The All-American is perhaps the best money can buy. Worth every penny.

 

I've heard repeatedly that one is the most popular. I think it's because it can do a second row of pints. My kids gave me the 930 that can do two stacks of quarts. I love it, it's so impressive to use. I'm keeping my eye open for used smaller ones like the one you are getting. I like to can meat in pints and can you imagine my production with two going?

I got the AA because I wanted to do meat and soup and it's been easy to use. The first two times I had to get my husband to open it because it stuck. It's something that happens when they are new and they even have directions to unstick it. I'm saying this because you'd think something you spent that much on would work properly... well it's cast and the two sides seem to take some getting used to. Now it comes off like it's suppose to.

 

That's the one I have Kevin. We love it.

 

I love my AA. No gasket! Made in the USA (in my state). I mostly do pints of anything so the 2 rows of pints I can do is wonderful

Edited to add: mine is the 921

 

I'll add my vote for the All American too. It's pricey, but you know what they say. Buy once, cry once.

 

I love my AA 7 quart. I'd like to buy a second so one can cool while the other is working.
Canning directions are rules, No short cuts if you want to live. Food doesn't improve in the can so only put in the best. Make sure the jar seal surface is clean and grease free.

A propane turkey fryer is my heat source used outside. You can dial it down to one rattle every 3 seconds.

About 1.5 pounds of chicken breast per quart.

 

The AA model 930 is a real nice canner but a bit of a beast if you're just getting started canning. We began with a Mirror 21 qt model 20 years ago, we gave it to our kids when we bought the 930 last year. Yes I know the Mirror and the Presto have a gasket that requires replacement every so often but they are WAY less expensive, and if you're doing smaller batches they DO have their advantages.

We currently own three canners, an 8 qt Mirror that holds 7 pints or 4 quarts, a 21 quart Presto that holds 18 pints in a double stack or 7 quarts, and the 930 AA that holds 18 pints or 14 quarts. All get used during the course of a canning season.

 

The AA model 921 love it work great.

 

I agree with soldier, Mirros and Prestos offer the most bang for the buck. If you take care of the gasket they rarely go bad (Ive never replaced one) I've got 2 spares for each canner and cooker and it looks like those gaskets are gonna outlast me and mine. I've got 2 21 qt prestos a 12 qt mirro and an 8 qt mirro. I couldn't pass up the 12 qt mirro it was $10 at the thrift shop and it had all the parts including the gasket, jiggler and trivet. The 8 qt cost $5 at the thrift shop but I had to buy a couple of $10 dollar gaskets.

The All American is a really nice canner though.

 

KEV...Spend the extra $20 and get the 921.. 19Pt 7Qt...It almost doubles your Pt capacity. Over the years I have canned way more pints...
I have a 930 19/14, but as I said, I do way more Pt's, and If I had a do over I would probably go with the 921. I suspect that you will not be happy with the 915 you are looking at...
Like I said...Spend the extra $20 on the 921. You will be much happier!!!

Some info I dug up on canning fish recommended a larger caner due to heat up and cool off times needing to be longer than just the time at temp/pressure. If my memory serves me correctly the article recommended a 20Qt capacity caner.

Oregon state U has an article about caning fish. 16-22QT.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...iwLvuIGYCg&usg=AFQjCNHhQqdEZH53kwelcktoi3ps42-dCw&bvm=bv.51156542,d.cGE&cad=rja

 

I purchased the 921 that holds 19 pints, 9 more. I plan on cranking out the pints of meat this winter if the price is right like I am hoping.

But the 921 still only holds 7 qts so if you are going to be doing mostly qts you picked a good one. If you are doing lots of pints you might want to check out the 921. I also ordered extra pressure plugs and an extra gauge. Just make sure you have enough room over your stove for the height of the 921 if you decide to go that route, it is $230 free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/All-American-921-2-Quart-Pressure/dp/B00004S88Z/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377635932&sr=8-1&keywords=all+american+921

And don't forget the Vaseline to form the "seal".

 

I can buy three Presto canners for the price of a same size All American canner. The AA is very nice and I'd love to own one but I would have to find it at an estate sale or flea market before I'd buy it.

 

I say go with Presto for the best bang-for-buck. The All-Americans are great, everyone raves about them, but dang pricey.

I have been using a 16qt Presto for at least 6 years now, still works great. I've heard the gasket needs to be replaced eventually but mine is showing no signs of wear and it has seen plenty of use.

 

I misspoke earlier. I said the one you were looking at was the most popular. I actually thought you were looking at the one that could do a double layer of pints. I obviously read to quickly.

If you are going for the AA, I would go for the one that can do at least a double layer of pints. The important thing to check is if there is room on your stove for it.

While the Prestos are OK and maybe the best bang for your buck, the AA will last your lifetime and be consistent. They also are very, very easy to use. I can't lift it when it is full. I have the 930 and it's just way, way to heavy and awkward.

There are many people who use Prestos to produce lots of you-tube videos so they are obviously not junk. However, I wanted something that was very safe and was strongly built... and made in the USA.

 

If you take care of the gasket properly (as per the instructions) it will last a very long time but I bought a backup just in case. I would have to say that a Presto is the best for your money. Now if you want one that is bulletproof the AA's get the nod but they're spendy.

+1 on the double layer of pints model, it's nice to be able to do a bunch at once. If I had access to a turkey frier I would get the double layer quarts one for the capacity (otherwise it would be cumbersome on the stove).

