What Size Pressure Canner Do I Need? 16 or 23 Quarts

Here is a common surprise in canning: you double the size of the pot, and the number of quart jars stays the same. Once you know why, the choice gets easy.

Which size fits what I want to do?

Why aren't quarts of water the same as jars?

The number on the box is how much liquid the pot holds. Presto's charts call it "liquid capacity." You never fill a canner with water that way.

As we read the charts, the floor of the pot sets the quart count. That's why both Presto sizes stop at seven. The extra height of the 23-quart lets pints sit in two layers, which Presto calls double-decking. It also leaves room for water over quart jars in water bath canning. The USDA describes the same pattern: most canners hold seven quart jars or eight to nine pints, and some large ones hold 18 pints in two layers but only seven quarts.

How do the sizes compare?

These counts come from each maker's own document and can vary with jar style. Don't force jars to fit.

An older All American manual copy gives some different counts. Check the current manual, and see our All American page. For plug-in machines, see electric canner sizes, since their charts differ.

Comparison: Presto 23-Quart Stovetop (01781), Presto 16-Quart Stovetop (01755)

Comparison	Our pick for stovetopPresto 23-Quart Stovetop (01781)	Shorter stovetop potPresto 16-Quart Stovetop (01755)
Type	Stovetop pressure canner with dial gauge	Stovetop pressure canner with dial gauge
Pressure canning	Yes	Yes
Water bath	Yes, quarts and smaller, per Presto	Pints and smaller only, per Presto
Liquid capacity	23 quarts	16 quarts
Jars per load	7 quarts, or 20 regular-mouth pints stacked	7 quarts, or 10 regular-mouth pints
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.
Price class	Mid-range	Mid-range
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.
	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 do we recommend?

If you're not sure, buy the 23-quart. It holds the same number of quarts and gives you more options. The weight difference is small: Presto lists 10.32 pounds against 9.25. The 23-quart stovetop page covers it in depth.

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.

---

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 as many quart jars as any standard pot here, plus stacked pints and water bath quarts. It is mid-range in price.

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

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

Choose the 16-quart Presto 01755^* (paid link) if height is what you lack and you don't need water bath quarts in this pot.

How small is too small?

The National Center for Home Food Preservation says the USDA has no instructions for small pressure cookers. A canner must hold at least four quart jars standing upright on the rack with the lid on. It must also allow venting and show it stays at the right pressure. The CDC and Penn State use the same four-jar line.

The National Center adds that the USDA's pressure instructions were researched in canners most like today's 16-quart or larger pots. Small cookers lose heat that the process counts on.

So a "4-quart" or "8-quart" label tells you little. The 4-quart pressure canner page explains the trap. Holding four quart jars is only one of several conditions. It doesn't prove the heating, holding and cooling match the tested instructions.

What about the very large canners?

The tall All American models are the only ones we read about that hold more than seven quart jars. All American says the All American 930^* (paid link) holds 14 by stacking. Penn State says a tall model like this is very heavy when full. All American says its 930 and 941 are too heavy for glass tops.

Before you buy big, picture lifting it. A bigger load also puts more weight on your burner. Presto says even its own full canner can exceed 50 pounds. Two loads in a smaller pot may suit many kitchens better. The All American 921^* (paid link) is the mid-size if you want that design without the stacking.

What should I measure first?

• Height. Check the space under your range hood or cabinets, with room to lift the lid off.
• Burner size. Presto's canners have an 8- to 9-inch base. Your stove's manual may limit how far a pot can reach past the burner.
• Weight limit. Read your stove's manual, especially for a glass-top stove.
• Storage. Presto suggests storing a canner in a dry place with the cover upside down on the body. Check that you have the shelf for it.

Our stovetop canner guide covers everything else. Your canner's manual has the final word on loading jars.