Electric Canners: Pressure, Water Bath or Multi-Cooker?

If shopping for an electric canner has left you more confused, that's not your fault. Listings use the same few words for machines that work very differently. Sort out the type first, and the rest gets easier.

What are the four kinds, and what can each do?

First, think about what you want to put in the jars. The USDA says low-acid foods (vegetables, meat, chicken, fish) must be canned in a pressure canner. That group also includes milk and seafood. Almost all fresh vegetables are low-acid, except most tomatoes. High-acid foods (jam, most fruit, pickles) are different.

Things to know about each:

• Presto Precise: nobody outside the company has published test results.
• NESCO NPC-9: Penn State can't recommend cooker-canner combinations, because the research is missing. It names no brand. Putting the NPC-9 in that group is our reading.
• Ball EasyCanner: for tested high-acid recipes only.
• Multi-cookers: the National Center does not support USDA canning instructions in them. The CDC says not to use them. Utah State University says water bath canning in them may work for small high-acid batches, under conditions.
• Stovetop canner: the type the National Center says its advice was written for.

Which plug-in machine should I look at for pressure canning?

The Presto Precise family is the one made just for canning. The 23-quart holds the most jars of its four sizes. Our pick is about type and jar count. It is not a safety verdict. The experts answer that question in different ways, and are electric pressure canners safe lays them out.

Our pick if you want plug-inAd

Presto Precise

Presto Precise 23-Quart (02153)

The biggest plug-in canner made just for canning that we cover: seven quart jars, in both methods.

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Type

Canning-only electric with temperature sensor; aluminum body and cover

Pressure canning

Yes, per Presto

Water bath

Yes, quarts and smaller, per Presto

Liquid capacity

23 quarts

Jars per load

7 quarts, or 20 regular-mouth pints stacked

Altitude

Per Presto, the sensor holds temperature at any elevation when pressure canning. Water bath times still change with altitude.

Power

1,100 W

Price class

Premium

Stated in: Presto Precise Facts and FAQ (2025), read 2 November 2026

Why here: Of the plug-in machines sold for pressure canning, it holds the most quart jars and takes quarts in both methods, per Presto.

Best for: You want a plug-in machine with the biggest jar count, and you have weighed the open questions.

• Seven quart jars in pressure and water bath, says Presto
• Up to 20 regular-mouth pints stacked in two layers when pressure canning, says Presto
• Letting out air and holding the heat are automatic, says Presto

• Presto has not published its own testing, and nobody outside the company has published test results
• Hybrid style new in 2025, so newer than most expert advice
• Canning only, not a cooker, says Presto
• Premium price class

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Which machine fits my plan?

Which one, then?

• If you have weighed the open questions and want the most jars in a plug-in machine → Presto Precise 23-Quart (02153)

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• If you can in smaller batches and don't need water bath quarts → Presto Precise 12-Quart (02144)

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• If you only can tested high-acid recipes such as jams and pickles → Ball EasyCanner

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• If you are happy to can on the stove

  See stovetop canners

• If you already own an Instant Pot and hoped to can in it

  Read this first

• If you are looking at the NESCO

  Read the NESCO page

Comparison: Presto Precise 23-Quart (02153), Presto Precise 12-Quart (02144), NESCO NPC-9, Ball EasyCanner

