Updated May 2022
The Penley jars discussed in the post below are no longer in production. This post is originally from 2011. If you are looking to purchase canning jars that aren’t made by Ball Canning, I recommend you look to a jar distributor like Fillmore Container. They sell a wide variety of mason jars.
Canning jars, at least as we know them now, have been around since 1868. John L. Mason developed the system of a threaded jar with a lid designed for sealing (he used lead lids with a rubber seal, not exactly the two-piece lid we know now, but very close). The technology hasn’t change much since then.
It used to be that there were a number of canning jar manufacturers. Ball. Kerr. Atlas. Drey. Mason. Globe. Mom’s. Knox. Golden Harvest. However, as so often happens, through a process of competition and consolidation, the number of jar producers grew fewer over the years.
In 1993, the Ball Corporation (which by that time was the only domestic canning jar manufacturer) spun off their canning jar sector into the company that is now known at Jarden Home Brands. They make all the Ball, Kerr and Golden Harvest jars currently available in stores. One of the reasons that canning jars can be so pricey is that there’s been no competition in this sector of the market.*
However, thanks to the growing popularity of canning in recent years, we’re finally going to start seeing some new canning jars hit the market this season. Walmart has a line of mason jars called Mainstays, as well as a fancier variety branded with the Better Homes and Garden name. And soon, a variety of stores will be carrying Penley Mason jars (these are not the jars that Walmart is carrying). Those Penley jars are the ones I want to talk about today.
I recently had an opportunity to preview the line of jars made by the Penley Corporation. Up until now, they’ve been in the business of making and distributing clothespins, matches, toothpicks, plastic cutlery and drinking straws. Canning jars are a departure for them, but from the examples I’ve seen, they are doing an amazingly good job with their new product.
In most respects, they are physically nearly identical to the jars most of us currently use. They make pints and quarts in both regular and wide mouth and an embossed half pint in a regular mouth. Lids and rings are interchangeable between Ball, Kerr and Penley, which is fabulous for those of us who already have a stash of lids or who are planning on using Tattler lids this season.
When I met with the Penley rep, he pointed out the fact that they intentionally left the back of their pints and quarts smooth to better accommodate the labels that so many canners apply to their jars. I was happy to see that particularly since I’ve always hated the round of wheat and fruit on the back of the Ball jars (in researching this post, I learned that it’s been there since 1970).
As far as performance goes, I’ve canned in these jars several times now and they’ve been perfect, not a failed seal among them. What’s more, they just feel good in the hand. They are sturdy and solid, just the way I expect a good canning jar to be. As you can see from the picture above, there’s a water spot left on that jar from a run through the dishwasher, there because I’ve used this jar for leftover storage and the transportation of iced coffee to work. They’ve seamlessly become part of my collection of working jars.
Finally (and best of all), they are going to be less expensive than Ball or Kerr jars. While it will only be a dollar or two difference, if you do a lot of canning, that can add up quickly.
As far as I can see, there are only two drawbacks to these jars. The first is that they’ve left no space on the lid for writing. As someone who always writes on the lids of my preserves with a Sharpie, this is a minor annoyance. Second is that the jars are made in China. I pass no judgment on Penley for making this choice as in today’s market it is really the only way to make a lower cost product. If you are someone who avoids things made outside of the U.S. I wanted to make sure you were aware (and as you can see, they’ve clearly printed the origin on the bottom of all the Penley jars).
Disclosure: The Penley Corp. gave me an assortment of jars and lids to try. However, all thoughts and opinions expresses herein are my own and untainted by the free loot.
*There are the Leifheit jars, but they are so much more expensive (around $20 for six jars) than Ball and Kerr jars, that I don’t see them as a viable alternative for people who do more than the most basic recreational canning.
I have a jar in my office that stores ribbon scraps for gift wrapping!
I use quart jars for making instant pudding (shaking the milk and mix together), storing all of my dry goods in the pantry (you can easily see what’s inside, and they don’t need labels!), putting cuttings of plants in the jars with water to encourage rooting and storing extra soup in the fridge. I have a safety pin/ button jar, cotton ball jar and a jar that I use for paint stripper. I use a pint jar for cat treats and quarts for homemade chili seasoning and homemade taco seasoning. I have a jar with a few layers of cheese cloth under the ring the I use for dusting powdered sugar on baked goods, and another for cinnamon sugar on toast.
