Today I’ve got something extremely important to share…
A Complete Guide Finding & Using A Water Bath Canner For Survival
Because preserving food is quickly becoming a lost art…
Most people living in the concrete jungle don’t think much about it.
They are too busy getting extra caramel drizzle on their mocha frappes.
But WE worry about a future food shortage.
And NOW is the time to start preserving with a water bath canner!
TOPICS IN THIS GUIDE… ↓(click to jump)
- Best Water Bath Canners
- What Is A Water Bath Canner
- Reasons You Should Get One
- Canner vs. Pressure Canner
- Different Types You Can Choose
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Now it’s time to shop for the best ones.
We’ve taken the time to research and find the best, so you don’t have to…
The McSunley Water Bath Canner is great, coming in at 21.5 quarts so that it can fit 7 standard quart jars. It also has a tempered glass lid to see what's happening while the water boils.
The pot is made from heavy gauge stainless steel and has a smooth clad base that will work on any cooktop, even induction ranges.
You get a rugged jar rack, so it is safe to drop your jars in the boiling water. And it is so versatile that it can hold 9-pint jars and 12 half-pint jars.
Pros
- Great for large-scale canning
- Big enough to store all canning supplies
Cons
- Some customers find that it didn't work with induction heating
- Canner basket can be hard to use
This kit starts with the classic granite ware look, with enamel on steel, and is a 21.5-quart pot for doing 7-quart jars at a time. You also get the lid, which is enamelware, so it's very durable and resistant to scratches. The steel can handle up to 932 degrees F, so you can use it indoors and outdoors, even on direct flame.
This canner also comes with a rust-proof chromed steel jar rack for lifting and submerging jars. And a 5 piece canning tool set including:
- Jar lifter
- Jar wrench
- Bubble remover and ruler
- Jar funnel
- Magnetic lid lifter
When you're done, you can hand wash the tools and stick the canning pot and lid in the dishwasher.
Pros
- High-quality graniteware
- All equipment included
- Great reviews online
Cons
- Works on all cooking surfaces but glass
- Some customers had problems with chipping and rust
Are you ready to do some serious canning? This water bath canner from VEVOR is designed for volume and can get you done fast. It has room for 15-quart jars with 2 levels of canning.
You can put this on your gas or wood stove tops to get your canning going. And if you are looking for a commercial application, stop looking; it's right here.
The body is made of food-grade 304 stainless steel, is extra thick at 0.3mm, and measures 20.5" x11.5" x12". So you can make large batches. The handles and lid are well designed, and it seals up nice and tight when in operation. It also heats up real quick.
Pros
- Made for high production use
- Solid machine
Cons
- It is heavy and expensive
- Wouldn't work well for the causal canner
If you want to save space and do your canning on the counter, you should use an electric water bath canner. Ball freshTech has this great unit to get your seasonal canning done with its 21-quart capacity for 7-quart jars. This is a good design with a straightforward control dial to adjust the water temperature.
Because it plugs in, you will save 20% more energy by not running the stove. And you can move it out of the way or store it in your pantry when not in use. It comes with a removable jar rack and a drain spigot, so you don't have to pick up a pot of hot water to dump it out. The lid and rack are dishwasher safe, and it has a removable nesting base to store it more compact.
Now, you'd have a good buy here if that were all. But this canning pot also doubles as a cooker for pasta, soups, seafood, and vegetables, as well as steaming. They even throw in a great cookbook to help you with recipes.
Pros
- It's electric so you save on energy.
- Doubles as a cooking pot for soups and stews etc.
Cons
- Some users had problems with the flat rack not sitting well and holding up jars.
- Can be slow for water to reach a boil.
↓ Review Of Ball Bath Canner
This standard 20-quart water bath canner will get the job done. It's a stainless steel pot with cold touch handles and a flat bottom base. This design provides even cooking on almost any heating surface, including induction ranges. The rack is double-sided stainless so that you can get your jars in without worry.
