Granite Ware Enamel-on-steel 12-Piece Canner Kit, Includes 21.5 qt. Water Bath Canner with lid, Jar Rack, Blancher, Colander & 5 pc. Canning Tool Set

I'm very new to canning, but my grandma has been doing it all my life. She's been teaching me a lot lately, so I needed some canning equipment of my own. This 12 piece set is perfect for my needs. It includes everything needed to make delicious strawberry jam...well, besides the jars and edible ingredients! The 2 pots are a really great speckled color, and the 21 quart canner is the perfect size. They are very durable, yet pretty lightweight, making them easier to work with. The jar tongs work really well to take the hot jars out of the pot, and the chrome jar rack is great for keeping the jars away from the sides of the hot pot. This set is very easy to clean, and I suggest washing and drying each piece by hand right after using, making sure they are completely dry before storing. This will make sure that they don't rust. I'm really excited to have my own canning kit now, and can't wait to make more delicious canned goods for my family to enjoy! *I received the 12 piece canning kit free in exchange for my honest unbiased review. All opinions are 100% my own, based on my personal experience with this set. So far, I am very very happy with it, and would highly recommend it to both new and experienced canners!

The canning boiler itself is a classic piece of equipment, and Granite Ware is a reliable company - over 100 years, if I recall correctly. It's made in the US. Mine arrived on time, packaged in recyclable materials. The enamel on both the canner and the colander has no flaws - I examined both carefully since any spots of exposed metal will rust and the surrounding enamel will then start to flake off as well. (I had this problem with my old cheap-brand canner.) No sign of any irregularities in the enamel on either of these items. The jar rack is also good quality. You also get a set of handy tools, for filling and handling jars. I had already bought most of these separately over the years, but these, particularly the jar lifter and lid magnet, are better quality than what I already had. Everything packs up neatly in the canner - I also put in my smaller jar rack, and my older set of tools, and with the colander upside down on top, the lid goes on, and everything is in one kit. I put on a bungee cord hooked on the handles and under the lid handle, and I can carry it in one hand. I can be all set up in just a couple of minutes. I debated with myself as to whether I really needed this set, since the equipment I already had was "good enough", but I'm really glad I bought it. Whether you're an experienced canner like me, or just starting out, you need top quality equipment, and the price on this set is great.

I considered buying just the canner but decided to purchase the whole set. I am very pleased that I did. All of the elements are of high quality and all are part of making canning easier and safer. Both my mother and my grandmother canned with one of these and now it it my turn. When I retired last year I promised myself I would put food up this summer. It has been 50 years since I canned with my mother and grandmother but with this great black pot it all came back. I cannot promise everyone will remember canning if you get this pot but if you remember someone else canning or if you canned yourself in the past, take it up again. The cost of the pot is easily amortized across the savings on food. I thought perhaps I would just make do with what I had, and I considered buying just the pot but I am very glad I got the whole set. I have used all of the utensils and am very pleased with how sturdy they are. I had worried that they would not hold up to hard use but mine are 60 quarts in and going strong. I have also used the blanching pot to cook beets and for blanching peaches and tomatoes for easy pealing. I also use the blanching pot to keep hot water available to ladle into the big canner when I am processing a long time and the water level is going down. That way I can put hot water into the pot and not stop its boil. I have to give a gold star to the blanching pot. I was weary canning and put my pot on high to start the water boiling and did not put any water in it. When I realized it I thought for sure the pot was a goner. The paint changed color a bit but the pot survived and I turned off everything on the stove and went to take a nap! I have not used the colander but I already had a number of them.This one is nice since it does not have any handles it will fit in a smaller sink which helps with washing and the cold water bath when blanching.

Everything you need to start canning, all items store back into the pot for seasonal storage. It is light weight so I can store it up on a high shelf and out of the way between uses. I live in a area where I have a ton of options for shopping or window shopping with my amazon price check tool. After 2+ hours and 5 stores, where you will get a blank stare if you ask anyone where they keep their "canning" supplies (2 Walmarts, 1 Target, Bed Bath and Beyond and a Kitchen store) I found the funnel and the lifting tool at a 4 seasons type hardware store but, no pots. I searched my Amazon app while browsing the store and order this set based on the other reviews. With my order on the way, Prime 2 day, I had a flat of strawberries to process before they went bad. Impatient me, I used my standard pasta pot to sterilize jars for my first batch of jam and I could only boil (3) 8oz wide mouth jars at a time. It took about 2 hours to sterilize the dozen jars and lids and a full evening to complete a dozen jars of jam. My canning set arrived and I completed my second and third batches of jam very quickly, it only took 10 minutes to sterilize a dozen 8 oz. jars. I also saved time with the magnetic tool for picking up the lids with the added bonus of saving my fingers from the scalding hot water. I used regular tongs the first time to fish the tops out of the water, which is very frustrating they were not quite long enough and my pasta pot was too deep. This simple magnetic stick is the right tool for the job. Live and learn.

Low cost and quality follows the price point: lot of parts and really a great start to canning (if glass containers are used why is called canning?). The package seemed to be well constructed (a great deal of cardboard), but the large vessel did had a bump on the bottom edge (from the outside) that caused a dimple and loss of enamel. Yes - it did rust after one use. On the other hand the Chrome jar rack has not rusted after 3 uses. The 5 piece tool set is certainly useable but not "state of the art". Rather basic and not robust - but again it works and as a starter set it is a really good element. One really needs the funnel and the magnetic wand is handy. The jar lifter is okay - I don't expect a long a life from it. I will have to put up a great many jars of prickly pear jelly to amortize this purchase. Using various pots and pans that I already owned worked - but not "elegantly". This purchase did allow me to be more productive (less messing around trying to make do) and that makes the purchase worthwhile. Keep in mind - this is for water bath "canning" - not for many vegetables and other products. But for jelly it "jams". Now to go out and pick another 10 gallons of prickly pear tunas. My work is cut out for me - but now I have a pretty good partner.

Comes with everything you need for canning. I bought the heavier canner. Love it!

Holds alot. Tools that come with it are well made too. No leaks when boiling and super easy to clean. Worth the money. The stainless steel design really sets this one apart from the competition.

Can not believe the price on this set!! is has everything I need for my canning and freezing needs and it is good quality. Best thing is it says not recommended for glass top stoves as it does not have a flat bottom but it works great on my glass top stove and it is flat, I had pots and pans I had to give away because they were not flat and did not cook evenly, they wobbled on the stove and I could not use them, but I think the reason they say this is not flat is because there are groves on the bottom to help the boiling process. It lays flat on the stove and I LOVE IT!! I have a huge garden with all kinds of veggies fruits and berries and I make jams and jellies and sauce that I can and use through out the year. I use the blanching pot for freezing veggies. This set meets all my needs and you can't beat the price. One of the best buys I found yet :)