No, they are not. It's a question of size. Pressure cookers are smaller. As a result, they heat up, and cool down, faster than a pressure canner. However, the heat up/cook down times are factored into the directions for any particular canning recipe. If you can in the pressure cooker the food will be underprocessed, and possibly unsafe. The bottom line is, you can cook in a pressure canner, but canning in a pressure cooker is not recommended.

"Pressure canners come deep enough for one layer of quart or smaller size jars, or deep enough for two layers of pint or smaller size jars. The USDA recommends that a canner be large enough to hold at least 4 quart jars to be considered a pressure canner for its published processes. " If you go to the Presto site, nowdays you will see they only list the larger size as canners. They have 18 quart and 23 quart. Anything smaller is under cookers. http://www.gopresto.com/products/products_search.php?search_value=58&operation=Search&search_type=category Here is a link that might be useful: National Center for Home Food Preservation

I've used a pressure cooker for over 35 years, and am so dependent on it that I always had one in my travel trailer as well as my own kitchen. My daughters both own one; one daughter uses hers as often as I do. Believe it or not, she requested one for a birthday present while she was still in college! The other one reluctantly took the one from her grandma's RV (after they sold their RV), and now really likes using it. Roasts -- chili -- spaghetti sauce -- sirloin tip steaks -- are just a few of the things I make in mine. It's used at least once a week. I currently have a Presto stainless steel whose handle has loosened too much to use, so I am using the Mirror aluminum model that used to be in my travel trailer. Donna

I was a little nervous about pressure cooking and started out with an electric one, but it was very limiting. It was very slow to heat up and I was unable release pressure quickly. It died within a year of purchase and was replaced, only to die again...I gave it up and went with a stovetop, and have been much happier with it. They are much easier to use, and much more flexible than the electric models. I can make things that only take a few minutes, like corn on the cob. I can bring the pressure up fast, cook 5 minutes and then quickly release the pressure in the sink with cool water, no overcooked mush and no vat of boiling water to deal with. I have two Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers with the turn tops. I like the turn tops because it's very easy to see the pressure level, and you can park it in the 'up' position to release the steam. I made a rump roast in one the other night that was beautifully tender in less than an hour. They're great for stock, too. My crockpot now only comes out to keep the potatoes warm during Thanksgiving. :-) Cj