Presto 1781 23-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker/Canner
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List Price: Our Price: $75.42 You Save: $34.57 (31%) Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Presto 1781 23-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker/Canner
Customer Review: Excellent Product
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the best canners I have ever used. I used to have a Mirro, but this is better. The seal is tight and it doesn't leak. I love the little pressure indicator because it drops down when the canner is completely depressurized, letting you know you can open it.
Even though there is a dial gauge, you actually CAN use this canner as a weighted gauge canner! I contacted Presto about this, and the weight that comes with this canner is the same weight that is on their smaller pressure cookers, the 4- and 6-quart models, which cook at 15 PSI. Therefore, when the weight begins to gently rock, it is pressure canning at 15 PSI. However, people who live below 1,000 feet of elevation need to pressure can at 10 PSI, so you either need to make sure your gauge is accurate, or you can purchase a 3-piece pressure regulator from Presto (model #50332). The lady at Presto confirmed that by using this particular pressure regulator, it will then effectively be a weighted gauge canner with the dial there just for reference.
Now that I have a way to pressure can using just a weighted gauge and not depending on accuracy of a dial, I love this canner. I do not have a way to have my gauge checked other than by sending it to Presto, and that takes weeks to have it checked. Also, I don't know how accurate the gauge would be after being in the mail getting jostled around.
This canner is great because it is lightweight and, therefore, comes up to pressure quickly and also drops pressure quickly. Replacement parts for Presto products are readily available. Customer service for Presto is so far excellent. They will actually answer your e-mail within one business day.
I highly recommend this canner as well as most other Presto products.
Customer Review: Excellent pressure canner at a great price!
Summary: 5 Stars
I decided to purchase this pressure canner after an exhaustive search online. This was the best price of any of the other sites I checked. I'll admit that the review from the woman whose canner "LITERALLY exploded" had me a little concerned, but since it was the only negative review, I decided to chance it since the price was so good ($79.97 and Free Super Saver shipping)! Best of all, it arrived in TWO DAYS!!!
The first thing I did was take the pressure gauge to my local county extension office (as recommended by the manufacturer) where they tested it and found it to be working perfectly. After getting their "OK", I hit the produce sales at my local market.
Even if you don't have a garden, you can still can fresh fruits and vegetables. I've already made 8 jars of strawberry jam using the hot water method, and canned enough tomato sauce to get me through until my own tomatoes are ripe and ready for the canner later this Summer. Unlike commercially canned or frozen produce, I can control what ingredients go into my food!
The instruction book that comes with this pressure canner gives different ways to can most foods depending on if you want to can them (1)"cooked" so you can warm them up when you're ready to use them or (2)just safely preserved to be cooked right before serving or using in recipes.
Overall, an excellent pressure canner at a great price! Just follow the manufacturer's instructions - including having the pressure gauge checked by your county extension office - and you should have no problems preserving fresh, healthy foods for yourself, your family, and your loved ones.
Customer Review: Excellent price, great product
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been using this pressure cooker for a few months now, and this is what I've noted:
Pros:
Massive. You don't get a real feel for this size of this beast unless you either own it, or, own another stock pot in the 6-gallon range. You can cook a tremendous amount of food at one time.
Reliable. The weight keeps the cooker at 15 psi +/- 1 psi constantly. If you're cooking at less than 15 psi, you may want to consider an adjustable weight set to simplify managing the process.
Simple assembly. We were up and running in a few minutes.
Fast. Like any pressure cooker, you'll be finished in a fraction of the time.
Cons:
Massive. It's a bit difficult to clean due to its size. It also takes a long time to cool down once you remove the heat.
Aluminum. We have a ceramic-top stove, and sliding the pot the slightest bit on the hot element causes it to leave a mark on the cooktop. The mark is removable with a little elbow grease, but, it's still a negative. A stainless steel pot of this size, however, would be too heavy.
Notes:
The pot comes with an instruction manual / recipe book. Read the instructions! There's a rubber safety plug in the lid that should only be installed from one direction.
The recipes are basic, but very workable, and give you a good overall feel for how long to cook things like roasts, soups, and stews.
Overall, highly recommended. You can't go wrong here.
Customer Review: Best for < $100
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this canner when I was just thinking about canning produce and low acid foods like chili and meat, fish, etc. It was a terrific price on Amazon and free shippng so I figured what the heck and got one for under $70. Well, I have canned hundreds of jars of garden veggies, ham, chicken, pork, beef, deer, elk, and too many other things to mention here. This is a terrific canner. The 23 qt. size is right for the home canner, although I rarely use it to full capacity. I have had it since 2007 and I'm still using the first rubber seal, but I have another one in the box just in case. I have had the gauge tested several times at the extension service, and it is consistent, despite dropping the cover a few times.
If this one ever quits on me, I'm going to buy the more expensive All-American canner in the 25 qt. size, but I think the Presto canner is going to outlast me.
I had to get some parts for my Presto because I dropped the cover on the floor and broke one of the phenolic (plastic) handles. The parts department was very helpful and suggested a replacement seal kit, which I now have but never used yet. The parts are easy to replace, and not really that expensive, except for the dial gauge, which is $18. But I can't complain about the service or the parts.
Overall I am pleased with this purchase. Especially geting it from Amazon with the free shipping.
Customer Review: Best Gift Ever!
Summary: 4 Stars
I received this canner for Christmas last year, and it has received quite a workout over the summer. I have used it as a boiling bath canner to make pickles, jellies, and jams. I have pressure-canned beans, tomatoes, salsa, and vegetable soup. I love this canner. I was terrified of pressure canning before using this canner, but the built in safety features have made me feel confident. There is an overpressure plug that will release pressure if it builds to high. The pressure regulator won't let the canner go above 15psi. When the pressure starts building, the cover locks on and cannot be removed until the pressure goes down. I am impressed with how safe this canner makes pressure canning.
I'm only giving it four stars because it ships with the notoriously undependable dial gauge, that must be checked for accuracy yearly. For less than $20 including shipping, you can order a set of weighted gauges (Presto part#50332) right from Amazon that will work with this canner and eliminate the need to depend on the dial gauge. I have found the weighted gauge kit makes my canning so much easier!
But back to this canner - I love that it is tall enough to double stack pints. It will can 20 pints at a time!
All in all, this is a great canner - sturdy and well made, simple to use, with a great instruction booklet that includes a lot of canning recipes.