Here at Corrie Cooks, we ensure that you get useful information about various products to find the perfect home and kitchen appliance for your needs. Today, we will review the All American and Presto pressure canners.
Pressure canners are perfect for preserving fruits, seafood and meat products. According to the U.S.D.A, canning is the most suitable way to prepare low acid foods. If you need to be on Alkaline diet or your family wants to keep a healthy diet, home canning is an efficient way to preserve foods.
Pressure canners come in different sizes and features. Find out the unique features of each pressure canner line, compare their performance and pick which one is most suitable for your canning processes at home.
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All American Pressure Canners
Since the 1930s, the Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry has manufactured All American Pressure Canners. Its manufacturer claims that the All American line offers the best and safest home canning method. The All American brand features an exclusive, precision machined "Metal-to-Metal" sealing system. This ensures that canned products are tightly sealed, but can be opened easily. Through its special sealing system, the All American Pressure Canner makes it easy to can fish, meat, vegetables, and fruits. All models of the brand feature a readable pressure gauge for accurate pressure control.
Types and Features of All American Pressure Canners
The All American Pressure Canners come in the following sizes:
- 10-quart
- 15-quart
- 21-quart
- 25-quart
- 30-quart
- 41-quart
The All American pressure canner line has the following main features:
- Professional quality, extra heavy duty cast aluminum construction throughout for fast & even heating
- Stay-cool bakelite top handle
Geared steam gauge - Equipped with 2 automatic venting features which provide an extra margin of safety (the safety control valve & overpressure plug)
- Pressure regulator weight with settings of 5, 10 and 15 psi
Smooth, easy to clean satin finish - Double thickness edges for additional protection on points of heaviest wear
There are some restrictions on the use of All American pressure canners:
- All American pressure canners are manufactured and intended for home canning use only. Do not use for commercial applications.
- The 10-quart and 15-quart should not be used for canning fish.
- The 30-quart and 41-quart models are heavy and can cause damage to cooking ranges.
- Do not use on glass top and flat ranges. Always check your home range manual for capacity.
Presto Pressure Canners
National Presto Industries has been manufacturing their Presto pressure canner line for more than 50 years. As such, the manufacturer also takes pride in being one of the leading makers of quality pressure canners and seeks the nod of the U.S.D.A in terms of canning procedures.
Types and Features of Presto Pressure Pressure Canners
The Presto pressure canner has two sizes: 16-quart and 23-quart. It has the following main features:
- Designed for easy, confident home pressure canning.
- Deluxe pressure dial gauge registers the complete range of processing pressures.
- Doubles as a boiling-water canner for preserving fruits, jams, jellies, pickles, and salsa in pint and half-pint jars.
- Special air vent/cover lock allows pressure to build only when the cover is closed properly and prevents the cover from being opened until pressure has safely dropped. It also gives a visual indication of pressure inside the canner.
- Constructed of warp-resistant heavy-gauge aluminum for fast, even heating.
- Includes canning rack and complete 76-page instruction and recipe book.
- Works on electric, smooth-top, and gas ranges.
- Mason Jar Capacity for 16-quart pressure canner: 12 Half-Pints, 10 Pints, 7 Quarts
- Mason Jar Capacity for 23-quart pressure canner: 24 Half-Pints, 20 Pints, 7 Quarts
There are some restrictions on the use of Presto pressure canners:
- Do not use pressure canner on an outdoor LP gas burner or gas range over 12,000 BTU’s
- Misuse may result in damage to the pressure canner and/or property damage and personal injury.
Similarities of the All American and Presto Pressure Canners
Both canners have good safety features which is an important consideration when buying for a pressure canner. Both have rubber over-pressure plug.
Both canners offer the same type of flat rack. The rack has holes that allow the water to flow around the jars but also secures the jars at the bottom of the pressure canner.
Differences between the All American vs Presto Pressure Canners
Gasket or no gasket
Presto pressure canner has a rubber gasket inside the rid of the lid. This helps pressure build up inside the canner. However, the gasket needs regular check and replacement.
All American has no gasket. Its metal to metal sealing system enables the lid to screw to the body of the canner. Continuous use may cause the lid to stick to the body. Lubricate the lid with oil.
Metal body quality
All American is heavier than Presto pressure canner. Some older models of All American are still used and functional today. It seemed to last forever.
Presto pressure canner uses a lighter weight metal. However, it does not mean it’s less functional. These pressure canners are used for home canning.
Design
Both pressure canners have the standard body design. However, the All American’s handle design looks sturdier and more efficient. It makes handling easy and safe.
Presto pressure canner handle looks creative but less efficient.
Value for money
All American is more expensive than Presto pressure canners. The heavier metal used by All American is a premium offered by the manufacturer.
Which to choose?
Depending on your needs, All American has a wider range of pressure canners. The brand offers six sizes. However, keep in mind that the 10- and 15-quart cannot be used for canning fish. All American is pricey but if you plan to use it often and hand it down to your kids, the brand will not disappoint because its sturdy metal body can last for decades.
If you want an affordable pressure canner to be used occasionally, you can opt for the Presto brand. Chose the 16-quart for personal and small family use or the 23-quart if you have a big family.
Both pressure canner brands are considered good by many users. It all depends on the features and premiums that you want for your home canning needs.
Here’s something I’ve never seen addressed. Most canner recipes are for below 2,000ft elevation. The problem is due to the atmospheric conditions that’s not a reliable method to decide. For instance my house is at 2,400 feet elevation but when the sea level pressure is above 30.00 inches of Mercury the atmosphere is the same as if I was at 1,980 feet under standard pressure. Inverse of that someone could be at 1,500 feet but in low pressure conditions the actual pressure altitude could be as high as 2,500 feet. I understand the USDA wanted to simplify this but it’s impractical for those either side of the 2,000 foot threshold. I would love to see a pressure altitude chart for the rest of the country where this matters. Using a heavier weight is fine but sometimes it just cooks the crap out of the veggies you spent all summer growing.
I phoned All American customer service yesterday (09/24/2021) to ask about clarification of using the 15 quart for canning fish. I was told it was fine to can raw fish but they recommended not to can SMOKED FISH. Smoked fish heat too quickly and cool down too quickly to give the needed time to be safe. You may want to double check to verify what I was told.
That's good to know, thank you for sharing this tip!