I have both a Presto and an All-American. I've had the Presto over 30 years while the All-American is about 5 years old.

I like the All-American a lot. It is beautifully made and a real workhorse. Also, a personal observation only, it seems the heavier casting results in more consistent pressure with less monitoring. Venting is a bit less of an issue.

However, to me the best buy for the money (unless you find some kind of super deal at a garage sale) is the Presto.

I also think it is a little more "user-friendly" for the novice. Once you get used to it the All-American is easy but initially there are more things to focus on.

I see 23-quart Presto pressure canners at hardware and discount stores as low as $59.00. That is an incredible value for a brand new canner with all the warranties.

Both Presto and All-American come from excellent companies that provide good service and, as American businesses go, have been around nearly forever. No fears that parts, gaskets, etc. will not be available.

Really, you can't go wrong with either brand.

Carol

I have a Mirro I bought used. Gaskets and seals are easy to find still. It has a weight instead of a dial which I think is great for a beginner.

I've heard good things about the All-Americans but I think they are more expensive.

Wow, I would like to see some 23 quart canners for $59. what stores are you seeing those in?? I need a bigger one!

Prestos are very easy to find. You can find one in almost any store that has canning supplies.

LIke I said, having one with a weight is easy to deal with for a beginner. Now that I've been canning for a couple of years, I know exactly where I need to put the knob on the stove and I don't have to do much monitoring, plus I can tell if I need to adjust from the other room without looking at a gauge.

I have to agree that the Mirro weighted canners are the most user friendly. When my daughter and I went shopping to get her a canner, we checked out the Presto and All American canners. The All American frightened me! And I am not aware of any way to test a dial guage, so the Mirro ended up being the better purchase. She bought a 22 quart Mirro for $59. If they'd had two, I'd have bought one too, since mine is a 12 quart and I normally only can in pints.

I'd be leery of buying a used canner. Although mine will still rock and roll, I think the lid may be warped because it leaks water up until it rocks/rolls. It's about 25 years old and has been a good workhorse all these years.

I have a 22 qt Mirro that I like a lot.

The major difference between the Mirro and the Presto are their gauges. Mirro uses a dead weight rocker gauge and the Presto uses a dial gauge. Some folks relate better to one than the other. The dial gauge is easier to read, but it needs to be tested annually to be sure it's still accurate. The dead weight gauge begins to rock and sputter when the pressure comes up and you have to time it to know when you're right or if you're off, but it doesn't have to be sent off for calibration or testing. I'm not familiar enough with the All-American's to give an opinion.

.....Alan.

Afeisty, normally if the lid leaks it needs a new gasket. I suppose someone could warp one if they put it onto a hot burner.
There are some great used canners if you know what to look for. I posted a list a while back of things to look for when buying a used canner.
Here you can buy a new Presto 23 quart for $59 at BiMart. I think they are just on the west coast, but I don't kmow for sure.
As was said, depends upon if you want a dial or weighted gauge or if you want both, like on the All American. Also, if you want a rubber gasket or the clamps like on an All American. Price may be a factor, too. The All American is more expensive.

Linda Lou, thanks for the tip about it needing a new gasket. I replaced the gasket when I first noticed the water leaking last summer, and it did stop the first few times I used it. When I got it back out this canning season, I noticed it leaking again. And, it leaks from the same, exact area. I hate to spend more $$$ on another gasket, and it still leak. I did take a look at the canners in your link, but I have no way of getting a dial guage tested.

I have always been diligent about caring for it, because it is a huge expense/investment. I am just accepting it may be warped since it leaks from the same spot. I've removed, cleaned, lightly oiled the gasket and it hasn't seemed to help. I just "babysit" it nonstop and use a dry cloth to mop it up, then wring it out/measure if it gets saturated to be sure it doesn't leak itself dry. It always stops leaking when it starts rocking. The most it's leaked so far is about a full quart, and that was when it's not a full load. I will eventually break down and buy a new one. I just know that one of these days, it's not going to rock and roll, and I'm going to be in a heap of trouble! Thank goodness my daughter just bought one--I could borrow hers if that happened...unless she moves to Virginia which is a good possibility. :(

Mine leaks slightly until it hits pressure, then the seal is locked up and no leaks at all. I got lucky when I bought mine used. The person had taken good care of it, it is at least 20 years old and it came with the original box and manual. She had just put a new gasket and relief valve in it. I bought it for $15.00

I would like to get a bigger one. I would like to be able to stack pints.

