Over the last decade, the Ball Canning folks have brought a handful of canning appliances to market. The first was the FreshTECH Jam and Jelly Maker in the summer of 2012. The FreshTECH Automatic Home Canning System was the thing during the 2014 canning season. And now, we have the Ball FreshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker.
This electric canner is exactly what I know a number of you have been hoping for. It’s a giant pot that has an independent element so that you can move your processing pot off your stove top and over to the counter.
It holds 8 quarts, nine pints, or a dozen regular mouth half pints (that means that if you stack them, you can process 24 quarter pint jars at once). It’s particularly great if your stove is slow to boil water or if you’ve been warned off canning on a glass top cooktop. It works like any other boiling water bath canner, so if you live at higher altitudes, you will still need to adjust your processing time upwards.
It has a spout on the left side of the canner, so if your kitchen is arranged in a way where you can set the canner to the right of your stove, you can drain the water directly into the sink. The canner comes with a steaming rack as well as a canning rack, so that you can use it for all your high capacity steaming needs (I could see it being perfect for tamale parties).
It can also be used as a portable cooker, so can work for large amounts of soup, chili, or even something like mulled cider. Nice if you help with community potlucks or church suppers.
I’ve now run a number batches of jars through the canner and I am really happy with it. It’s not going to become my primary boiling water bath because I make a lot of small batches and it doesn’t make sense to heat up this much water for two or three pints, but for larger batches, it’s a boon.
It’s also incredibly useful during tomato season and I’ve started bringing it with me to my classes and workshops where I know we’re making multiple batches and so we’ll need more canner space.
This canner does cost $149.99, which is a pretty penny if you already have a canning set-up you like. If you like the idea of moving your canning pot off your stove top but can’t swing that price point, there is a more affordable way to create something similar.
Get yourself an induction capable stock pot (a classic speckled canner with a flat bottom will work) and the induction burner I have (it’s just $60) and you have a canner you can run anywhere (I highly recommend outdoor canning on really hot days).
My bottom line on the Ball FreshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner is that it’s a great tool for people who do lots of large batch canning. If you have the budget and storage space for it, I highly recommend it.
Disclosure: The folks at Ball Canning sent me a FreshTECH Electric Canner for review and photography purposes at no cost to me. They are also provided a giveaway unit. No additional compensation was provided for this post and all opinions expressed are my own.
I have been using water bathing with just the same pot I make spaghetti. it works, just takes long time.
I’m using a stock pot with silicone trivet. Not the most ideal setup, as it can only fit 6 or so 1/2 pint jars and 3 pint jars. Would love to have something with more capacity!
We use our large stock pots. The problem is it takes for ever to boil because of the electric stove so I tend to move them to the burner on the propane grill to get it to a boil.
I have a speckled canner. Not my favorite set-up….
I have hand-me-down speckled canners and a pressure canner my dad gave me.
I have never canned before…but I’m excited to learn 🙂
I use my grandmothers old on the stove water bath canner. I cook all of my fruits, jams etc. and then use the old water bath on the stove. I usually only can 6 qts at a time. Your new canner looks totally amazing. will have to save up to get one.
Right now I use my large stock pot with some canning rings tied together in the bottom. The pot isn’t really tall enough, even for pint jars and it’s a bit wonky. We don’t have air conditioning so running a gas range for hours tends to heat up the house too much to can in summer. I definitely need to get my hands on one of these.
I just use the stainless stockpot that we got when we got married. It’s not huge, but I don’t make many things that I want huge batches of anyway. (Exception: salsa.)
I use my grandmother’s old, giant granite water bath canner. It had sat in her basement for years before I rescued it last summer for my first adventures in canning!
I can like my mother and grandmother’s before me in an old granite ware speckled canner. I would love to have this electric one to set next to my sink.It would be so much easier to fill and empty.
I’ve been using two stock pots with dishcloths in the bottom and a fourth burner pot. So far, so good but I love the idea of doing some canning outdoors during the summer. It would make tomato season much easier.
I use canning pots I was able to pick up at the flea markets to save money. Just picked a 3rd one up this past weekend for $5. Thank you for the opportunity.
still using grandmas old blue porcelain pot !!
I have an older water bath canner that I bought at a garage sale and a presto pressure canner.
I use a stockpot and silicone trivet. The trivet I was first turned on to by this website. It’s been a great addition. I love seeing my red poinsettia like trivet at the bottom on my pot:-)
I would love to win this! I started gardening about three years ago and started canning two years ago. I have been using my biggest stockpot with one of my trivets on the bottom.
I have a glass cook top stove and cannot use the oversize kettles required to boiling water baths without risking damage to my cook top. This canner is the perfect solution.
Now that I’m getting older I worry about dealing with my traditional water bath kettle full of water from sink to stovetop and then back to the sink to empty it when the water is screaming hot. Eight pounds per gallon! This would make it so much easier for people like me to continue canning as they always have in a safer way.
We received a pressure canner as a wedding gift and I then swiped one of my mother-in-law’s speckled canners for water bath canning (she has two). This would be a lovely item to have. I like the spout… no more having to wait to try and dump the canner.
This looks FANTASTIC, I’d love it!!! I am a newbie to canning and am enjoying it, I am using a stockpot with the rings from mason jar lids.
I love this idea and it would make canning outdoors even easier as we have new outdoor outlets installed – perfect to can with!
I love the idea of a spout on the side to help drain the water out. I could really see something like this assisting me on heavy canning days. I’ll be in the market or a new stove soon, and I just didn’t know what I was going to do to accommodate my hobby. This looks like it could be the solution I’ve been waiting for!
