Brand
T-fal and Other Stovetop Pressure Canners: What to Check Before You Buy
Beyond Presto and All American, the stovetop shelf holds T-fal, NESCO's manual canners, FORJARS and a growing number of no-name kits. Some have papers you can read. Some have only a listing. None is our pick. For each one, here is what its own papers say and what we couldn't confirm, so you can check before you buy.
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links (marked with *). If you buy through them, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
The short answer
T-fal's page says its 22-quart pot holds 7 quart jars, and it gives two answers on induction. NESCO's stovetop canners are listed at 7 quart jars and work as weighted-gauge canners. For a no-name listing, look for a maker's jar chart and manual first. Penn State says it has no information on testing of new discount brands. Our stovetop pick stays the Presto 01781.
It's natural to look past the big names, especially when a listing looks like a good deal and comes with all the tools. Reading the papers carefully is what separates a fair choice from a gamble.
What could we read, brand by brand?
Everything here is the maker's or seller's own statement, read on November 2, 2026. None of it is a safety finding.
| Canner | Size | Quart jars | What we read | What stays open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-fal 22-quart, model P31052 | 22 quarts | 7 | T-fal's page and manual | Two pint counts and two answers on induction |
| NESCO MPC-16 QT and MPC-24 QT | In the model name | 7 | NESCO's guide (April 2024) | The guide's water bath note speaks of a 17-quart |
| FORJARS stainless | 24.3 quarts | None given | Its product page, marked sold out | No jar count and no manual link on the page |
| 23-quart kit sold under Supa Ant | 23 quarts, per the seller | None we could read | The Amazon listing only | Everything a manual would tell you |
Denali came up in our keyword data, but its site refused our request on November 2, 2026, so we say nothing about it. All American has its own page. Presto has its own page too. Mirro and other older names are on our page about used and vintage canners.
What about T-fal?
T-fal's page describes the 22-quart as a pressure cooker and canner with two canning racks, a step-by-step canning guide and a one-year warranty. It says the pot holds 7 quart jars. For pints and half-pints, its bullet list and an image caption give different numbers, so test-load your own jars.
Ask T-fal two things before you buy. First, the stove: one line on the page names gas and electric coil, and another says all cooktops, including induction. Our induction page has more. Second, the pressure settings. The manual describes an operating valve with positions 1, 2 and 3, plus a gauge it says gives additional information. Tested tables ask for a particular pressure at your altitude, so make sure you know how the pot delivers that. Our gauge comparison explains why.
It is budget-priced among the canners here, and you can see the T-fal 22-quart listing* (paid link). It is an option, not a pick.
What about NESCO's manual canners?
Please don't confuse these with the NESCO NPC-9. The MPC models are stovetop pots with no plug. NESCO's guide says they work as weighted-gauge canners, and the dial is for pressure reference only. It says they can't be used on induction or a portable electric burner. It also warns that a fully loaded canner is extremely heavy and can break a glass top. The guide sends you to the National Center for Home Food Preservation for canning information.
We have no Amazon listing for these, so there's no link. The warning on electric canners is about plug-in machines. Don't read it across to these pots.
What about FORJARS?
The FORJARS page describes a 304 stainless steel pot of 24.3 quarts. It has a gauge already attached and regulator weights, for induction, gas, electric and ceramic stoves. It was marked sold out when we read it. The page gives no jar count and has no manual link. It doesn't mention the USDA or a UL mark. We have no listing for it.
Does "heavy duty" mean anything?
Lots of people search for a heavy duty pressure canner, and the phrase sounds reassuring. We found no expert definition for it. Penn State says most canners made today are lightweight aluminum. It says a canner's weight does not affect the safety of the food inside. A heavier pot is harder to lift, and its weight tells you nothing about the process.
What should I check on a no-name listing?
- A maker you can reach and a manual you can read. If you can't read the manual before you buy, you can't check the rest of this list.
- A jar chart in jars. The National Center says the USDA recommends a canner large enough for at least four quart-size jars. Penn State says some less expensive brands hold fewer than 7. The 4-quart page explains the label trap.
- How it shows pressure. Penn State says some brands have a weight for only two settings. Compare what the pot offers with the altitude page and the USDA tables it links to.
- A way to vent and to show pressure the whole time. The National Center lists both alongside size. Holding four quart jars is only one of several conditions. It doesn't prove the heating, holding and cooling match the tested instructions.
- A UL mark. The National Center says to use only canners that have it, and that you may find it only in the manual. It's about the appliance. It makes no claim about your food.
- Your stove. Check both manuals, the canner's and the stove's.
- Parts. Find out where a new gasket and overpressure plug would come from, by model number, before you need them.
Penn State also says it has no information on testing done to find out whether new brands in discount stores and online safely process low-acid foods (vegetables, meat, chicken, fish). It names no brand, so that isn't a statement about any pot here.