Both my Presto and All-American have weights. They have gauges also, but the primary indicator is the weight, just as with the Mirro mentioned above.

The gauge is there as a visual check, but even the All-American company will tell you the rocking of the weight is what you monitor.

Carol

The presto only came with the 15lb weight (in addition to the gauge). I don't see that they sell any other weight. Since I have no way to get the gauge tested, (once I start to use it - I've another scaredy-cat) can I just do everything at 15 lbs?

Melly, if you want to email the company you may find they do sell a three-piece pressure regulator.

The stock number is 50332; it's an adjustable 5, 10 and 15-pound weight "for canning and cooking." I bought it as a replacement for my one-piece weight years ago.

I went on their site and saw the same part number is available and it looks exactly the same as mine but they're describing it as a solid one-piece. That makes me wonder if their description on the site is incorrect.

Anyway, it's worth a try. Let us know how your search turns out. It's incredible to me they'd only sell a 15-pound weight when, except for high-altitude, canning's generally done at 10.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Contact Presto

I have an All American. I purchased the 21.5 qt model and watched Amazon carefully....I got it for just under $100 (they have promotions where they offer $25-50 off kitchen purchases....and free shipping). It is excellent quality and I am sure it will outlive me by many, mnay years. I am a beginner and like that it has both a weight and a dial gauge. It made it very easy for me to learn what sounds I should be listening for from the weight. I also like the fact that it doesn't have a rubber gasket...one less thing to have to hunt down later, I figure. It may look a little scarey when it comes (lots of heavy duty metal - and I didn't quite understand about the weight & gauge until I saw it), but once you do a round of canning....you realize how easy it is :-) I had split pea soup for lunch that I canned last winter.

I actually did email Presto and asked them whether the 5/10/15 weight would be available. They said I couldn't use it with my model. I was suspicios of the answer and was contemplating trying again to see if I got a different answer from a different customer service rep. I may just order the part and give it a try.

Melly, that is so strange. Let us know how things turn out. This must be the one time in my life I actually saved the little envelope the weight came in and it specifically says that particular pressure regulator is for cooking and canning. I've used it on different models with no problems whatsoever. Based on their response, I almost feel as if I should put it in the safety deposit box when the season ends!

Carol

Carol, How do make it work for the different pressures? I've had trouble wrapping my brain around that one. Isn't it great when you saved something and can actually find it when you need it. I usually find the things months or years later.
Melly

Believe me, Melly, having that information and finding it right away was a rare occurrence.

OK, if you look at that picture of the weight on the Presto site, it says one-piece, but you can see horizontal rings. It's kind of like that children's toy where you stack wooden rings on a peg. All together it's 15 pounds. Lift off one ring and it's 10. Lift off two and it's 5. Very simple and low-tech.

I don't know which model pressure canner you have, but it seems to me Presto's canners haven't changed in thirty years. They're about the most basic thing going. If you can't use that weight, what are you supposed to use? Someone there has to have an answer.

Carol

Ahh the mist lifts and it all becomes clear now....

I just sent Presto an email asking if that stock # is the variable weight (5/10/15). I'll let you know what they say.

I bought the three ring weight earlier this spring and had a rough time of it, too. It works great. My Presto 23 qt size was bought last fall on ebay used $17 plus $5 shipping. When I got it it came with the dial in a sealed bag with a calibration tag from '96. All I needed was differenet weights and a ring. The model was from the late "80's and in great shape. Good luck.

I canned with my daughter this weekend using her brand new Mirro 22 qt pressure canner. The weight on hers is vastly different than on my old one. Hers is very similar to the recent descriptions of the Presto weight. It's 3 pieces too, where all 3 pieces together equal 15 pounds, and you remove a section for 10 pounds, and both sections for 5 pounds. Honestly---I didn't care for it, but understand the "new" technology. Hers is much quieter, and I probably had the pressure too high because I never did hear it "jiggle", but it did "rock gently" like the instruction book said. Her French Onion soup was boiling when removed from the canner and sealed just fine. Katie, she absolutely loved your recipe and is off to the store right now to do another project! I think she's hooked.

They emailed back said that the stock number you provided is indeed the 3 piece weight. I emailed again to verify that it will work with my model. Since the email also they only ship to the us or canada I also wanted to verify that they will ship to an apo address (it is a us address after all). Do you think it would be worth it to get another rack to use when stacking jars? I was thinking if I was paying shipping already.... I have dreams of canning salsa. I would most likely can in smallish jars that could be stacked.

