chickensense

Presto is a toy. All American is real, i.e. professional.
Anything with rubber gaskets is not what you want

The comment above was made recently at an online homesteader/organic gardening group.

I am always amazed when I encounter this type of reaction. Some people may be able to afford $300 canners, but many more of us simply cannot.

My canner cost me more than I could afford. My choice was a Presto canner versus NO canner. My canner is 20 years old, true, but it is in excellent condition, sturdy, with gasket, dial, and weights all functioning properly. I fully expect it will last 50 more years with no problem except occasionally replacing the gasket, which costs less than $10, and is simple to do.

Here are some tips regarding pressure canner use and safety. These tips have been gathered from personal experience, manuals, the internet, and books, not to mention the advice from fine online groups.

Before Use

Check the rim of both pan and lid to make sure there are no nicks or damage to the interlocking tabs.

Make sure the safety pressure release (usually a rivet-like rubber plug) is still present and soft and moving freely in its slightly oversized hole. Make sure the pressure vent is clean and open, and that the seat for the pressure release weight is smooth and fits well.

Check the gasket that goes between pan and lid for cracks or hardening. If pressure from a thumbnail leaves a permanent dent in the rubber it may be too brittle for use. The gasket will really let you know when it needs to be replaced–it will spit steam and you will not be able to build up pressure. This is not dangerous, except that you don’t want to be burned by escaping steam or liquid. If your cooker is old and the gasket seems to be leaking, give it a few minutes as it may expand and work fine as it warms up.

Replacing a gasket:

You can find replacement gaskets at most hardware stores. Just write down the model # from the bottom of the canner and match it to the label on the gasket at the store.

Before you heat it up the first time, wash the gasket with warm soapy water, dry it, then lightly coat with mineral oil or Vaseline to condition the gasket. Insert gasket into its groove in lid. If it is either too shrunken to fit to the edge, or too stretched to lie smoothly in the lid, it should be replaced.

You should always have extra gaskets on hand. You can vacuum seal spares for long term storage. Put them in something first to preserve their shape… don’t compress them, as otherwise them might deform over time.

For emergency or disaster preparations, you can make your own gaskets from readily available materials such as neoprene, gum, hard rubber, or gasket rubber purchased in sheets. Use your old gasket as a template to cut the new one.

Risks of Exploding

The difference between our grandmothers’ canners and the ones today, is the pressure relief plug.  Modern canners, whether Presto, Mirro, or All America, have very little chance of building enough pressure to explode mainly due to improvements in the pressure relief valve system.

Cultivate the habit of checking the plug before every use.

(information from www.stason.org)
- If it is a metal alloy or composition metal plug that screws into the lid, do not try to remove it.
- If it is a rubber plug, use the thumbnail test to see if the rubber is still pliable enough. If pressure with thumbnail leaves a permanent dent in the rubber it is too brittle for safe use and should be replaced.
- If either type of plug has been blown out by overpressure in the canner, it must be replaced by a new plug. Do not try to reuse the plug that blew out.

Canner Storage:

(information from www.stason.org)
- Turn the lid upside down and rest it on the canner. The weight of the lid should not be resting on the gasket during storage as it could deform it.
- For long-term storage at the end of the season, wash and dry the canner well. Be sure all the parts (safety weight, rack, etc.)
are in the canner. A few crumpled newspapers in the canner will absorb moisture and odors.
- If you unscrew the gauge or vents, coat the threads lightly with petroleum jelly to prevent rust and make them easier to replace.
- Coat the gasket very lightly with petroleum jelly or oil.

Helpful Web sites:

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