Cheap Vs Expensive Glass Canning Jars: The Differences To Know Before Buying

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Canning is a fabulous way to preserve foods, from the homemade sauce that you laboriously made with the best kind of tomatoes to the strawberry jam that you nurtured in your garden from the perfect starter. You'll feel those awesome pioneer vibes canning your own goodies, and many people find it to be a productive and useful method for keeping grocery costs down in times when inflation has hit the supermarket like a ton of bricks. The initial financial outlay for canning supplies can be a bit steep, however, and nowhere is this more noticeable than when it comes to canning jars.

Many canning enthusiasts complain that the price of jars has skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic, with no comedown in sight. Some of them have been tempted to try cheaper jars in an attempt to save some pennies. Classic Ball jars, along with Kerr and Golden Harvest, are all considered "more expensive" mason jars, being made by the Newell company. You might see off-brand jars at Walmart made by its private label, Mainstays, along with a slew of other cost-conscious knockoffs. The real question is, how well do these jars actually hold up during the canning process?

According to both canning experts and social media users' experiences, you should use less-expensive canning jars cautiously, if at all. The materials used to make the glasses and their lids might be cheaper, which can cause problems when canning, and you also potentially run a higher risk of jars shattering. Plus, the materials with which the jars are packaged just aren't as nice with cheaper products (key if you use those boxes to transport canned goods). Keep in mind, too, that there are some safety concerns with using vintage glass jars for canning! New, high-quality jars might be your best bet.

It has been observed that the lids of Walmart canning jars are more prone to buckle during the canning process. Some users have successfully worked around the lid deficiencies on cheaper jars by swapping them out with better ones, which are available on Amazon, but this can cancel out the initial cost savings. If you purchase cheaper jars, you should also take careful note of the thickness of the glass. A good canning jar should have some heft to it, with durable walls that will stand up to the rigors of canning. Imagine your disappointment if some of your jars shattered!

This is more of an aesthetic consideration that may or may not apply to you, but expensive canning jars tend to be prettier, with embossed glass designs on the jar. If you can food to give as gifts or to sell, this might very well tip the scales one way or another, as "eating with your eyes" is a real phenomenon. If you are going to cover the jar with a label, however, perhaps you won't mind as much. Also of note for pro canners: some cheaper jars are poorly packaged, which can cause difficulties when attempting to transport jars in their original boxes.

Know that some social media canning fans have entered canning competitions, and the rules state that only Ball or Kerr jars can be used. This by itself is a strong indicator that the expensive jars are better quality and that, perhaps, you get what you pay for. The amount of canning you do and your willingness to be extra careful with fiddly lids or thinner jars will dictate whether cheaper jars are an acceptable trade-off for you.