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.
Catching fireflies!
Love that a another company is making jars…
It’s probably not too unconventional, but I use half gallon jars to get milk fresh from the farm down the road!
Not quite unconventional, but I have two jars of wildflowers that are making me very happy right now!
I would love to have some canning jars. These are interesting. I will have to get some soon.
I like to fill them with water and start baby plants in them
i have recently become obsessed with learning how to can and i love this site!
Mason jars can be found in each nook and cranny of my apt… From candle holders, to spice jars, to displaying photos and in fridge to cool drinking water… I even have an herb garden planted in mason jars. I just told my best friend i’m actually running out!! Would love an opportunity to find new ways to use them around the house!!
I pre-mix cocktails in canning jars and stick them in the freezer to chill while we wait for guests to arrive.
I take my breakfast (granola, usually) to work in a jar most days.
These jars look great. My most unconventional use is a wide mouth pint on my bathroom counter for my makeup brushes.
I love using my jars for leftovers and to take my lunch to work. They’re also great for baby food storage of my homemade baby food.
I am making solar lights with them for my garden!
Like Joan, I don’t want to be entered into the contest. Many canning jars and lids are made in my home state of Indiana, so I will proudly keep supporting the US manufacturer of products.
I regularly use canning jars to carry lunches to work. Now after seeing the baked eggs, I am guessing occasional breakfasts too!
I love canning jars! I use them for canning, storing food, I put all the buttons that I find Ina small jelly jar. My kids vacation treasures go into a half gallon canning jar. My girls each have a small jar for their earrings.
This is going to be my first canning season, I just use old jam bottles for storing leftovers in the fridge.
Would LOVE to win these
My unconventional use is probably pretty normal. I have two vintage Atlas jars that are permenantly streaky from years of hard use. Since I can’t get them really clean any more I just use them as pencil jars on my counter.
When my canning jars have reached the end of their seal-able life, they become feeders for my beehives or mini cloches for delicate seedlings in the garden. Pick me!
I’m a canning maniac! This will help support my obsession.
bulk foods – i can get them tared at the customer service desk first so that i’m not paying for the heavy glass – the employee just writes the tare weight on the lid. saves plastic and i know i’m bringing home just the right amount!
I don’t know if it’s my favourite use, but yesterday I used a jar and lid to trap a spider in my bathtub and keep him contained until I could bring him outside.
i use my jars for everything! my kids use them as coin jars too. i make vanilla and store them in them, i put leftovers in them, i keep hair barrettes in them and much more.
I don’t really have any super unconventional uses for my jars. I use them for storage, as vases, drinking glasses, and sometimes as candle holders.
Marbles and buttons have always been in jars in my home growing up and now.
I would love to give these a try. However, I will probably only try these, IF I win, being that they are made in China.
I just started canning in the last few years, and have slowly been updating my stash. It’s been pretty hard to find jars in Vegas as canning is not a popular thing to do here. However my next trip back east I am planning on packing up some of my late grandmothers jars to bring home with me. I would love to get these to start my daughters first set of jars off. She actually got a blue and red ribbon in the local fair this year for canned apricots from our only local orchard.
I’m still new to canning. However I know how to do tomatoes very well from doing it with my grandma many seasons over the yrs. For now I’m using jars to blend and make my own sauces, marinades, vinegars, oils and to store my fresh dried herbs.
I work in a laboratory and use vintage jars for storing my tools (scalpels, scissors, spatulas, tweezers, etc) for easy access on my lab bench. I use jars with chips in the rims so they’re no good for canning. They’re so sturdy I’ve been using the same jars for almost a decade. Bonus: they can be easily auto-claved if they’ve come into contact with any biohazards.
I would love to put these new jars to the test for more conventional uses.
I use canning jars for everything, just like so many of these lovely ladies! I sent my kid to school with lunch in them, freeze things, store things, can things, hold paint brushed, grow seeds… on and on! Please enter me for your wonderful giveaway 🙂
I have been wanting to start up canning and these canning jars would be an awesome start to my adventurous endeavor 🙂
OH I WOULD LOVE TO TRY THEM OUT. My favorite way to use extra jars is for a candle light setting. I have a beautiful photo that I would like to share with you, but I dont know how to. I group several jars together in an old wooden container and place tealights and/or differnt types of candles in them. The light reflecting off of the glass is beautiful.
I love to use them to cut out the bread for an egg-in-the-hole (otherwise known as a bird’s nest). They’re the perfect size for my favorite bread!
I’ve been known to use a canning jar to wash my children’s hair inthe bathtub. 🙂
I wanted to remind you about Weck jars, since you were listing different manufacturers.
http://www.weckcanning.com/
Nifty! I’m going to be doing a mess o’canning this year…teaching my friend and housemate the bit I know of preserving food, once we succeed with how to garden and defeat the rascally groundhog that’s nomming our goodies!
I use one of the vintage blue Ball jars to hold our loose change. Practical and looks pretty.
I LOVE canning and would love to try out this new line of jars! Thank you for letting me know about that!
I use tons of canning jars with my crafting business. I store supplies such as buttons, beads, crystals etc in them. I also store finished bridal bouquets in them to show off the knotted handles as well as the florals!
I use my canning jars for storing everything! I suppose the most unusual might be that I pack my preschooler’s lunch in quarter pint jars. They are perfectly sized for tiny portions and she has yet to break one!
This looks great! I just found an awesome recipe for Strawberry Meyer Lemon marmalade and can’t wait to try it.
Hello!
I use glass jars to keep my spices in, I mix up big batches of my own spice mix and toss ém in the pantry. I also use them for dry good storage, storing meat grease in the freezer until full to close and toss AND just two weeks ago I made my first attempt at yogurt using jars from La Madeline (delicious Tom/Basil soup).
I totes megoats need new jars as mine tend to disappear!
Would love to play with these 🙂 So much to can, so little time!
I store my grains in them
cool! Those look really nice 🙂 Right now my jars are all full of grapefruitcello & homemade grenadine. Oh, and some green garlic salad dressing. I love jars! I also noticed a typo in this post. You wrote “they are doing an amazingly good just with their new product.” I think you meant an amazingly good JOB.
I use canning jars to hold dried beans, rice, orzo, etc. in my pantry!
I don’t have nearly enough canning jars for my 44 tomato plants. I would love to win, thanks for the chance.
Always looking for ways to save on jars – please enter me. We can fruits, vegetables, meats, soups, salsa, jelly, jam, relish,…tryin’ somthin’ new all the time! Thanks, ~Leslie
I can never have enough jars! The more I have the more I can.
I would love to try a new brand of jars. I’m always game for something new. I plan on trying to pickle some asparagus this year.We grow two acres of it and have only frozen it. Can’t wait to try and pickle some. Thanks
I use canning jars for everything! Canning (obviously), dry goods, dog treats, homemade yogurt, a container for sewing supplies, vases…
My kids love to can with me, but we also use canning jars for all sorts of other things around here… as drinking glasses, for holding art supplies, for collecting/displaying pretty sea glass from the beach, you name it. I don’t know how unconventional it is, but right now my fave non-canning use is to hold our everyday silverware. I found a narrow antique wooden toolbox w/ a handle and stood four pint jars side-by-side in it. Each jar holds a particular type of utensil, and it makes it easy for my wee ones to help set the table. They just bring the whole toolbox to the table and go to town. (Gotta love thrifty, useful things that also happen to look great in a country kitchen!! 🙂
Thanks for the giveaway!