Reddit reviews Presto Canner Pressure Regulator, Pack of 1, Silver

Glass cooktops are different than electric or gas for canning.

First thing, check your user manual and see if your cooktop is safe for canning on. Some aren't. I have a Jenn Air, which is (at least the model I have is.

Second, if you are able to can on your cooktop, you likely HAVE to use a Presto canner. Presto is the only one with a smaller-diameter disc on the bottom. On glass tops at least, you can't have more than an inch of the pot overhanging the burner on each side. All Americans are too big.

Prestos come in 16 and 23 qt. It's a toss up on which one to get; the 23 seems big for a beginner canner, but if you really get into it then a 16 will become to small and you'll be wanting the 23 too. I have both. :D

Third, which ever canner you get, if it has a dial gauge and a mushroom-looking weight regulator, get a three piece weight regulator to replace the mushroom-looking one. Dial regulators have to be re-calibrated every year (and sometimes out of the box), and you need to stay within sight of the canner to make sure it doesn't drop below pressure. The three piece you can hear rock (unless your house is really big) and makes it so much easier. Each section is worth 5 lb of pressure.

Fourth, if you get the 23 quart, get another rack so you can stack pint jars and do big canning runs.

Good luck!

> Consider a multi-pressure switch

I got a cheap stainless steel Presto before I knew much about pressure cookers. It's the kind with the old fashioned jiggle weight that regulates pressure. I found an adjustable weight regulator on Amazon that fit it perfectly and allows me to cook at low pressure.

Now I'm lusting over the fancy newer pressure cookers but I can't justify the purchase because my existing one still does everything I need it to.

I'm in the States so I can't answer most of your questions but I do have a 23QT Presto pressure canner and love it. I actually much prefer to pressure can than to water bath can.

HOWEVER. The Presto does not come with a weighted gauge. Not a problem for me as I could just order one from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HMBVQ8/?coliid=ILCJ9R3SFOVUQ&colid=30HUE8KJHVFZT&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it) but I don't know how difficult it would be for you to get your hands on one.

You don't absolutely need the weight to can but it makes it much, much easier.

I have this model and I like it a lot. I would recommend getting a pressure regulator so you don't have to sit there and stare at the pressure gauge while canning.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HMBVQ8/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_tkd0DbCRAF5F2

Here's the Presto one:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000HMBVQ8/ref=pd_aw_sim_79_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QN89Y6WGNQNMJSVWJ2F3&dpPl=1&dpID=41jQrCY9ziL

Your stovetop might be a bit slanted. Put a bubble level on top of the element or burner grate, while it's cool obviously, and check. If it's not completely level, try to adjust it somehow, either by adjusting the legs on your stove, or just jerry-rigging something. Electric burners are more annoying to keep level. Also, make sure that the vent pipe is on tight enough. I'm not sure, from the vids, where exactly the steam is escaping from.

They're not supposed to hiss unless they start getting near 15 psi, at which time they'll start hissing and rocking, however they often do, and as long as you're maintaining temp, it doesn't really matter all too much; the moisture loss will be minimal, and you wouldn't have to worry about it running dry as long as you put in the 3 quarts of water you're supposed to.

As long as you make sure the pressure never dips under 11 and get your gauge checked regularly, you'll be fine.

Personally, if you live at or under 1,000 feet, I'd recommend you throw that one in your junk drawer and get this (here's it from the presto website). It's technically a replacement for gaugeless canners, but since the vent pipes are the same, it works. You can set it to 5, 10, or 15 lbs depending on whether you put on no, one or two rings. It will hiss and rock when it gets to the right pressure, and as long as you don't have the heat blasting, you can even process for 100 minutes with it. It makes it a lot easier to keep the pressure level. You also won't have to worry about the dial gauge being accurate.

I own the 23-quart Presto, works fine. I've got no complaints at all.

I don't remember if mine came with a 5-10-15 lb adjustable weighted gauge (this thing) or if I had to buy it separate, but it's a good addition.

If you don't have anywhere around where you can get the dial checked and calibrated every few years, then you should just rely on the weight instead since it'll always give you the correct pressure. Dials can give inaccurate readings over time, weights always work.

If you're on a strict budget, Mirro canners are the cheapest, but I prefer Presto. The 16 quart Presto is more compact if storage is an issue, but you can't double stack pints or water bath quarts with it. The 23 quart Presto is my go-to recommendation, but do yourself a favour and order the 3 piece weighted gauge along with it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HMBVQ8/

The weight unfortunately needs to be designed for the pressure cooker it's being used with. Using one made for a different cooker can result in over or under pressurization due to differences in the size of vent pipes.

Other than that, not much else to tell. The Presto weighted gauge has three pieces; the base is 5lbs, and the two additional weight discs add an additional 5lbs each, so you can configure it for 5lbs, 10lbs, or 15lbs.

Once you have the right number of discs on, you just put it on the same as you would put on your existing weight. The big difference at this point is that instead of having to precisely set your stove and watch over it to make sure it doesn't go up or down in pressure, you just set it so that it jiggles once in a while, and that's it.

Here is an excellent article on the Presto three piece regulator weight, with lots of photos, including an image of the instruction sheet. Hope this helps!