Comparison	Our pick if you want plug-inPresto Precise 23-Quart (02153)	Smallest Presto PrecisePresto Precise 12-Quart (02144)	NESCO NPC-9	Our pick for plug-in water bathBall EasyCanner
Type	Canning-only electric with temperature sensor; aluminum body and cover	Canning-only electric with temperature sensor; removable pot	Combination cooker-canner with regulator weights	Electric water bath canner with heat sensors and spigot; also sold as multicooker and steamer
Pressure canning	Yes, per Presto	Yes, per Presto	Yes, by NESCO's statement only	No
Water bath	Yes, quarts and smaller, per Presto	Pints and smaller only, per Presto	Pints and smaller only, per NESCO	Yes, per Ball's catalog
Liquid capacity	23 quarts	12 quarts	9.5 quarts	21 quarts
Jars per load	7 quarts, or 20 regular-mouth pints stacked	5 quarts, or 8 regular-mouth pints	4 wide-mouth quarts, or up to 5 pints; dry-fit first	7 quarts or 8 pints
Altitude	Per Presto, the sensor holds temperature at any elevation when pressure canning. Water bath times still change with altitude.	Per Presto, the sensor holds temperature at any elevation when pressure canning. Water bath times still change with altitude.	Black regulator up to 1,000 feet, green regulator above; not above 7,500 feet, per NESCO	Water bath times change with altitude; follow your tested recipe
Price class	Premium	Premium	Mid-range	Upper mid-range
Best for	You want a plug-in machine with the biggest jar count, and you have weighed the open questions.	You have small batches and a small counter, and do not need water bath quarts.	You mainly want a cooker and have read the caution. Not a pick for canning low-acid foods (vegetables, meat, chicken, fish).	You want to make tested recipes for fruit, jams and pickles.
Read this first	–	–	Read this first This is a combination cooker-canner. Penn State Extension (September 13, 2024) says combination canner/cooker appliances cannot be recommended because the research on their safety is missing. Penn State names no brand; placing the NPC-9 in that group is our reading. NESCO's guide sends users to USDA's tables, and NCHFP (February 1, 2019) says it does not support USDA canning processes in electric multi-cookers. We found no agency statement that names this machine. Penn State Extension, Pressure Canner Updates NCHFP, Canning in Electric Multi-Cookers	–
	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

See how we compare and the best electric pressure canners for more.

What is each kind like?

Made just for canning: Presto Precise

This machine does nothing but can. Presto says a temperature sensor runs it, not a dial or a rocking weight. It vents on its own, warms the jars, and stops with an error code if the temperature drops too low. You pick the method and the time from your recipe.

Presto says its 12-quart and 17-quart digital canners hold 5 quart jars. It says the 16-quart and 23-quart hold 7.

Presto reports extensive testing, but it has not published the data. Kansas State and Penn State both say Presto's research can't be checked. North Dakota State treats the machine as a usable option, if you follow its instructions and use tested recipes. Oregon State and the National Center are reported to be working on it, in one answer from the Ask Extension service. The Presto Precise page covers each size and the disagreement over which recipes to use.

Cooker and canner in one: NESCO NPC-9

This is a 9.5-quart pressure cooker with canning modes and two regulator weights (the weights that control the pressure). NESCO says it also slow cooks, steams and browns. NESCO says it holds 4 wide-mouth quart jars and asks you to test-fit your jars first.

Penn State says it can't recommend cooker-canner combinations, because research on their safety is missing. It names no brand, so putting the NPC-9 there is our reading. We found no statement from the National Center naming NESCO or Carey. Holding four quart jars is only one of several conditions. It doesn't prove the heating, holding and cooling match the tested instructions.

The Carey DPC-9SS has the same owner and a guide stating the same jar counts and regulators. That it is the same machine is unverified, and we have no Amazon listing for it. New listings called cooker and canner keep appearing, often without a jar chart we could read. The NESCO page has more, including a stovetop option in the same price range.

Electric water bath: Ball EasyCanner

These machines heat water in a pot and build no pressure. Ball describes the EasyCanner as a 21-quart water bath canner with heat sensors and a spigot. It holds up to 7 quart jars or 8 pints. It is also sold with multicooker and steaming functions.

They suit high-acid foods with a tested recipe. Low-acid food needs a pressure canner, so it doesn't belong in any machine of this kind. The National Center's 2019 statement singles out the older Ball Automatic Home Canner, for high-acid foods only. It doesn't name the EasyCanner, so don't read it across.