I currently use a Victorio Stainless steel water bath canner for my jars and an 10 quart All-Clad saucepan for my jams. A long way from the Visions by Corningware glass pot that used when I first started canning over 20 years ago. I like my current setup, but I would love to have one of my burners back. 🙂
I recently got a 4th burner pot which I absolutely love. Last year I was using a large stock pot with my silicone trivet but need a new pot now as we just got an induction cooktop. This would be perfect! I will have to think about outdoor canning in the summer. Canning in the heat if South Carolina summers is NOT ideal. I usually roast and freeze my tomatoes because of the heat!
I use a stock pot with a kitchen towel on the bottom of the pot
I have a classic stock pot for water bath canning and a pressure cooker. This would be great for canning season!
I use either my steam canner which I hear is a no-no or my pressure canner. This water bath canner looks awesome and I would rather use it over the steam canner.
I have been wanting this! I can’t tell you how many time I have placed into my shopping cart and chickening out at the checkout part! Winning one would be wonderful!
I use a 25 year old stock pot for waterbath and last year my husband bought me a pressure canner. I managed to put up 1,008 jars of food with them. Lot of work and would like a newer version and/or bigger version but I think I did pretty good.
I’m using my mother’s old canning set, though with a new wire rack. The capacity of this electric one looks wonderful!
Good to know a bit more about this great item! Working in a smaller kitchen, I currently use one to two regular large WB pots with a rack or two in them. It certainly heats up the kitchen and makes space on the cooktop sparse. I am thinking one of these would be a huge help time-wise and space wise for my kitchen! 🙂
Oh, I would love to have this! Although I’m no spring chicken, I am relatively new to canning. I’ve learned from your blog and bought your first book. I’ve tried a few sort of rigged up canning systems which work ok for small batches (the ball green plastic thingie), but I truly need a real setup. Here’s why: Four years ago, I was fortunate enough to be able to buy a 100-year old farmhouse in Mentone, AL, a wonderful old resort/farming town on Lookout Mt.as a retreat. There was an apple tree….and the rest is history. She had not born fruit for about 7 years (the house was a rental), but the Spring after we bought the house, she bloomed and has given me boxes of apples ever since. I live up there the whole month of July and make apple and pear (we found a pear tree totally engulfed in a stand of privet and freed her, too) butters and sauces. A nice full-sized set up would be FABULOUS. Thank you for all I have learned and will continue to learn from you!
I use my 23 quart stock pot with one of the racks from my pressure canner, when the stock pot isn’t being used for whatever I’m canning. I use my 16qt pressure canner to waterbath when my stock pot is full of tomato sauce, etc…waiting to be canned. I have limited space on my stove and lots of counter space, the ball canner would make canning high acid foods much more convenient freeing up space on the stove.
Last year was my first year canning. I canned about 100 jars of various different things. This year my garden will be bigger and better. So more canning! I use a large blue water bath canner nothing fancy.r
Marisa, thanks for the info on the induction burner. I have one that costs a whole lot more and hadn’t seen any this reasonable! Happy to advise my students here in Atlanta that there’s a low cost alternative. They are great as a 5th burner, too!
Also, I use the portable butane burners too. They can be found for under $30.00. No electricity needed and safe for indoors (which propane is not). Yes, takes fuel but the cartridges last 2 hours on high heat and are very inexpensive. A nice choice as a 5th burner too, and can be used for tail-gate parties, picnics, etc.
I have two of those exact same induction burners and they have been absolute workhorses. They are amazing.
I am currently using a large enameled pot on (gasp!) my glass top range. This baby is on my “wants” list for sure. My favorite feature is that spout! I do LOVE that I don’t have to lift the monster pot when it is full…waiting hours for it to cool (i have a commercial sink with a wing just waiting to hold this). I also LOVE that this can double as warm beverage dispenser for large crowds.
I have a speckled canned that I used with my mom for years. I love this idea and have been thinking about buying one. Winning would be better!
I began canning last summer and was hooked by the end of the year. I got both of my siblings interested and now we will be canning together. Would love to win this canner.
Good Ole waterbath canner on my stove top. Nothing special. My hubby got me a propane burner to free up the stove a little, I’m excited to try that. I would love the new canner!
I currently use the kitchen stoke and classic canning set up. But this would be an awesome upgrade.
I love to can.. I’m using a huge enamelware waterbacth canner that hubby bought for me at an antique store. It holds quite a few jars but is far too heavy for me to move by myself. I would love to have a canner with a spigot for emptying the water! What a great idea!!
i have a flat top cooking range and I don’t like canning on it. I would love to try this canner.
I don’t currently have a canner so something like this would be great!
Ugh. Unfortunately I don’t have a canning solution so I end up freezing everything. Freezer jam, freezer tomatoes, etc…not the best solution.
i have two sizes of traditional speckled water bath canners but I just hate having to heat up the house in Tomato Season. I would LOVE to win this and if I dont I am saving my pennies! WANT WANT WANT
I would love to try this new canner.. I currently only can in small batches due to non- working large burner on stove ( hubby not ready to purchase new stove – it still works!). It would be great to free up space on my stove! If I am not a winner I will definately check this out. Thanks for all your helpful product ideas!
I had been making due with my biggest stock pot, but it really wasn’t big enough for pint jars. I also brew beer, so I was in the market for a pot that could handle 5 gallons of wort. A big ol’ canning pot fits the bill nicely, though it’s kind of unwieldy and difficult to fit on my stove.
I usually can small batches, so I use a smaller water bath on my stove top. Question: You mentioned not using this all the time because you don’t make the batch quantity needed for this pot. Are you saying you can’t use this pot for small batches?
You can use it for smaller batches. However, I prefer to scale the amount of water I use to the batch size I’m canning. I’m not going to heat this giant canner up for three half pint jars.
I just got a pressure cooker, but had been borrowing my friends water bath scanner setup.