Eureka! Melly, I am so glad to hear you finally are getting things straightened out about the 3-piece weight. Now, wouldn't it be helpful if Presto actually corrected the website description?

I've always been kind of makeshift, but this season I did buy a second Presto rack for stacking jars. It didn't cost all that much and it definitely has been handy for bigger batches.

Good luck with the shipping. Surely it won't be a problem with an APO.

Carol

So, now we are getting somewhere with Presto: I'm going to cut and paste the meat of the emails back and forth. It sounds to me like I could use it event though they don't recommend it. Opinions, please?

(Keep in mind that the top email is the most recent you may want to read from the bottom up - I wasn't into cutting and pasting enough to reverse their order):

If you will notice the recipes in your instruction booklet call for 6 pounds pressure or 11 pounds pressure. This is the most recent information from the FDA.

NPI Customer Service

Just curious, can you tell me why it isn't
recommended?
Thanks

--- Presto Customer Service
wrote:

> that is not recommended. You can do a home test.
> Put 4 cups (l quart) of
> water in the canner and close it up, putting the
> weight on. Turn your burner
> on high and build the pressure up to between 15 and
> 16 pounds on your gauge.
> At that point the regulator you have should start
> rocking. If it does the
> gauge is fine.
> > NPI Customer Service
>

> Could I not substitute that part for the 15 pound
> weight that came with the canner? We are stationed
> in
> the Netherlands and I don't have any way to get my
> gauge tested for accuracy.
> Thanks,
> Melanie
> > --- Presto Customer Service
> wrote:
> > > your new 01781 takes pressure regulator 09978 - a
> 15
> > pound regulator. the
> > part 50332 goes to a canner that does not have a
> > steam dial gauge. If you
> > need parts for your new canner, we can ship to an
> > APO. If you have questions
> > concerning this call us a 1 800 877 0441
> >
> > NPI Customer Service
> >
> Thanks for your response. Just to verify, this
> part
> > will work with my 23 qt canner #01781?
> > Thanks,
> > Melanie
> >
> > --- Presto Customer Service
> > wrote:
> >
> > > The weight #50332 is the three piece weight.
> > >
> > > NPI Customer Service
> > >

> > > Is STOCK NO. 50332 the variable (5/10/15) canner
> > > weight?
> > > Thanks

If you have a dial gauge canner, you use the counter weight, not the three piece one. You depend upon the gauge.
You either have a dial gauge or a weighted gauge canner. The weighted gauge uses the kind that comes apart, as that is how the pressure is regulated.
Presto used to have a weighted gauge canner, but I have not seen any new ones from them other than the dial gauge.

Check with Presto again, and be sure they say you can use a 3 piece weight on a dial gauge canner, using the weights separately. I have never heard of being able to do so on the dial gauge Presto. We don't recommend it.

This is what you wrote from Presto:
Presto Customer Service
> wrote:
> > > your new 01781 takes pressure regulator 09978 - a
> 15
> > pound regulator. the
> > part 50332 goes to a canner that does not have a
> > steam dial gauge.

The only brand that has both is the All American. It is on their new models. Many of their older models are dial and have the counterweight. The dial on them must be tested yearly, just like the Presto.

OK, well I guess in this case I'm the iconoclast because I use the three-piece pressure regulator with my dial-gauge Presto and it's worked beautifully for thirty-some years. The gauge reads 10 pounds while the 10-pound weight rocks peacefully, giving me the benefit of a visual and auditory reminder. I feel I have the best of both worlds. My All-American has the same arrangement and I don't see any difference.

However, I've had the three-piece weight so long I honestly don't remember my original order with Presto or any correspondence I might have had with them at the time. It would be interesting to know what their reasoning is for not recommending its use.

I do know my husband, who has an industrial engineering background in steam boilers, has never seen any reason why this would be considered unsafe or unacceptable. If he did, we wouldn't be using the weight.

In fact, though I won't go into all the reasons, he says there are advantages to using, say, the 10-pound weight for a recipe which calls for its use. One is that the rocking regulates the pressure so that you're not standing there, hand on the burner control, turning it up and down. The pressure is more consistent, not less.

Actually, if you think about it, why isn't the one-piece weight a 10-pound, and if you're high-altitude, you buy a 15-pound weight?