I freaking love these jars 🙂
There’s nothing better than a canning jar for a tea glass, although it’s not very unconventional in the country, lol. This is my first year to can and supplies are expensive for star-up, I would appreciate a good usable product. Finances prevent me from having high ideals, but I appreciate the concept. I am sad they are made in China.
I use canning jars to house my kefir. 🙂
My fiancée loves straws in his iced coffee, so I have a stack of them standing up in a jar on top of the refrigerator for him. It’s the little things that make his day!
Cheers,
*Heather*
I store dry goods in quart jars, honey, brown sugar, flour, flax seed. We use pint as drinking glasses. They are so tough, I use them for all kinds of things!
The only non-food related use for my mason jars is when they do double-duty as flower vases. I’m pretty boring. But I now have lots of great ideas after reading all the comments!
While a bit gnarly I admit that I have been known to put a small jar over inexplicable holes in my old rown home floor to help with drafts and, eeks, mice!
the canning jar is my to-go no-spill coffee cup when I bike to work.
I use canning jars to help sort my daughters art supplies, beads and such, they look like a beautiful display rather than a storage strategy!
I keep my daily supplements in them, it helps sort them.
Ooo! I definitely want to try these!
I use canning jars for EVERYTHING! They are my favorite glass, I use them for left overs, I organize my food pantry with them, store things like cotton balls and q-tips, used 1/2 pints for my spice wheel (turn table from ikea and cheap canning jars makes an affordable spice wheel/rack), and so much more, including actual canning. The most unusual thing I used them for, however, is garden cloches. I use old jars that have seen better days as a cloche when seedlings are just getting started in my garden. It keeps them nice and toasty and protects them from wind.
I don’t have an unconventional use for my jars. I’ve never even canned before (although I just bought all of the supplies to do that this year 🙂 ). I have old jars that I use for display and have put flowers in them.
I’ve microwaved a sweet potato and carried it to work all in the same jar. Not as unique as some responses, all you readers of this blog are so smart!
Not so unconventional but I use jars for flower vases and growing plants/flowers in. It’s cool to see the roots through the glass. The cool thing is the jars last forever so when the plant outgrows the jar I can repot them!!
Besides preserving food, i also make vinegar, brew tea, grow yeast and sprouts. Non food uses include storage for Sharpies, push pins, medicinal infusions, miscellaneous parts and terrariums. I happen to think they are all my favorite ways to use my jars.
I make yogurt in quart jars, and have converted a few older chipped jars into flower pots.
Ooh, new cheaper jars — hurray! These look nice, although I do wish they were made in the US and not China! Anyway, I’d still love to give them a try. My fave unconventional canning jar use? Oh man, I don’t even know. I use canning jars for EVERYTHING — making salad dressing, carrying milk to work for my coffee, drinking bourbon, storing sewing pins / buttons / thread, storing vacation souvenirs like rocks and seashells, holding q-tips in my medicine cabinet. There are a lot of canning jars floating around this place!
I use canning jars for EVERYTHING. We drink out of them, rather than having “proper” drinking glasses. I store dried goods in them. I use them to make salad dressings. Probably the strangest thing that was ever “canned” in one was when my daughter (who was 3 at the time), grabbed a half-pint jar and my funnel and piled her magnetic alphabet letters in, topping it off with a lid at the end.
I’v been bitten bad. From marmalade to a 5 week Masters Canning course. All this because of a great B & B & some free marmalade. I could use the jars!
I’m so glad that there are new players in the market in the canning industry. It’s too bad they aren’t made in the USA. It’s definitely worth a try though.
I’ve used a few as containers to wash out paint brushes.
Great article. We can alot every year, and even though these jars may be a couple bucks cheaper, we only buy made in the USA products, we are adamant about supporting fellow USA workers and farmers. If we don’t support our countrymen who will? With the economy like it is today, we all need to support the USA manufactures & keep our jobs here. Just my morals, values, and conscious talking.
I like to bring fresh flowers to friends in my old mason jars, but I always put sea glass or pretty shells and pebbles in the bottom. I think it looks so much prettier on the table that way.
Pickled beets! The best way to enjoy the garden year round.
Right now we have a quart jar full of bottle nipples.
That’s it! Best use for jars ever!
I drink beer from them!
Just like everybody else, I use the chipped jars for holding knitting needles, q-tips and dog cookies. My grandma used to use her chipped jars in the garden, in the early spring, for rosebush starts – mini green houses.
