Best Stovetop Pressure Canner: Presto, All American and T-fal Compared

A canner is a big purchase, and it's hard to compare pots you've never used. The good news is that only a few differences really decide it, and you can check most of them from your own kitchen.

What does "best" mean here?

We compare specs and published statements. We made no measurements of our own. How we compare explains more. Two things shape this page:

• Nobody ranks these pots. We found no government or university source that names a best stovetop canner. Penn State says dial and weighted gauges work equally well and keep food safe when used correctly.
• We go by the makers' own documents. Presto publishes a jar chart for each pot. T-fal's page and manual and All American's product page give jar counts too. Where a maker's figures differ between places, we say so. That is no judgment on those pots.

So "best" here means the best documented fit for most kitchens. For the wider picture, start with our stovetop canner guide.

What is our pick?

Our pick for stovetopAd

Presto

Presto 23-Quart Stovetop (01781)

A pot for your stove, the kind the USDA's canning steps were written for.

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Type

Stovetop pressure canner with dial gauge

Pressure canning

Yes

Water bath

Yes, quarts and smaller, per Presto

Liquid capacity

23 quarts

Jars per load

7 quarts, or 20 regular-mouth pints stacked

Altitude

You raise the pressure by altitude from the USDA tables. Water bath times also change with altitude.

Price class

Mid-range

Stated in: Presto Canner Comparison Guide (2025), read 2 November 2026

Why here: Presto says it holds 7 quart jars in pressure and water bath canning, and up to 20 regular-mouth pints stacked. It is the stovetop type the National Center says its advice was written for.

Best for: You want to pressure can low-acid foods (vegetables, meat, chicken, fish) and can stay near the stove.

• The National Center's advice was written for stovetop canners
• Seven quart jars, or up to 20 regular-mouth pints stacked, says Presto
• Also works as a water bath canner for quarts and smaller, says Presto
• Works on gas and on electric coil and smooth-top ranges, says Presto

• You watch the gauge and adjust the heat yourself
• The dial gauge needs an accuracy test every year, says Presto
• Presto does not list induction for this pot. The 01784 is its induction version

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There is more on this pot on the Presto 23-quart stovetop page.

Which one fits my kitchen?

Which one, then?

• If you want one pot for both methods and room for stacked pints → Presto 23-Quart Stovetop (01781)

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• If you cook on induction → Presto 23-Quart Induction (01784)

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• If you pressure can quarts and only water bath small jars → Presto 16-Quart Stovetop (01755)

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• If you like a seal with no gasket and don't mind reading up first

  See All American

• If you are still weighing a plug-in machine

  Compare both

Comparison: Presto 23-Quart Stovetop (01781), Presto 16-Quart Stovetop (01755), Presto 23-Quart Induction (01784), T-fal 22-Quart, All American 921

Comparison	Our pick for stovetopPresto 23-Quart Stovetop (01781)	Shorter stovetop potPresto 16-Quart Stovetop (01755)	Our pick for inductionPresto 23-Quart Induction (01784)	T-fal 22-Quart	All American 921
Type	Stovetop pressure canner with dial gauge	Stovetop pressure canner with dial gauge	Stovetop pressure canner with dial gauge and stainless-clad base	Stovetop pressure canner with operating valve and gauge	Stovetop pressure canner with metal-to-metal seal
Pressure canning	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, per T-fal	Yes, per All American
Water bath	Yes, quarts and smaller, per Presto	Pints and smaller only, per Presto	Yes, quarts and smaller, per Presto	Sold for it, per the listing; T-fal's manual describes water bath in a conventional pot	not stated
Liquid capacity	23 quarts	16 quarts	23 quarts	22 quarts	21.5 quarts
Jars per load	7 quarts, or 20 regular-mouth pints stacked	7 quarts, or 10 regular-mouth pints	7 quarts, or 20 regular-mouth pints stacked	7 quarts, per T-fal; its page gives two pint counts	7 quarts or 18 pints, per All American's sizes table
Altitude	You raise the pressure by altitude from the USDA tables. Water bath times also change with altitude.	You raise the pressure by altitude from the USDA tables. Water bath times also change with altitude.	You raise the pressure by altitude from the USDA tables. Water bath times also change with altitude.	not stated	not stated
Price class	Mid-range	Mid-range	Mid-range	Budget	Premium
Best for	You want to pressure can low-acid foods (vegetables, meat, chicken, fish) and can stay near the stove.	You pressure can quarts and do not need water bath quarts in the same pot.	You have an induction range.	You are on a tighter budget and will ask T-fal about your stove and its pressure settings first. It is not one of our picks.	You want a metal-to-metal seal and do not mind the weight. It is not one of our picks.
	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

