Canning Supplies for Pressure Canning: What You Need and What You Can Skip

The aisle of canning gadgets can feel endless. The good news is that you need very little of it.

Which tool set do you pick?

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Norpro

Norpro 6-Piece Canning Set

A boxed set of six hand tools, each one named on the maker's own page.

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Type

Six-piece set of canning hand tools

Pieces

Long tongs, jar lifter, magnetic lid lifter, wide-mouth funnel, jar wrench, bubble popper/measurer, per Norpro

Price class

Budget

Stated in: Norpro product page for the 599 six-piece canning set, read 2 November 2026

Why here: If you own none of these tools, it covers the jar lifter and funnel in one box. It is the one set here whose contents we could read on the maker's own page.

Best for: You are starting from nothing and want the jar lifter and the smaller tools in one box.

• Includes a vinyl-coated jar lifter, says Norpro
• Includes an extra-wide-mouth funnel and a bubble popper with headspace measure, says Norpro

• You may not need every piece, such as the jar wrench or the lid lifter
• Not a canner. No rack, no jars and no lids

View on Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

Which one, then?

• If you are starting with no tools at all → Norpro 6-Piece Canning Set

  View*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

• If you already have a funnel and spatula and only need to lift jars → Stainless jar lifter · Seller data only

  View*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

• If you only want a funnel → PrepWorks canning funnel · Seller data only

  View*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

• If you still need jars and lids

  See jars and lids

• If you do not have a canner yet

  Choose a canner first

Which tools do the experts name?

We read the USDA's Guide 1 and Presto's Canning Basics for the tools they ask for. Neither mentions a funnel or a magnetic lid lifter. So we list those as extras. That does not make them bad buys, only optional ones.

Your jars and lids are on the jars and lids page. Your recipe source is on the tested recipes page and the canning books page. The overview of all machines helps if you are still at the very first step.

What are the options?

Only the Norpro set rests on a maker's page. The other five come from Amazon listing titles, which is why they carry a "seller data only" label. How we compare explains why that matters.

Norpro 6-piece set

Norpro's page lists long tongs with vinyl-coated handles, a vinyl-coated jar lifter, a magnetic lid lifter, an extra-wide-mouth funnel, a jar wrench and a bubble popper that doubles as a headspace measure. That covers most of the table above in one box, in the budget price class.

You probably will not use all six. Go easy with the wrench, as explained below. A set like this has no rack, jars, lids or recipes, so plan for those separately.

Single jar lifter

If the jar lifter is all you are missing, the stainless jar lifter with rubber grips^* (paid link) is one option. We know it only from its listing, so we cannot speak to how well it is made. When it arrives, try it on an empty jar before canning day. See how well it holds the jar just below the neck.

Funnels

The PrepWorks funnel^* (paid link) is a plain single funnel. The Delove funnel^* (paid link) is sold as stainless with a strainer, for wide and regular mason jars, says the seller. A strainer only helps if your tested recipe calls for straining.

Whichever you pick, you still wipe the rim afterward. The USDA says unclean sealing surfaces may cause seal failures.

Starter kits

The LEONICE starter kit^* (paid link) is sold as a beginner set. We could not read a list from the maker of what is in it. Compare the contents shown on the listing with the table above. Count how many pieces you would really use before you decide it beats the Norpro.

Extra racks

Your canner should come with a rack. Presto's spec sheets list one with its stovetop and digital models. Its parts sheet says the rack must sit in the bottom to hold jars off the unit. Presto's Q&A names jars placed right on the bottom as one reason they break.

The 11-inch rack 3-pack^* (paid link) is sold for pressure canners and pressure cookers, says the seller. We could not confirm that it fits any particular pot. Measure yours and read your manual first. If you lost the original, call the maker first. Pressure canner parts has more on what Presto says about its own parts.

What can I skip?

• A jar wrench, for most people. Norpro sells it to seal lids tightly. But the USDA warns that bands that are too tight keep air from escaping, and Presto asks for fingertip-tight. The USDA also says not to tighten lids again after processing. If you own one, be gentle with it.
• A lid lifter, if your lids do not need hot water. The USDA says to follow the lid maker's directions for preparing lids. Check your box first.
• Canning powders. The USDA calls them useless as preservatives. It says they do not replace proper heat processing.
• Old-style jars and caps. The USDA does not recommend jars with wire clips and glass caps for canning, or zinc caps. They look lovely on a shelf, for dry goods.
• Kitchen shortcuts. The USDA does not recommend processing filled jars in ovens, microwaves or dishwashers. No gadget changes that.

What mistakes should I avoid?

• Tilting the jar. The USDA says to keep it upright at all times, because tilting could push food into the sealing area.
• Using a metal tool for air bubbles. The USDA says plastic, not metal.
• Reusing flat lids. Presto says they are for one use. Bands can be reused if they are in good shape. The USDA says to buy only the lids you will use in a year.
• Forgetting the towel. The USDA and Presto both say to set hot jars on a towel, with space between them.
• Trusting a tool over the process. A seal does not show that the food got hot enough. The botulism page has what the CDC and the National Center for Home Food Preservation say.

Before canning day, Presto suggests a trial run with water in the canner. It is a good time to practice with your new tools too, while nothing is hot and nothing is at stake. The guide to using a pressure canner and your canner's manual walk through the full sequence.

What should I do next?

Buy the canner first, and read its manual to see which pieces come with it. Then add a jar lifter. Add the Norpro set if you own none of the smaller tools. Everything else can wait until a tested recipe says you need it.