Presto 01781 23-Quart Stovetop Pressure Canner: Our Main Pick

There's a reason so many canning lessons start with a big aluminum pot like this one. It can look intimidating on day one. By your third batch it tends to feel like an old friend. Here is what it is and what it asks of you.

Is the 01781 right for me?

If you want to pressure can low-acid foods (vegetables, meat, chicken, fish) and you can stay near the stove, this is where we'd start. The National Center for Home Food Preservation says its advice was written for stovetop canners that hold four or more quart jars upright. Presto says the 01781 holds seven. It is mid-range in price, below the plug-in canners. Our electric vs. stovetop comparison weighs that against the appeal of automation.

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 seven quart jars. The dial gauge allows small pressure steps at altitude, and it takes water bath quarts in the same pot.

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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What are the specs?

From Presto's product page, spec sheet and comparison guide.

For how this compares with other pots, see canner sizes and the rest of the Presto stovetop range.

What is it like to use?

• At the stove. You set the heat to hold the pressure your tested recipe and altitude call for. If it drops, you bring it back up and restart the countdown, per Presto's manual. Most of the job is staying close. Our stovetop how-to takes you through it.
• Your stove. Presto limits gas stoves to 12,000 BTUs or less and rules out outdoor LP burners. Too much heat can warp the bottom. On electric stoves, use the element that most closely matches the canner's base. Check our page on glass-top stoves if yours is smooth.
• The gauge. Presto says a dial helps above 2,000 feet, where small pressure steps matter. The manual asks you to have it checked before each season, keep it dry and store it above freezing. Our page on weighted and dial gauges explains the choice. Dial gauge testing says where to get it checked.
• Altitude. You raise the pressure by altitude using the USDA tables. Water bath times also change with altitude. We print no table here. Our altitude page points to the source.
• Parts. Presto says to replace the sealing ring and overpressure plug at least every three years, or sooner if they go hard or crack. See pressure canner parts.
• Cool-down. Let the pressure drop by itself. Presto warns that trying to speed it can break jars and cause liquid loss. Don't open it until the air vent/cover lock has dropped.

We report no buyer ratings here, and we ran no measurements of our own.

Is it approved?

The USDA and the National Center don't approve any canner, so this pot has no certificate either. Presto's spec sheet says it uses research-tested recipes in line with USDA guidelines. That is the maker's own claim.

It comes down to type. The USDA's instructions were worked out on stovetop canners of this general kind. That isn't a guarantee for any single batch. A worn gasket, a gauge that has drifted or an untested recipe can still let you down. Follow your manual and a tested recipe, and you're doing what the sources ask.

What are the alternatives?

• Lower pot, same quart jars: the Presto 01755^* (paid link). Presto says it holds seven quart jars under pressure, and pints or smaller in water bath. It's the better choice if height is the issue and you don't need water bath quarts.
• Induction stove: the Presto 01784^* (paid link) has a stainless steel-clad base and the same jar chart. Our induction page has more.
• Plug-in: if your stove truly won't work, the Presto Precise family is the plug-in option made just for canning, with its own open questions.

All our stovetop picks sit together on the stovetop canner guide.