What really decides it?

Does a taller pot hold more jars?

Not quart jars. Presto says both the 23-quart and the 16-quart pot hold 7 quarts, and Penn State gives the same for those two sizes. The height buys stacked pints, and room for quart jars in water bath canning. Presto says its 16-quart pot isn't tall enough to keep quart jars covered for boiling water canning. If your quarts all go under pressure, the lower 01755 gives up nothing for those jars.

Will it work on my stove?

Presto lists the 01781 and 01755 for electric coil, smooth-top and gas. Only the 01784 is listed for induction too. Penn State says several makers advise against smooth-top stoves, because a canner's weight may crack the ceramic and some burners switch on and off. So read your stove's manual along with the canner's.

The National Center adds that, in general, a canner shouldn't go on an outdoor LP gas burner or a gas burner over 12,000 BTUs. See our pages on glass-top stoves and induction.

Which gauge is better?

All three Presto pots here use a dial gauge. Presto says it helps above 2,000 feet, where small pressure steps are needed. It needs an accuracy check every year. North Dakota State says the All American relies on its weight regulator, and its dial is only a reference. The dial and weighted gauge comparison goes deeper. Your altitude can tip the choice.

What about the seal?

Most modern canners seal with a gasket. The USDA says nicked or dried gaskets allow steam leaks, so you'll replace this part over the years. Penn State says the All American is the one canner with a metal-to-metal seal, and that it is heavy. It also says a canner's weight has no effect on food safety. So it comes down to handling and upkeep.

What should I read before I buy?

Download the manual first if you can. The USDA says to use only canners with Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) approval. The National Center says the mark may be engraved on the canner or shown only in the manual.

Penn State warns that it has no information on whether newer discount brands safely process low-acid foods (vegetables, meat, chicken, fish). It names no brand, so that isn't a statement about any pot on this page. It's simply a good reason to read first.

What are the pots like, in brief?

• Presto 01781: our pick, for its documented chart in both methods. You watch the dial and adjust the heat yourself.
• Presto 01755: the same 7 quarts under pressure, per Presto, in a lower pot. Pints and smaller in water bath canning.
• Presto 01784: the same jar chart as the 01781, with a stainless steel-clad base. Our pick for induction.
• T-fal 22-quart: a budget pot. T-fal's page and manual say it holds 7 quart jars. Its page gives two pint counts and two answers on induction. We make no recommendation.
• All American 921 and 915: premium pots at 21.5 quarts and 15.5 quarts^* (paid link). All American's sizes table says 7 quart jars for both. An older manual copy differs on some counts, as the All American page shows. We make no recommendation.

The wider Presto stovetop range has its own page too.

What mistakes should I avoid?

• Comparing quarts instead of jars. The number in the name is how much liquid the pot holds. Our guide to canner sizes sorts this out.
• Buying a cooker by accident. Listings use both words. The National Center says a canner must hold at least four quart jars upright with the lid on. Pressure canner vs. pressure cooker has the rest.
• Assuming a used pot is a bargain. The National Center says replacement parts may no longer be available, and the manual may be hard to find.

Which one should I take?

• The Presto 01781 if you want one documented pot for most things.
• The Presto 01784 if you have an induction stove.
• The Presto 01755 if you want a lower pot and your water bath batches are small jars.
• Read on about All American if a seal with no gasket appeals to you and you're ready to check its manual.

When your pot arrives, how to use a pressure canner walks through the steps. It has no processing figures, and it shows where the tested tables live.