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Old Mirro Canners

9 years ago

I have a two year old 12 quart Presto canner with pressure dial guage and the 15 pound weighted gauge that I am canning with this year. However, I have a 12 and 22 quart older Mirro canners as well. I assume all they need is new sealing rings and rubber gaskets and they should be safe to use? They do not have dials, only the 3-in-1 weighted gauges (5, 10, 15 pounds). Do those weighted gauges ever go bad?

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Comments (2)

myfamilysfarm
9 years ago
No, unless someone gets ahold of them and grinds them down, for some reason.

I've used mine for close to 40 years, and got them used. the only things that I've replaced were the gasket and the pressure relief plug (little rubber disk looking thing).

Try them out with some test jars (colored water), and watch carefully. Otherwise, they should be good.

I'll be inheriting my grandmother's canner, she died in 1956, so I'll be working on updating the gaskets and such.
digdirt2
9 years ago
Some different terminology for clarification - they are weights or gauges, not weighted gauges, ok? Some models have only a gauge, some only a weight or set of weights, and some have both a gauge and a weight set.

No the weights never go bad assuming they are the right one for the model/brand of canner.

However the gauges do go bad - some are off by several pounds right out of the box - which is why having them tested/recalibrated annually is so strongly recommended.

If you want to use the 12 qt. Presto then we usually suggest you buy the 3 piece weight for it rather than rely on the gauge unless of course you are at an altitude where you have to can everything at 15 lbs. in which case you can use the 15.5 lb counterweight on it. I am assuming it will hold the 4 quart jars minimum to qualify as a pressure canner rather than just a pressure cooker?

Personally of the 3 I'd use the 22 quart Mirro given its size and because gauges just can't be trusted.

Dave
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Melly, I'm remembering the conversation we had last season about that three-piece weight. I got mine nearly 30 years ago from Presto. At that time they specifically listed it in their canner manual as an accessory. It's intriguing that sometime later they quit recommending it, though as far as I know they've always offered the part, and now they're back saying it's OK again. Strangely enough, my All-American canner came with just that set-up, a gauge and a three-piece weight. They state specifically to go by the weight and that the gauge is just a visual reminder, nothing more. I've been fortunate. The Presto weight and the gauge have always been in sync, but if they weren't, like you I'd trust the weight since it's been machined for accuracy. I do like having the gauge, though. Carol
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I finally dug mine out of storage today so I could look at it because I honestly didn't remember much about it except that it was short. I bought it new about 26-27 years ago and it is still in the original box but has been used many times. It does not have a gauge, but came with the pressure regulator when I bought it. It holds 7 quarts or 10 pints according to the box. Dave, I think I will take your advice and order 2 or 3 gaskets, but I don't see anything else that can wear out. At some point I will probably buy a new Presto canner, but now that I know mine is safe, I'm not in such a hurry to do it. I also need to set up a good storage place for canning equipment. I have canned much more than usual this year, but it has been things I could BWB like salsa, pickles, and jam. Last year my Oklahoma garden only produced what we could eat fresh because of our summer drought conditions and the only thing I made was Habanero Gold Jam. We are having worse drought this year, but the garden produced a lot before the drought got so bad. Thanks to all of you for your help. Carol
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I get this the first time I use my canner at the beginning of the season. Rubber gaskets dry and shrink and get stiff. If it happens, I bring it down to equilibrium, take the gasket out and do what digdirt says. But, I also stretch it as much as I can to limber it up and then replace it on the pot. There is a mechanism in the pot designed to throw lock on when pressure builds. If you lift the lid on a mirro, you can see the hole and the piston in it. It is what makes your lid rattle when you handle it. The pressure pushes the piston up when it builds.....and it throws the lock down into the receiving slot on the handle of the pan. You will also notice if the lock is not engaged, you will find the steam escaping, often at this area because your lid is not locked down and often not seated just right. Mirros seem to be touchy in this respect. Sometimes if you just slide the lid a little when it is on the pot.....and snap it into place, the lock engages and the steam stops. The older the canner the more the proper lid placement seems to stray.
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