Standard reply form letter from Ball reads something like: the lids are fine to use. Preheating them prior to use as per the instructions will cause the sealant to expand and seal properly.

Found this reply letter posted on another forum and I think we had a previous posted response here too along the same lines. I read that Ball blames it on improper vendor storage and shippers over-stacking the boxes.

I only had to buy 2 doz. new jars this year so a limited sample, but all the lids were indented but we didn't have sealing problems with any of them.

Dave

The lids have appeared to be sealed on all the new jars I bought this year. However, I was able to pull them all off bare handed - granted it took a little muscle. Since I could bare hand them, I consider them unsealed. And thus safe to reuse.

I ended up buying about 80 dozen jars in the last three years, and I've had lots and lots of them semi-sealed down like this from riding in the hot car and them being left in the cooler garden shed until I needed them. I suppose that would count as "improper storage" - I've never stacked them more than 4 boxes high.

I have never noticed any correlation between this and lid failure.

I sure hope I am done buying new jars! I've only been canning for three years now and canning is popular enough in this area that you can't get used jars unless you get darn lucky.

You absolutely can when you drop the lid in hot water the ring will go away

Thank you all. I went ahead and used a new box of lids, but I did save the ones from the new jars. I'll give them a try with the next batch.

I haven't had any problems with the "stuck" lids but I have noticed more and more of the new lids on jars have creases or are bent in such a way that they can't be used. Each one has to be inspected. What a pain.

Carol

If you call the company about defective lids, I bet they'll send you a coupon for free lids. I've never done this with lids, but I have for a number of other products, and companies absolutely don't want dissatisfied customers. They can be quite generous.

I use the lids too. No problems.
It's irritating, to say the least, when it would be just as easy to flip the lids over the other way.
The last box of half pints I bought had a ring that was bent enough that I ended up tossing it.
I have plenty of rings, but when I do have to buy more jars, I usually have the opportunity to cull out a few older, maybe showing signs of rust, rings and replace them with the new ones. Not so when the new ones are bent.

I wouldn't want a dent in brand new car, and I don't expect them in my rings. Cost shouldn't determine quality.

I think the most frustrating part is that Ball seems like they don't care. That doesn't exactly scream "customer service" to me. Yeah, they'll send you some coupons for more of the same defective stuff, but not make the changes to solve the problem. And it's SO easy!

Deanna (off my soapbox now...)

I emailed them and they have never gotten back to me or mailed any coupons. It takes forever to get someone on the phone, I don't even try any more.

I have new lids not used going back almost twenty years. There has been a noticable, consistent and significant drop in lid quality. But I have seen quality dropping on almost everything in this world in my lifetime.

I actually did get ahold of someone at Ball (or Jardin)earlier this year. The gentleman said there was a lot of complaints about the new packaging and the lids being indented. The company line is that the dents will disappear after the proper 180 degree/10 minute lid heating time. I tried it, and they really did disappear (and sealed).

I did get a free coupon from them for my trouble :)

OK - this is new to me - I'm supposed to warm my lids at 180 degrees for 10 minutes? 10 whole minutes?

This is what happens when one company has a national monopoly on a product. They have no incentive to produce quality - where else can go you if dissatisfied?

Pixie, I'm with you--never realized I had to heat the lids for 10 minutes.

Regardless though, never had a problem with lid failure.

Are you saying that heating the lids is news???

The need for pre-heating lids has been around as long as there has been canning. Or at least as long as there have been lids for canning. ;) It is in the basic canning info in the front of all the canning books.

You used to have to boil them back when the sealing compound was rubber but that changed to just 180 degrees several decades ago.

Dave

I knew I was supposed to warm my lids. And I do. I just don't necessarily warm them for 10 minutes. And I know they are not kept at a steady 180 degrees for 10 minutes.