When I teach canning classes, one of the first things I tell my students is that they don’t need a whole lot of special equipment to start canning. And truly, I believe it. During my first, tentative canning steps, I used tongs to move my jars in and out of the water bath and, horror of horrors, didn’t even use a rack in the bottom of my canning pot. It wasn’t ideal, but it worked.
However, as so often happens when one specializes in something, my arsenal of canning tools has grown since those early days. Currently, it includes multiple wide mouth funnels, jar lifters, canning racks and variety of pots. Still, despite all the stuff, I mostly use the same wide mouth funnel and a jar lifter over and over again.
Recently, my collection of equipment grew to include the new canning line from Progressive International. They’ve reworked some of the classic tools in an attempt to make them more useful and durable. The line includes jar lifter, wide mouth funnel with headspace markings, lid wand, reversible canning rack (one side holds four quart jars, the other secures seven pints, half pints and quarter pints) and scoop designed to easily get your products out of the bottom of the pot.
So far, I’ve found these to be perfectly useful canning tools. I like the lid wand and the funnel with its headspace markings is fun (and useful for beginning canners who are just starting to figure out how to estimate headspace). I don’t love the jar lifter because I feel like I have to apply a lot of pressure in order get a secure grip.
The canning rack is terrific, particularly if you’re like me and use a stock pot as your standard canning pot (though I’m still in love with my trivet as canning rack). It fits snugly in my preferred canning pot
and I do like the security it offers the jars.
The canning ladle embodies a neat idea. It’s been developed to both easily get all the jam out of the pot while also delivering the exact amount to fill a half pint jar. Sadly, I didn’t find that it was that easy to maneuver and I still needed to use a rubber scraper to get the last bits of jam. I think I’ll continue to use my eight ounce measuring cup (like the largest in this set
) and get the pretty much the same result.
Thanks to Progressive International, I have a set of these tools to give away to a Food in Jars reader. Here’s what to do if you want a chance to win.
- To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post and tell use what one tool makes your canning process easier.
- Comments will close at 11:59 pm eastern time on Friday, April 13, 2012. Winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) and will be posted to the blog on Saturday, April 14, 2012.
- Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian readers.
- One entry/comment per person, please.
Just have ancient garage sale items. No rack, use a stock pot and tongs. Absolutely love the battered aluminum wide mouth funnel, though!. The head space estimator seems intriguing, and I never thought of a lid lifter- I thought the frustrating exercise of trying to pick up lids with tongs was the norm!
In my opinion, funnels and jar lifters are essential tools. I love Progressive International’s version of the funnel – looks like it would keep my rims cleaner than what I’ve been using.
Wow… such stylish tools!
The jar lifter is one canning tool I can’t do without.
The #1 tool is the jar lifter. I was going to say the funnel, because I’ve found it very useful in both canning and other things, but really, I can fill a jar without a funnel, but trying to lift hot hot jars out of hot hot water without a jar lifter is near impossible — I’ve done it with tongs a few times, and it was terrible and I kept dropping the jars.
Jar lifter…that’s the one I’m most nervous about working without. I don’t think I even have tongs. These look like quite an attractive line of tools – with the shiny red and white scheme.
I couldn’t do without my wide mouth funnel.
I love the ladle and lid pickup. Can’t wait to get fresh veggies for canning. Looking to find 24 oz ball canning jars. Love the site. Also all the info
I have never used a canning rack and have lost jars due to breaking. I must get a rack!!
The jar lifter would be missed if it were gone…. although I love my lid magnet quite a bit as well 🙂
I am personally fond of my measuring cup with pouring spout. I know exactly how high to fill it to get the right amount.
The jar lifter by far–I can make just about anything work for canning, such as my propane camp stove when the power died in the middle of jam making–plus it was fun to can on the deck, much cooler than in the hot house. Close 2nd is my funnel, less product on the counter/outside of jar.
Wide mouth funnel and the magnet to lift lids and rings out of hot water. Especially the magnet, it saves fingers from being burned.
The jar lifter is of course essential, but for some reason my magnetic lid lifter wand always makes me smile. A tiny piece of kitchen magic.
I have been following “Food in Jars” for a year and taking baby steps into the world of canning. The wide mouth funnel would be far more helpful and fun than the forest green one I have used. The Progressive funnel would be a crown on top of my first jar of strawberry jam.
A great pot is the best canning tool!
oh yes- the jar lifter!
I would love to try these!
A good potholder!
The funnel is definitely my most needed canning tool. I’m super sloppy when it comes to getting my sauce or jelly into jars. This is a great looking set, I would love to try it!
This is my first time on your site, and between this and the others I’ve found on your site, holy moly!!!!
I haven’t bought canning supplies yet. I have yet to find something worthy if my penny pinching. Since selling most of our kitchen items last year, in an attempt to start over and move to Colorado, I have yet to find supplies that will last longer than a few months. I kept my Lifetime cookware and champion juicer, but could cry at the thought of wrongfully selling my kitchen aid mixer…..so now that I know about Progressive, and now that I know you don’t fry chicken on a grill, I am set! Lol
Thank you so much!
FYI I found the same tools sold by Starfrit.
“Starfrit 094280 Canning Funnel” Less than $10 Canadian.
I have several canning funnels including a two part stainless steel one.
I had seen this cool funnel before, for something like $45 !
It IS a very well thought out design; I could see that straight away. Hopefully the plastic isn’t toxic, and lasts.
OK now lets see a stainless steel version! 😉