking to buy a mini food processor there a few things we want to see before we can even consider it for this list.

The size. The size was the most important factor aside from build quality. The size had to be large enough to accommodate what most people would use while canning food. The size of this one, in particular, wasn’t too big and it wasn’t too small. It’s just right.

The lock. The lock on the food processor is an important thing to take a look at. More so, We want to look at the seal. Is it tight? Does it let liquids out? So that is what we looked for in this and I’m glad to say it passed that test with flying colors.

Speed and controls. Simplicity is best for these sorts of devices. Few buttons but many options, with the ability to easily swap between settings on a whim, including the ability to pulse.

Cons: it was a bit narrow for what we would have preferred but overall we were able to work around that with very little effort.

The best kitchen scale for canning

LEVIN Food Scale, 33lb Digital Kitchen Scale with 1g/0.05oz Precise Graduation, 5 Units LCD Display Scale for Cooking/Baking in KG, G, oz, ml, and lb, Easy Clean Stainless Steel and Tempered Glass
  • 33lb Maximum Weight & LCD Display The kitchen scale weighs food from 2g/0.1oz to 33lb/15kg, satisfying your diverse needs. Whether weighing a small amount of seasoning or a heavy cut of beef, you can see the weight clearly on the high-quality LCD display.
  • 5 Weight Units for Convenience This digital food scale has 5 weight units, lb, oz, kg, g, and ml, greatly easing your kitchen life. Weighing 2lb/0.9kg salmon, 5oz lemon juice, 3g wasabi, and 100ml wine, a square meal is made! 33lb Maximum Weight & LCD Display The kitchen scale weighs food from 2g/0.1oz to 33lb/15kg, satisfying your diverse needs. Whether weighing a small amount of seasoning or a heavy cut of beef, you can see the weight clearly on the high-quality LCD display.
  • Advanced Accurate Weighing Sensors With 4 advanced weighing sensors distributed at the corners evenly, the food scale provides you precise weight graduation accurate to 0.1g/0.05oz. Whether you need to control the ingredients proportion of a cake, or you just want to control the amount of seasonings, it satisfies your needs perfectly!
  • One-Press TARE & Side Switch Button Unlike many products, this scale has separated tare button and switch button, relieving you from troubles of choosing the wrong function! The switch button is in the front side, you can switch on/off with just a press. And it switches off automatically after 90 seconds, saving energy & eco-friendly.
  • Easy-Clean Surface & Hassle-Free Service Made of stainless steel and tempered glass, the scale surface is very easy to clean with just a wipe. Rest assured with our 180-day Refund policy! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Right off the bat, This is the scale we recommend if your going to be weighing heavier things in the kitchen, such as large amounts of vegetables or full jars.

It’s accurate, it’s sturdy, it has an upper limit of 33lbs. A nice LCD display and easy to press buttons. The buttons have a easy clean coating over the entire front panel which makes it easy to wipe clean.

Truth is you don’t need an expensive spring scale, technology has advanced enough where a simple digital scale is as accurate as it’s expensive bulky predecessors.

Misc (Timer, jar lifter, lid wand, jar funnel etc)

These items needed to be on the list since technically it is a canning equipment list. Unfortunately not much needed to be said about these, as they are relitivly simple things that don’t really need a recomendation.

Of course, it would be silly to say we don’t have recommendations. On the contrary, we have many. They just aren’t worth a dedicated section. So here are our recommended misc items with a few statements.

Last update on 2024-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

First off, the timer. It’s magnetic and sticks on your fridge. It’s entirely mechanical so aside from being super awesome, it takes no batteries so won’t ever disappear in limbo because you never have fresh batteries in your junk drawer.

Aside from that, You can run multiples of these at the same time. I use them on top of my white board that is also attached to my fridge, And i label what timer is for what. That’s my way anyway. Theres a good chance your going to have multiple timers going if you are getting into canning.

Second of all, Everything else. yeah, You know what? Truth is your going to save a bucket load of cash if you buy them all in a kit like the one above. It includes all the essential tools you need to get started canning, including the wand, the funnel, the lifter, some tongs, and a bubble popper.

If you purchased these all individually, even on a great website like amazon, your going to pay a heap more. So definitely get the pack if you can.

The only thing is, at this price don’t expect these to be family heirlooms. I assume they will likely start breaking down after a couple of years.

TL;DR Gift Package

Zavor DUO 10-piece Pressure Canner Set, 10 Qt Pressure Cooker with Complete Canning Kit and 2 Recipe Books (ZCWDU06)
  • INCLUDES: 10Qt DUO Pressure Cooker/Canner, Canning Rack, Jar Wrench, Jar Lifter, Magnetic Lid Lifter, BPA-free Funnel, BPA-free ladle, BPA-free Bubble Remover, Pressure Cooking Recipe Book and Home Canning Cookbook
  • CANNING, TWO WAYS: This set comes with all the tools you need to begin Canning at home. The components allow you to use the Water Bath method or the Pressure Canning method, which is the only method to safely preserve low acid foods
  • TWO PRESSURE LEVELS: with a “High” (15psi) pressure position, a “Low” (8psi) pressure position, a “Release” position that automatically releases pressure after cooking and a “Clean” position to remove the knob for cleaning. The unit is not compatible with pressure gauges
  • CAPACITY: The pot has a 10 Quart capacity and fits up to Three (3) 1-Quart Mason Jars or up to Four (4) Pint Mason Jars (jars not included)
  • WARRANTY: 10-year warranty

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

We did say we would make it easy on you if you wanted to give the gift of canning, so here it is. An entire beginner kit that comes with an actual pressure caner.

This is a super good deal, it has all the things your giftee will need to start their new canning hobby.

Did we mention it comes with an extremely affordable pressure canner? Sorry, it’s hard to get over what a great bargain it is since usually, these are quite expensive!

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