Carol

I don't know their answer, either, just that is all we have been told. I know if I let mine get up to 15 lb. then the counterweight will start rocking.
Maybe we can finally get Presto to answer this. It would be sure nice if we could use a weight on the dial gauge.
I got my first Presto in about 1974 and it came with the counterweight. Same with my other two Presto's.

I was thinking along the lines of what Carol was saying. I could verify the gauge by whether the weight was rocking at 10 lbs. What if I ordered it and then tested it with the 2 quarts of water like they suggested. I didn't really want to buy one with a gauge because of the accuracy problems (and the hassle of getting it tested) but presto seems to be only manufacturer that makes a canner that works for a glass top stove. If I'm keeping the pressure steady I don't see why it shouldn't work.

I wish I could remember my original contact with Presto regarding this weight. Those were the days when you phoned or wrote, so I can't help wondering who told me I could do this? And, I wonder if the company changed its position at some point in time, perhaps out of some exaggerated fear of lawsuits.

I'm not always convinced the service people we deal with today are as knowledgeable about such issues as they used to be. Like Linda Lou, if there's a specific reason, I'd really like to know what it is. Pressure canners are pretty low-tech; I know the three-piece weight isn't a safety issue. The canner functions perfectly well with it.

Ironically, when I was putting the weight back I looked at my old pressure-canner box. The illustration shows my gauge canner with the three-piece weight on top! Artist's license?

Carol

OK, I think I have an answer. This whole Presto issue has been driving me nuts.

The issue is that the safe pressure for killing botulism spores (the equivalent of 240°F) is not 10 psig but 10.5 psig.

The 10-pound pressure regulator (i.e. weight) is actually machined for 10.5. However, someone looking at an accurate gauge might keep trying to drop the temperature on the stove to keep the pressure at 10 psig when it actually should read at 10.5 psig. For simplicity, standard canning guides recommend 11 psig if you have a dial gauge canner.

I don't see using the weight as a problem. (In fact, the machined weight is more accurate and trustworthy than the gauge.) If you are fortunate enough to have a properly calibrated gauge, it will read above 10 psig when the weight is rocking.

Well, I learned something from this anyway. Now I know why my gauge shows above 10 when I'm canning.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Why Can't I Process at 10 pounds Pressure in My Dial Gauge Canner?

I finally figured out the weighted guage on the Mirro pressure canners that are shaped like a ball (replacement part number 98505). I have the 12 Qt. Mirro 92012.

There is a small threaded disk that pops off the bottom of the ball that threads into the vent tube. If you partially thread that onto the vent tube and gently pull the rest of the guage off the disk, what is left are the parts needed to make the 10 or 15 pound weight.

Remove the disk from the vent tube and put it out of mind.

Asseble the rest of the guage as illustrated for 10 pounds (bottom half of the ball) or 15 pounds (both halves of the ball). Assemble the canner with water and your goodies inside. Put on high heat for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes has passed, place the weighted guage on the vent tube balancing the cone (look for the cone on the inside of the weight) on the hole of the vent tube. Give the canner another 5 minutes or so to build up the pressure and it will jiggle and rock just like the instructions say it will.

Turn down the heat to medium and start the processing time. When the processing time has elapsed, remove from heat and let cool for one hour undisturbed before opening and removing the jars.

I just used my new Mirro 22 qt. canner..Help! I'm not sure I did it correctly--I've been canning for 30 yrs, but I have never used the three piece weighted gauge. I think I overcooked (overcanned?) my green beans. The gauge didn't jiggle or rock like my old canner did, just moved slightly and let off some steam, so I am wondering if I waited too long to turn it down. It took probably 30 min. before I finally turned down the heat. Cooked it another 35 minutes, because of the altitude. Green beans sealed but are brownish and the water around them is also brownish. Has anyone had a similar experience?

I have to chuckle when I read all of this. I bought an old Burpee canner in 1970 from an elderly aunt of my husband. I still use it today. I have no idea how old it actually is but the book shows how to can in cans. I bought a new one several years ago on sale because my hubby says this old one won't last forewver. I do believe it will. I no longer can but my daughter now uses it. She loves it. We have never replaced anything on it. It has the band that you tighten around it. When it is not in use my daughter displays it on a high shelf area in her kitchen.. Some day I will do some checking and try to find out just how old it is.. I suspect this old canner has been canning for some 50 years...

Susie