Presto Precise Digital Pressure Canner: All Four Sizes and What the Experts Say

Who makes it?

Presto Precise is a brand of National Presto Industries in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It is the same company that makes Presto stovetop canners. Kansas State calls Presto a well-respected name in the industry. In the same note it says Presto's marketing statements have not been verified.

It isn't a multi-cooker. Presto says it is made only for canning, and it doesn't cook meals. A temperature sensor does the job a dial gauge or weight does on a stovetop canner.

What are the four sizes?

All jar counts come from Presto's chart.

Presto introduced the hybrid style in 2025, so most university statements are older than it. Answers that give higher quart counts don't match Presto's own chart. Each size has its own page, and so do the error codes:

• Presto 23-quart digitalChoose the 23-quart if you want the most jars in a plug-in machine, plus water bath quarts. Presto says it holds 7 quart jars in both methods. If you only pressure can quarts, the 16-quart holds the same 7. Nobody outside the company has published test results on Presto Precise canners, and the experts don't all agree.
• Presto 16-quart digitalThe 02154 is the lower of Presto's two hybrid digital canners. It holds 16 quarts of liquid. Presto says it holds 7 quart jars or 10 regular-mouth pints under pressure, and no quart jars in water bath. It runs on 1,100 watts and has no removable pot. The USDA doesn't approve any canner, and nobody outside the company has published test results.
• Presto 17-QuartChoose the 02152 if you want a removable pot and also want to water bath quart jars. Presto says it holds 5 quart jars in both methods. If quart count under pressure matters most, Presto's hybrid sizes hold more. The USDA doesn't approve any canner, and nobody outside the company has published test results on Presto Precise canners.
• Presto 12-quart digitalThe 02144 is a plug-in canner made just for canning, with a temperature sensor and a removable pot. Presto says it holds 5 quart jars or 8 regular-mouth pints under pressure, and pints or smaller in water bath. It suits smaller batches. Nobody outside the company has published test results on it, and the experts differ. If you can use a stove, we point you to stovetop first.
• Presto error codesPresto's manuals group the codes this way. E1, E2, E4 and E5 mean damage or a defect, so unplug and call Presto. E3 means too little water. E10, E20, E21 and E30 involve the regulator. E40, E50 and E60 mean pressure was lost. Current manuals add E41 for not reaching the right heat. A jar that sealed after a stopped cycle does not prove the process finished.

Our pick of the four is the 23-quart, for the jar count in both methods. That is a pick by size. It isn't a safety verdict.

What does Presto claim, and what do others say?

About the badge. The small round badge on some Presto materials is Presto's own, says Kansas State. It isn't a USDA seal and doesn't show approval. "Meets USDA guidelines" is the maker's claim too. What the National Center says covers this in detail.

About the sensor. The temperature decides, and Presto is right to focus on it. But a sensor in the canner doesn't measure inside your jars, and Presto has not published its jar data.

Which recipes can I use? The sources disagree

• Presto: tested recipes for stovetop canners work. Presto also says any food with a tested recipe or procedure can be canned in the machine.
• Kansas State and Penn State: follow only the manual. Kansas State's reason is that the manual leaves out at least two USDA instructions for low-acid foods (vegetables, meat, chicken, fish) that need special steps.
• North Dakota State: follow the canner's instructions. Use tested recipes from sources such as the National Center or your state's university extension office (free local food-safety advice).

We don't settle this. Read your current manual, since manuals change. Ask Presto's consumer service before you go outside it.

Is it safe? The experts don't all agree

Nobody outside the company has published test results on Presto Precise canners.

• The University of New Hampshire recommends only stovetop canners for low-acid foods. It wrote that before Presto's machine existed.
• Kansas State leaves it to your trust in the maker.
• Penn State says to follow only the manual.
• North Dakota State treats the Presto as a usable option.

We add no verdict of our own.

Answers from Ask Extension vary. Ask Extension is a free question service where university experts reply. These are single replies, not positions of a school:

• One reply says newer Presto rates seem to line up with USDA advice, and that nobody has collected primary data.
• Another says Oregon State has tested in the past, is working with the National Center, and that no results appear to be published.
• A third says there has been no independent test or USDA endorsement. It notes that the latest model vents. It says several university publications raise concerns, and it suggests that following the maker's instructions gives a safe product.
• The newest we found, asked about the 12-quart, says the research doesn't yet support calling electric pressure canners safe for low-acid foods. It doesn't recommend them for it.

The whole picture is on are electric pressure canners safe.

What are the strengths and weaknesses?

Who is it for?

It suits you if your stove is a poor fit for a heavy canner, you want the steps automated, and you're comfortable trusting the maker. Our electric vs stovetop comparison walks through it.

What are the alternatives?

• Stovetop: the Presto 01781^* (paid link) is our main pick overall. Presto says it holds seven quart jars. It costs less and needs a stove and your attention. See the stovetop canner page.
• Cooker and canner in one: the NESCO NPC-9 is a different type. It isn't one of our picks. Penn State's wording on combination appliances applies, in our reading.
• Water bath only: for jams and pickles, an electric water bath canner may be all you need.

What about parts and warranty?

Like a stovetop canner, the machine has a sealing ring and an air vent/cover lock gasket that need regular replacing, per Presto. The current 02144 manual gives a one-year limited warranty for US buyers. It leaves out parts such as the sealing ring, regulator and gaskets. Terms can differ by model, so check yours. Presto's consumer service handles parts and questions.

For more background, see our overview.