I am excited to hear about some competition in the market. I think my most unconventional use of jars is the one that holds q-tips in my bathroom medicine cabinet.
Thanks for the giveaway! The most unusual thing I use my canning jars for: weights for pressing cheese! I make my own paneer (fresh Indian cheese) and I like to fill my quart jars w/ water and set on a plate to press the whey out of freshly made cheese. Filled with water, they’re the perfect weight.
The most unconventional use of jars I have used them for is to hold gym chalk for my garage gym.
I share your discontent with no open space on the jar lid; for home use, I enjoy writing the date and contents on the jar lid and forgo the paper labels.
This year, my garden and orchard is about an acre in size so I’ll be canning more than usual.
I promised my boyfriend that I wouldn’t buy anymore jars but he didn’t say I couldn’t win any!
i used to mix up lots of lemonade and put it in jars, until my boyfriend told me i looked like a crazy homeless person carrying a jar of urine 🙁 boo, boyfriend.
Oh how I would love to win! My most unconventional use of canning jars is probably for making the mason jar chandelier!
When I grew up my grandpa had a 1 acre garden and late in the day would drop off baskets full of produce and then my parents would can into the night after work. When we got up in the morning, there were all those beautiful jars lined up on the counter. I have always canned as an adult, and my two daughters were always part of the process. They used to complain in September when they’d go to school with “red fingers” because we had canned so many tomatoes. Our oldest daughter got married this spring, and what did we use for all the centerpieces on every table? My blue Ball jars of course!! I hope I get to try this new brand!!
I don’t know how unconventional is it, but we use canning jars for storing all sorts of other foods, both in the fridge and the freezer.
These news jars look great — I’ll be keeping an eye out for them.
My unconventional canning jar use is quart jars as feeders for new bee hives in the Lavender fields! But, I use a lot more of the pretty little pints for Lavender Lemonade Marmalade! The odd sized flat pints work great for Spiced-n-Sliced Pickled Beets.
I don’t use the jars for unconventional things as of yet as I am new to canning and everyone of them for food! LOL!!
Oh, funny you should bring Leifheit jars up as this is the first time I have ever seen them (Purchased at Sierra Trading Post?)I have not used thm yet. Any opinions on them?
First I would like to ask where Walmart’s jars are made. I did not see that addressed or maybe I just missed it.
As for the contest, over the years I have stored small things like my Barbie doll’s shoes from when I was young (my mom’s jars), my babies diaper pins (in my twenties), buttons (during my sewing phase) bulk grains etc. (in my thirties and now)a catch all jar for screws, nails, and all other small farm type gear that finds its way into my dryer and the last use is storing fresh herbs in the frig with a freebie shower cap on top (the caps you get at a hotel to keep your hair dry while bathing)to keep herbs fresh.
I love jars. Other than food, I have two canning jars to store buttons. In the future, I’d like to use jars more widely.
as most have done I have used my jars when they don’t have some delicious in season food in them , for just about everything from crayons , thread buttons, even dog food treats. I have even put cotton balls in them and any other thing Right now I have a very old Blue Ball jar with plastic lids for my granddaughter to take to her home school group for a girl who gets cancer treatments. But one of my favorites is to make homemade hot choc. mix for presents.I have even used them for my iced tea .
ruth
I keep all my loose leaf tea in canning jars, which is a lovely display on my counter. I make sure, though, that it is facing away from the light so that it doesn’t get old too fast!
Can’t say I use my canning jars “unconventionally” but one thing I do do is keep a bottomless jar of hot peppers pickling in the fridge. Start with a quart jar, pickle a mess of peppers, then just keep adding more fresh ones. Great in the summer when more grow than you can use all at once but not enough for putting up a proper batch. Also, I ususally buy an extra jalapeno so in they go too. And then you mix other things too, a carrot now and then, some onion. A real witch’s cauldron.
I like the idea of smooth sides for labels that I can see at a glance..wish they could be made here in the USA to help our economy! Who knows! if they are that nice we may need a factory here at home to have them quicker and cheaper…I always seem to need more jars and I prefer the wide mouth if I can get them…
I’ve used a variety of mason jars to make a chandelier.
I like to use mason jars to hold all of my office supplies.
I don’t know how unconventional it is, but I save bacon grease in them. They’re strong enough to withstand the heat when I pour it off the skillet and I don’t have to wait around for the grease to cool.
Please pick me!