Presto also lists a 30-quart digital water bath canner, the 02161. We have no more details on it. The electric water bath canner guide compares what's on sale, and the Ball EasyCanner page covers that machine alone.

Multi-cooker: Instant Pot and similar

The National Center does not support USDA canning instructions in multi-cookers, including those with canning buttons. That holds even when the maker's directions include pressure canning. The CDC says not to use them to can low-acid food. Utah State University found under-processing in three unnamed cookers. That is not a test of any canner named on this page.

A multi-cooker can still be a great cooker. It just isn't a way into low-acid canning. The Instant Pot canning page explains why.

Listings that borrow the word

Search for a commercial electric pressure canner and you'll find 220-volt cookers and a steam sterilizer with "pressure canner" in the title. Small 5-quart and 8-quart cookers use the word too. The National Center says a canner must hold at least four quart jars upright. People also search for an All American electric pressure canner. We couldn't verify such a machine for jar canning from a maker's document, so we say nothing more about it.

What should I check before I buy?

• What you want to can. Rule out every kind that can't do it.
• Jars, not quarts. The quart size on the box is the size of the pot. Compare the maker's jar chart instead.
• Water bath size. Presto says its 12-quart and 16-quart digital pots are not meant for water bath quarts. NESCO says the same of the NPC-9.
• Altitude. It differs by machine. Presto says you need no adjustment when pressure canning, because the sensor holds the temperature. Nobody outside the company has confirmed that. NESCO uses a heavier weight above 1,000 feet and stops at 7,500 feet. Water bath canning always needs an altitude adjustment. The altitude page has more.
• Watching it. Presto says you don't need to watch or adjust settings. NESCO's guide says not to leave its appliance unattended while it runs.
• Power and space. You need a stable surface near an outlet. The makers say 1,100 W for the 23-quart Presto, 1,485 W for the 12-quart Presto and 1,200 W for the NESCO.
• Upkeep. Presto says the sealing ring and gasket need regular replacing, and the sensor needs no calibration. That is Presto's own statement.

What mix-ups should I avoid?

• "It says canner, so it pressure cans." Look for a pressure canning mode in the maker's manual. A listing title is not enough.
• "It has a canning button." The National Center's warning covers machines with exactly that button.
• "The badge means the USDA checked it." The USDA doesn't approve any canner. The badge is Presto's own.
• "Four quart jars fit, so it's fine." Size is one condition of several. The temperature inside the jars decides. A sensor in the canner doesn't measure that.
• "The experts warn about all of them." They don't. Most warnings are about multi-cookers. The National Center has not said that about every plug-in machine.

Which canner is right for me?

A few short questions about what you want to can, your stove and your batch size. The finder sorts by those facts. It doesn't rank machines by safety.

If you only make jam, pickles and fruit, a water bath machine or a pot you already own may be all you need. For low-acid food, you are choosing between a stovetop pressure canner and a plug-in one. Our electric vs. stovetop comparison lays out that choice.

• Water bath vs. pressureLow-acid foods have a pH above 4.6: red meat, seafood, chicken, milk and all fresh vegetables except most tomatoes. The USDA says they must be canned in a pressure canner. High-acid foods can go in a boiling water canner. The CDC says pressure canning is the only recommended method for low-acid foods, and a boiling water canner does not protect against botulism in them.
• Electric water bathAn electric water bath canner is a plug-in pot for tested recipes for high-acid foods such as fruit, jams and pickles. It does not build pressure, so low-acid foods (vegetables, meat, chicken, fish) need a different machine. Our pick is the Ball EasyCanner. Ball says it holds 7 quart jars or 8 pints. We know the no-name units only from their listings.
• Steam cannersA steam canner is only for high-acid foods (jam, most fruit, pickles), under the conditions the National Center for Home Food Preservation and the University of Wisconsin set out. It is not a pressure canner, so low-acid food stays out. Wisconsin and Oregon State name the Back to Basics and Victorio models. We found nothing on plug-in steam canners, so we recommend none.