What does an example listing look like?
This kit is here so you can try the list on a real listing. We have nothing beyond what the seller says. The words "complete kit" tell you about the tools, not about the pot.
Supa Ant
23-quart canner kit (Supa Ant listing)
A 23-quart canning pot sold with hand tools and racks, known to us only from its Amazon listing.
Seller data only: We only have the Amazon listing for this product. We list it as an option, not as a recommendation.
- Type
- Stovetop pressure canner sold as a kit, according to the seller
- Pressure canning
- Yes, according to the seller
- Liquid capacity
- 23 quarts, according to the seller
- Price class
- Mid-range
Why here: This is an example of a kit sold with tools. We read no maker's document, so it is no recommendation.
Best for: Only after you have read the maker's manual and found a jar chart for the pot.
- Sold with racks and hand tools such as a jar lifter and funnel, says the seller
- Aluminum body and lid with a stainless steel base, says the seller
- We read no maker's document, so we give no jar count
- We could not read how it shows pressure. Check that against your tested recipe and altitude
- Penn State says it has no information on testing of new discount and online brands. It names no brand, so this is not about this pot
What do we suggest instead?
If you'd rather skip the homework, our pick stays a canner with published jar charts, parts lists and care sheets. How we compare explains why a document counts for more than a listing. The full stovetop comparison sets the options side by side. Electric vs. stovetop covers the plug-in route.
Presto
Presto 23-Quart Stovetop (01781)
A pot for your stove, the kind the USDA's canning steps were written for.
- 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 publishes the jar chart, parts list and care sheets for this pot, so you can check it all before you buy. Presto says it holds 7 quart jars.
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
What people ask
Are T-fal pressure canners any good for canning?
We can't rate one. We ran no measurements and read only T-fal's page and manual. The page says 7 quart jars, a gauge and two racks. It gives two different pint counts and two answers on induction, so ask T-fal about both. Penn State's remarks on less expensive brands name no brand, so they aren't a statement about this pot.
What does "heavy duty pressure canner" mean?
It's a shop phrase, and we found no expert definition for it. Penn State says most canners made today are lightweight aluminum, and that a canner's weight does not affect the safety of the food inside. So look past the phrase to the jar chart, the gauge and the manual.
Is the NESCO manual canner the same kind of machine as the NESCO NPC-9?
No. NESCO's MPC models sit on your stove, and NESCO's guide says they work as weighted-gauge canners. The NPC-9 plugs in and also cooks, so it's a cooker and canner in one. That type has its own warning. What's said about one doesn't carry over to the other.
Do the USDA or the National Center approve any of these brands?
They don't approve any canner, whatever the brand. A page may mention the USDA, as T-fal's does when it refers to the USDA-recommended pressure canning method. That describes the method and says nothing about the pot. Your jars still need a tested recipe and your manual.
Where this comes from
- T-fal: 22-quart pressure canner product page (read November 2, 2026)
- T-fal: Pressure canner and cooker user's manual, model P31052
- NESCO: MPC-16 QT and MPC-24 QT Care/Use Guide (April 2024)
- FORJARS: Pressure canner product page (read November 2, 2026)
- Penn State Extension: Buying a pressure canner (April 21, 2026)
- NCHFP / University of Georgia: Preserving Food, Using Pressure Canners, Circular 1344-02 (June 2025)
More from the shelf
- Buying guideStovetop cannersA stovetop pressure canner is the type the canning experts wrote their advice for. See dial vs weighted gauge, jar counts, stove fit and our pick.
- Question & answerDoes a 4-Quart Pressure Canner Hold Four Quart Jars? NoA 4-quart pressure pot doesn't hold four quart jars. See the minimum the USDA, the National Center and the CDC set, and how to read a size label.
- ComparisonWeighted vs dial gaugeA weighted gauge rocks and needs no yearly check. A dial reads in small steps and does need one. A sensor reads heat. Here is how to choose.
- ComparisonBest stovetop cannersThe Presto 01781 is our stovetop pick. See how it compares with the 01755, 01784, T-fal and All American on jars, gauge, stove fit and what we could read.
- ComparisonElectric vs stovetopElectric or stovetop pressure canner? See how they differ on heat, venting, gauges, altitude and jars, what the experts say, and when electric isn't worth it.
Who writes here
electricpressurecanner.com Editorial Team
Machine comparisons & source reading
We are the editorial team at electricpressurecanner.com. We read manuals, spec sheets and the statements of NCHFP, USDA, CDC and Extension services, and we report who says what, with dates. No lab work happens here, and this site publishes no processing times or recipes of its own.
- Manuals and food-safety guidance read
- Sources and dates on every page
- No lab tests, stated openly
- No own processing times or recipes