It can steam or bath and comes with a tempered glass lid. And 3 elevation zones for easy timing with a built-in timing indicator. You will be able to process 7-quart jars at a time or 20 quarts of liquid if you want to make soups.
Pros
- Good quality water bath canner for all your canning needs.
- You can use it as a steamer or as a large stock pot for making pasta and soups.
Cons
- Some customers had an issue with rusting on the pot and lid.
RSVP has a 20-quart canner that measures 13" x16" and is made of 18/8 stainless steel with a tri-ply base. So you get even heating. The handles are sturdy with polyethylene grips which makes picking it up easier. On top of the lid is tempered glass with a built-in steam vent; the whole thing is dishwasher safe.
You can get your standard 7-quart canning jars inside for one-time processing. And the rack can hold those jars in their best position for water circulation.
RSVP makes high-quality kitchen products, and this water bath canner is no different. Go ahead and can all your fruits, vegetables, jams, pickles & more.
Pros
- High-quality stainless steel to last a lifetime.
- Coated handle for safe lifting.
Cons
- Some customers had problems getting the sticker off the front, leaving residue.
- There was an issue with the 16" height that was advertised as one customer measured it at 10".
What is a Water Bath Canner
Anyone taking backup supplies seriously knows food is the most critical long-term storage item.
Natural resources and the food growing season will only take you so far.
You must preserve your food effectively and efficiently because without calories, you die.
At its basic, it’s a large pot used to process high-acid foods.
These include:
- Tomato Sauce
- Cranberry Sauce
- Fruit Juices
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums
- Cherries
- Apple Sauce
- Salsa
- Jams
- Apple Butter
- Pickles
- Relishes
- Chutneys
- Fruit Preserves
- Pie Filling
- Jelly
- Ketchup
- Vinaigrette dressings
You can even process your own water and store it in the case of SHTF.
You start by sterilizing canning jars in boiling water.
And then fill them with your high-acid foods.
Then you place a lid with an outer rubber seal on the edge and a screw-on band that tightens the lid, making a tight seal. Next, it goes into the water bath.
A hot water bath canner preserves at temperatures hot enough to get rid of the following:
- mold
- yeast
- and other enzymes that cause spoilage
Then the acid in the food does the rest.
While it’s in the boiling water, the air is suctioned out.
So the lid remains tightly sealed, enabling your food to be shelf-stable for months to years.
Your canner equipment includes:
- Large stock pot
- Canning rack to hold the jars in place and for safe handling
- Mason jars or other approved canning jars
- Jar lifter special tongs to safely put in and remove hot jars
- Canning funnel designed to fit into jars for easy filling
- Canning scoop or ladle to scoop contents into the funnel
Perhaps you have had one with a rack in the family for generations.
So ask older family members if these essential antiques are still kicking around.
It gives you some free equipment to use and carries on the family tradition of your ancestors.
Temperatures and boiling times vary depending on the food types you are preserving.
So follow the guidelines for your recipes.
There are also 2 methods of filling your jars.
Hot Packing This is when your filling is pre-cooked.
Raw Packing You put in raw fruit or veggies and add a brine solution.
A headspace of 1/4″ to 1/2″ needs to be given in your filled jars to prevent bursting during canning.
And you must remove air bubbles by pressing a spatula between the jar and the food.
This process helps to get out all stuck air bubbles before you cap the jar.
↓ How To Use A Waterbath Canner
↓ How To Use A Water Canner
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Preserving food is really a lost art but something we should bring back.
Here are just a few reasons why it’s an essential device:
1. Feed Your Family
A family’s grocery bill is among the highest expense there is nowadays.
And if you can cut that down by growing and preserving food, more money will be left over.
2. Food Scarcity
Have you seen what happens at the grocery store every time society panics?
Whether it is a weather-related panic or rising gas prices, humans can empty shelves fast, leaving those less fortunate without food.
3. Economic Crisis
Stock market crashes, housing bubbles, and recessions hit hard and stopped all new money.
