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.
Just a regular old speckled canning pot. I bought it on amazon and had it delivered to work 7 years ago — EVERYONE wanted to know what was in the giant box when it arrived, they were pretty disappointed.
I’m using my lovely mother-in-law’s canner and it works great but takes up too much room on the stove. my burners are small and I can’t fit it on there very well along with the jelly pot plus the sterilizing pot so I’m fighting a giant mess making a batch, even a small one. Would love to have this so I could spread out a bit!
I see from a scan of recent comments that I am not the only one to be using an old stockpot with a rag in the bottom on the dreaded glass top stove. I still managed to put up a dozen different small batches of jams, jellies, pickles and chutneys last year. Imagine what I could do with an upgrade!
I use a canning pot that came from my mom . Harder to use now with a glass cooktplop. This is a great setup!
I am 70 yrs old and have been canning for 51 yrs and have gone thru several canners over the years. It would be so nice to win this canner as I find it hard to lift my canner off of the stove; I don’t have the strength that I used to have when I was younger! Would love to have this because I could put it right next to my sink. How great is that!
We have in our set up two cheap canning pots and a nice ball canning pot. We have a nice stash of canning racks that we use to load in the jars while we are processing.
i have a relatively cheap canning pot and a bunch of ok accessories I bought a few years ago. My Juneberry (serviceberry) tree is set to produce a record number of berries this year, so it may be time to upgrade this situation!
Bought my set up 2 years ago. Everything was great until I moved to my Farm and, you got it, glass top stove. this would work great for my needs!!!!
I have a canning pot. My son gave me the Ball jam maker and I love it!
Would like to have one of thse electric canners! Have two blue speckled pots and a pressure canner. Two stoves to use during season of preserving garden produce. A busy time but love doing and love having iin the winter months!
i don’t have any equipment at the current time, but my ex-husband has a pressure cooker and a hot water bath canning pot with hundreds of jars. I need to replace. I do have a dozen jars though, green ones!
I am using the small batch silicone set, I can not lift the big water bath canner anymore. I want this new canner to set up by my kitchen sink. I love that it can be drained in the sink.
I have my mothers water bath canner but it is to small for all the things I can. My mother in law just gave me a pressure canner but it scared me. Ha
I have a old water bath canner. I am looking for something like this and would love to give it a try.
I currently don’t have a setup, but am definitely thinking of doing it!! With 4 boys, it seems to be a perfect option!! 🙂
I am new to canning, have only made small amount of pickles & salsa. Have no proper equipment to make more, but would love to.
Using the trusted blue specked canner. Would love one of these, not only to can in but for our church soup and stew meals. These meals are great family fellowship times but also a blessing to our community and people in need of a hardy meal. I’m for any appliance that would make the large amount of food preparation more efficient and easier on the cooks!
Not canning to much unless a friend offers their stove we have a glass top. Would love to setup an outside canning area. Mainly do jams right now. This would be an awesome addition to the kitchen. Fingers crossed
I used two Presto pressure canners – one I purchased myself and one that a family member has let me “borrow” and last year I purchased two water bath canners on clearance. I also use two stoves – one in the kitchen and one in the garage! Last year I canned 197 quarts of green beans, 72 quarts of tomato juice, 42 quarts tomatoes, 49 pints of pickles – and looking forward to it again this year…this electric canner would be a great help in the process!
I have an ancient canning pot and an old wire rack that is rusting. I had to use metal twist and ties to hold the the rack together. It still works but is a pain. My garden this year has grown tremendously in size so I will be very busy canning this summer. We are in the foothills in California and decided to let our lawn go and only water our garden for food due to the drought. This canner looks SO COOL!!!
My WB canner has finally rusted out and would love this one for myself to continue canning like my mom all of the time I was growing up. Now canning for her.
We can with a huge pot and propane round grill outside. We have an odd system but we have to can and time outside in a water bath then bring the jars in on a cookie sheet and let them cool and pop inside on the dining room table. I love this idea!
I use a stockpot with washcloth in the bottom on top of a glass top range. This would help greatly!!!
Currently don’t have a canning setup but buying a house with 2 acres and plan on being in the canning world very soon! Woohoo! Would love a setup like this!
