Can you tell us the brand and model of your canner? Sometimes a visit to the company web site will give you the information you need. For example, there may be a 3-way or 3-part weight (5-10-15 pounds) which can be purchased separately.

As an alternative, Mirro makes small, relatively inexpensive weighted gauge canners.

Carol

It's a Presto 8-qt. It only has a capacity of 7 pint jars, but I figured that's enough for my purposes. Silly me, I would never have imagined that someone would sell a pressure canner that didn't allow you to adjust the pressure. The company website is useless, and the websites that sell this canner don't have much information either.

Thanks, Carol, I'll look into Mirro canners.

Sounds to me like it's a pressure COOKER rather than canner. It may be able to hold 7 pints, but I don't think I'd count on it.
That's probably why the weight isn't adjustable.
Deanna

Wow, I just visited the Presto site. What a change. They don't even have pressure canners listed on it any more (though they do have parts for older canners).

But it looks like presently the only pressure canners made by Presto are the 18-quart and 23-quart big guys. So Mirro is what you want. Their small pressure canners (do make sure as Deanna said that it specifically says "canner") have a round weight like a disk with a 5-pound hole, a 10-pound hole and a 15-pound hole.

I think, though, the smallest pressure canner you'll find is a 12-quart. I have one. It's a nice size. It will hold 7 quarts if you later decide to can larger jars.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Mirro Pressure-Canner

Thanks. Mine says Pressure Canner on the box, but then it included a bunch of recipes for pressure cooking, and very little information about canning. Grr.

And thanks for the link, Carol. I'll shop around for that one.

Yes, that link's just to show you; most times Amazon offers the best prices for internet but sometimes locally you can beat them.

Carol

Why don't you check your altitude, if your over 1000 ft above sea level you should use the 15 lb weight.
Roy

Julsie,
Is this your canner/cooker? If you have the USDA Home Canning and Preseving book, it has many recipes for various pound pressure canning. For instance the tomato and vegetable juice blend can be canned for 20 minutes at 5 lbs. pressure OR 15 minutes at 10 pounds pressure OR 10 minutes at 15 pounds pressure.
SOS

Here is a link that might be useful: 8 Presto quart pressure canner/cooker

I may be missing something but in looking at that 8-quart, it's only described as a cooker.

The pressure canning times are predicated on a canner of a certain size so while some things can be processed at 15 pounds it's still important to be sure what you're using is rated specifically for canning.

Carol

Presto has changed the 8 quart size to say cooker. It used to say cooker/canner.
Personally, I would take it back and get a larger size. Right now you can get a brand new dial gauge Presto on sale here for $69. The latest info says to only use a canner that is large enough to hold at least 4 quart jars to be considered a canner.
Here is the link to the PDF file on it. The University of Georgia is considered to be the main authority on home canning. At least that is what we were told at the extension office.

Here is a link that might be useful: University of Georgia.

I was mistaken on the Presto site. Canners are included, just a bit difficult to find. But it still appears the only models they now list as canners are the two big ones.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Presto Pressure Canners

Presto pressure canners come with 1 piece 15 lb weight.

Order split weight from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000HMBVQ8?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image

Does any one have the new electric pressure canner and how do you like it?

Sue