This situation can leave you struggling to afford the basics, like nutritious food.
Having a canner can help you stock up for hard times.
4. Lockdowns
We have recently experienced lockdowns, and who knows when the next one will hit?
If you don’t get the required vaccines, you could be unable to travel and get food freely.
Growing and preserving is the answer.
5. Pandemics
A global pandemic changes normal living conditions and slows the production of food.
You don’t need as much when you have your own stockpile of home-grown and canned food.
6. Natural Disasters
Natural disasters are another way food production and distribution systems can become messed up.
These tragedies can leave millions of families without access to the modern-day food supply.
7. Invasions
In the event of an invasion, preppers head for the hills to their bug-out locations or DIY bunkers.
A pantry full of canned fruits and vegetables will care for your calorie needs during any occupation.
8. War
War makes all of life’s necessities scarce.
Everything from the supply chain to food priority to panic buying is affected during a war.
Those in war-torn countries live without the basic food necessary for life.
Nowhere on the globe is safe, so we ALL should start processing food.
It’s a key component to living a resilient life.
Hot Water Bath Canner vs. Pressure Canner (pros/cons)
When preserving food in jars, there are 2 standard methods—water bath vs. pressure canner.
Water Bath Canner
It’s designed to seal up food with enough heat so it will have an extended shelf life.
It isn’t cooking anything, just preserving.
You can process most food in around 15 minutes in the water and about an hour from filling to cool.
Only foods with high acidity can be processed in one.
The high acid provides an environment where bacteria have a hard time growing.
Pros
- It is an easy and fast process
- It costs less than a pressure canner
- No specialized equipment, just a pot of boiling water and jars
Cons
- You can only proceed with some fruit and pickled vegetables, highly acidic foods.
- It doesn’t work for canning meat
Pressure Canner
A pressure canner is a more robust machine that gets much hotter at around 240 degrees F.
It can safely process vegetables, meats, soups, and sauces, especially lower-acidic foods.
The canning is done under high pressure and takes longer for the canning procedure.
Pros
- You can process meat, vegetables, and all low-acidic foods
- It allows you to raw pack because the food will cook while processing
- It is very safe when operated properly
Cons
- More expensive to buy a pressure canner with more moving parts
- It takes longer to process the food
What canning method you use is decided by the food you want to preserve.
Want a free family-first food planning guide?
Enter your email below to instantly download this Complete Guide PDF. No purchase necessary. 👇 👇Different Types You Can Choose
While every hot water bath canner does the same thing, they come in different sizes and materials.
And many work with varying sources of power.
Let’s check out your options:
Sizes
The standard size is 21 quarts, sized to fit 7 one-quart jars.
There are also smaller pots at 11.5 quarts and accommodate 7-pint jars.
You can go bigger, too, with a 33-quart canner that will hold 9 parts canning jars.
In a pinch, all you need is a large stock pot.
A pot deep enough to submerge your jars at least one inch and allow a rolling boil without spilling over.
You also don’t want your pot any larger than 4 inches wider than the heating element.
This size limitation helps to prevent uneven processing.>
Materials
The construction of a canner is usually metal, including:
- Stainless Steel Heavy-duty metal that will last a lifetime without rusting.
- Aluminum This economical metal doesn’t rust or chip.
- Porcelain Enamel Porcelain powdered glass is fused onto steel to give a durable finish. And it has the recognizable speckled granite ware look.
Power Sources
For “powering” a boiling water bath canner, you just put it on the stove and turn on the element.
This setup uses a gas flame or an electric element to heat the water.
You can also get electric water bath canners that plug in and heat their own element.
This design becomes a portable counter appliance and frees up room on the stove for regular cooking.
Or add it as a backup to process twice as many jars.
They come pretty basically fully functional with lots of buttons and whistles.
Final Thoughts
One thing is for sure; there will always be a need to eat.
It’s a human no one can shut off.
And if you have the desire to grow and can your own food, you will be the one who thrives during the next crisis.
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