I am using an enamelware water bath canner and have just had my first success with the pressure cooker. Great fun! 🙂
I am, or was using Moms old big black speckled pot on the stove up until last year, had it full on my stove and it actually burnt a hole through the bottom from to much use. An electric one would be awesome!
Would love to have using washing outside open flame this canned would save a lot of time
I currently go old-school water bath, but i have a pressure cooker I use, too. Small stove makes this item seem like a really good idea, albeit a bit pricey.
Have used a stockpot. Have also used my late mother-in-law’s water bath canner and pressure canner. I plan to do more canning this year and could new equipment!
me and my husband uses his old canner pot. we love to can strawberry jam,blackberry jam,blueberry jam,peach jam,sliced peaches,cabbage,tomatoes pickles.this year we did applesauce and apple butter. we are looking for a new one this year since the pot doesn’t sell like it use to.
My 22 year old daughter just got interested in canning so I showed her my old tried and true way of the big stock pot for water bath. Unfortunately, I can’t fit very many jars in the pot. This set up looks awesome!
I have wanted to learn to can for awhile now but all I have is one of the smaller stock pots. I don’t really have money to buy any of the equipment right now. I’d love to win this.
I had one but x wife took it along with most of the rest.it would not only be valuable but would be used all the time!
I use my great grandmothers canning tub. Of course its so large u have to build a fire under it. There is no dragging that sucker inside to use on the stove. Considering yhe amount of effort it takes to use and the mess it leaves I would LOVE to try the electric canner.
I just use a large stock pot and my stove for hot water bath canning. I have had to replace 2 eyes on my stove. I give them such a workout every year. I tend to burn those electric eyes out. I would love to have one of these. It’s awesome!
I use a canner that I have had for many years, ready for an upgrade, that does not heat the house up. Good luck to all._
I borrow my aunts canning equipment can’t wait to have my own now that I’m getting older and more into canning
I borrow my aunts canning equipment can’t wait to have my own now that I’m getting older and more into canning
An enamelware water bath canner, that is about 20 years old, is what I use- what a great prize! someone will be very lucky-
I have been wanting a new waterbath canner for some time now. I use an older type canner similar to what my grandmother used. Mine is starting to wear and can see a couple rust spots on the outside of the canner. The one I am using is an enamel wear one with the rack on the inside. It is heavy to move to put water in or take it out as I have problems with my arms and hands, part of my disabitliy. I continue to make the best products I can and use only Ball brand for my jars, lids, etc.
I just started canning a few months ago and love it!
I used to use my grandmother’s pot but it broke and I would love to get back to canning just like she taught me!
I have 3 water bath scanners that I received from friends and hope to get a pressure canner soon!!
We dehydrate and freeze what we have but have not ventured into the world of canning. Canning is our missing piece right now. This would give us a great excuse to start this year!
I use an old water canner, I would love to win the new electric canner so I could free up the stove.
I have an older enamel water bath canner that my Dad brought me when I started canning a few years ago. I have made jams and jellies. And, I have canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, peaches, and pickles. I’ve also canned Brunswick Stew with a pressure canner.
For years, my grandmother has sent canned goods to me. But, she passed earlier this month, so those comfort foods from home are no more.
Santa brought me a new, stainless steel water bath canner from Ohio Amish country after I chipped/burned through? my second enamelware canner. But this canner would be perfect to use for canning demonstrations for my 4-H club!
This would definitely be a great asset during tomato canning season! I def need all the extra space I can get in my tiny kitchen.
Just using Ball’s canner and standard metal rack that’s seen better days. Used to steam up/heat up my entire house for canning, but just last year bought an outside cooktop hooked to LP gas. So much better!
I’ve been canning for over 40 years, using the traditional water bath canner (blue speckled). I can run two at a time on an old stove and have gone through a few canners in my day! This sounds pretty cool and would work well and extend my canning abilities! Thanks so much for all of your good information!
My first canning pot rusted out, so I’m on my second. I can’t say I love it… it takes forever to get the water to boil. I love that this new piece is multi-functional!
We grow vegetables, herbs and fruit . We were hot bathing and freezing . Our freezer went out this winter . I have bought some Ball canning books and supplies . I have a small pressure cooker which only hold a few small jars. I would love a Ball FreshTECH electronic canner . It would be a God sent .