for the same money id rather buy a presto canner, with years of in house QA and RandD and available spare parts
Presto Pressure Canner
A 23-quart pressure canner built for serious home food preservation. Designed with tried-and-true dial-gauge pressure measurement and heavy-duty construction meant to last decades.
6 mentions ยท 5 threadslast mention May 2026
Every mention, sourced
Real comments from Reddit, linked to the original thread. Nothing paraphrased.
I've done the same thing with three pressure cookers I got from thrift stores. My family uses them fairly often. I replace the lid gasket, the rubber blow out plug, and if it has a pressure lock, there's a small flat washer in the inside lid side.
I have a presto pressure canner, and I had my nephew bring it with him when he visited from the US. Because yeah, I wasn't going to pay those import fees.
This was the best accessory we got for our Presto! We wanted a dial-gauged canner but didn't realize what a chore it could be to regulate the pressure. The weighted gauge is simplicity!
I am still trying to get used to mine as well but Suttons Daze youtube channel helped me a lot.
I was going to make two suggestions but they have already been made so I will second them. The weights and the rack, have both and strongly recommend them.
โ What Works
- Proven build quality backed by decades of R&D and in-house quality assurance
- Readily available replacement parts for long-term maintenance and restoration
- Optional weighted gauge accessory significantly simplifies pressure regulation
- Superior value compared to US imports and import fees
โ ๏ธ Worth Knowing
- Dial gauge requires a learning curve; mitigated by online resources
- Accessories (weights, rack) strongly recommended but sold separately
- Requires stovetop burner with 12,000 BTU capacity or less
Owners consistently prefer Presto's dial-gauge model for its proven build quality, decades of R&D backing, and readily available replacement partsโa crucial factor for a tool meant to last decades. While the dial gauge does have a learning curve, resources like YouTube channels make the adjustment manageable, and the optional weighted gauge accessory transforms pressure regulation from tedious to effortless. At this price point, Canadian buyers find it more economical than importing from the US. The sample here is limited (6 mentions), but uniformly positive. Buy this if you're serious about home preservation and want equipment you can maintain and restore indefinitely.