After two months of searching for the perfect canner and stewing over the decision of size and type, I finally settled on the 22 qt Mirro. There were a couple of reasons I chose this model. First, there seems to be a lot of debate over the perks of a pressure guage vs the weighted toggle. I found that most people considered the pressure gauge to be some what unreliable. More important, I live in a very rural area where I can't take the guage to the county to have it tested every year as recommended. I wanted to can veggies and tuna, so I wanted something reliable from year to year. Second, Tuna has to be processed for 90 minutes and I didn't want to have to stare at a pressure guage the entire time to monitor the pressure. I like being able to clean the kitchen, or run to the bathroom quickly with out the overwhelming fear that the canner will explode without my ever present eye. Third, I wanted a canner that had some back up pressure releases. I read a few accounts of pressure cookers blowing up in people's faces, and I would rather not mess with explosions in my house.
This pot does this and MORE!! I have canned a couple batches of peaches and apricots. The apricots I cold packed and didn't like the results, the fruit floated to the top. The peaches I hot packed and they came out better than I could have dreamed. During the end of the Razor Clam season, we collected several pounds of clams and canned several. They came out GREAT! Since then, we have also canned tuna. I have to say, it is a bit loud to can the tuna, but our jars were pretty and the tuna was fantastic.
One batch of tuna had a problem. My boyfriend was on his first solo canning experience after helping me several times. Once the canner was up to pressure and toggling, he did not turn down the stove. The burner was too hot and blew out all the water. We both noticed a different sound from the toggle. We turned the burner off and gently moved the canner to the center of the stove off the burner. None of the cans were broken because we were being vigilant.
So here is what impresses me. There are not just two, but three safety mechanisms on the pot. Two on the top and a side valve that actually releases the gasket at the lid. I don't consider this pot exceptionally heavy when full. After hearing stories of how heavy a full 22 qt pressure canner can be, I was very worried. I was able to move this pot without huge effort. I'm not saying that it is light as a feather, but I felt comfortable moving it. This canner has the weighted toggle and comes with 3 weights (5, 10, and 15). This allows me to use the same canner for fruits and vegetables while also allowing me to can meats. What more? When you move up in elevation, you have to pressure cook at a higher pressure. All three of these weights cover your base from sea level to 5000 feet.
What I would like to see? I had to rely on the internet to describe how to process the foods I wanted to can. The instruction book is great on how to use the canner, but it does not describe processing times, and is skimpy on the info as to how much water to add to the canner. Also, I am canning tuna and clams (and can't use a quart or even a pint all at once), and my loads are pretty small because you need to put a rack to seperate the cans. This package comes with 2 racks. I have found parts and can buy additional racks for 11-15 dollars. I bought mine from Crazydavestoolshed. It took far longer to arrive than I had hoped (2.5 weeks from the time I ordered it). It was due on July 3 and didn't come until July 7. I am sure the holiday played into it a bit, but shipping for me was nearly 17 dollars and I expected it on time for the cost of shipping.
Honestly, I can't imagine using another type of canner. This one is great, particularly for a novice that is concerned with safety.
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