 

+1 on the double layer of pints model, it's nice to be able to do a bunch at once. If I had access to a turkey frier I would get the double layer quarts one for the capacity (otherwise it would be cumbersome on the stove).

I'm short 5'3" and it really is only a little cumbersome on the stove. I have tried filling/emptying it with a stool, you know the little Rubbermaid ones that are about 8". It's fine, but I have to move it to get it to the best place. Most of the time I just reach in and out with the grabber.

 

Just buy the AA. Size depends on whether you do mostly pints or quarts, and how large you are, and the space over your stove.

If there isn't much space over the stove, go with the 15. It's much shorter.
If you do mostly quarts, and they cost about the same as pints, go with the 15.
If you are short, go with the 15.

If you do mostly pints, go with the 21.

The AA is a much better value than the Presto, because there is nothing to wear out. Sure, you can keep an extra seal, but what happens when you can't find the seal, or it's not sealing correctly? You buy another one, and that adds to cost and time.

Plus, the AA cools much more quickly than the Presto. Usually the Presto requires cooling for hours to get the pressure down, the AA is less than an hour.

You don't want to open the canner until the pressure has dropped to normal. So cooling time matters if you want to run another batch. You can run more batches with the AA. Buying two Presto's cuts down on value.

You may end up with more than one AA if you do high volume, but you'd have even more Prestos.

You may find some really good deals at thrift stores on a Presto. It would be hard to beat the value of $10, but I've never seen an AA at a thrift store. That tells you something.

Your grandchildren will be able to use your AA, and their grandchildren as well.

 

If there isn't much space over the stove, go with the 15. It's much shorter. If you do mostly quarts, and they cost about the same as pints, go with the 15. If you are short, go with the 15.

I'm short and have had no problems with the 930. If you do mostly quarts I'd want to be able to do a double stack of quarts.

The one thing I'm actually starting to look into is if I can do a triple stack of 1/2 pints! I'd like to be able do do meat in about the same amount as a tuna fish can.

 

All American all the way. I have used a Presto in the past and yes, they get the job done but the AA has a better gauge, adjustable wieghts for 5, 10 and 20 lbs, no seal, its made in the USA and seems to be much more efficient to use. I can turn my stove down a few notches to maintain the same pressure compared to the Presto. Downside: price. It would've been cheaper for me to buy the AA first though

 

If you've got the money for an AA, then get one. Your only dilemma at this point should be size. I bought a cheap presto canner a couple years ago and have no issues with it, but will be buying an AA soon for all the reasons already stated. (the presto is slow to cool, has wearign parts etc...)

 

When I first started I researched this I concluded that the All-American, because it didn't require a gasket, was the most SHTF-robust there is.

And it is. I thought about buying extra gaskets for a Presto, wasn't sure how well they would last over time. Perhaps someone has more experience with that.

However, this is one of those things--like with the Country Living Grain Mill--where you have to ask whether you're better off buying a couple Wondermill Jrs and having change left, or buying a tank like the CLGM.

Same deal--All American, or a couple of Prestos with an extra gasket or two? If the gaskets can last years and extra ones won't degrade, then the Prestos are a more cost-effective solution (plus you can run two at a time).

At least there's a choice.

 

I thought about buying extra gaskets for a Presto, wasn't sure how well they would last over time. Perhaps someone has more experience with that.

I have a Presto 6 qt. stainless steel pressure cooker that was purchased in 1977-8?
At first the gaskets did deteriorate (absorbed oil and stretched out of shape). But they changed the composition, and I haven't changed a gasket in 18 years or so.
Can't say anything bad about Presto pressure cookers (st. st.).

 

I'll chime in with everyone else about the All American canner. Early this spring I also purchased the AA that does 14 quarts at one time. Really cut down my time spent pressure canning.

Have used it three times so far and the lids is still difficult to remove, but I suspect it will seat in the near future. Love it!

Sure beats the gasket Presto model I was using. I think I spent about $300.00 for mine from amazon.com. and American made.

I can't say anything bad about my seven quart Presto pressure canner. I've had it for a long time, have a spare gasket for it but has never needed changed.

I do have another regular Presto pressure "cooker" I've had for years and have had to replace the gasket a couple of times. I think pressure cooking food shortens the life span of the gasket.

It's nice having the big jobber when the tomato's and green beans come in, and convenient to have the small Presto for smaller jobs. Best of both worlds!

 

Have used it three times so far and the lids is still difficult to remove, but I suspect it will seat in the near future. Love it!

It does get easier, I just put a little olive oil on my finger and go over the edge where it seals every day I use it. It's a wider area than you would think, it's the beveled edge. If I'm doing three batches in one day I do it at the beginning, not each time.

 

Digging this one up from the grave

I'm going to be the outlier and suggest the 941. I have the 930 because that seemed like the sweet spot for output vs dollars, but I was wrong. 32 pints in a 941 is better than 14 quarts in the 930 due to a shorter processing time and less loss of texture in your final product, not to mention it's easier to size your portions when using pints vs quarts.

I'm going to suck it up some time in the next few years and invest in a 941 to go with my 930, and triple my throughput of meals in the same amount of time.

 

I'm going to be the outlier and suggest the 941. I have the 930 because that seemed like the sweet spot for output vs dollars, but I was wrong. 32 pints in a 941 is better than 14 quarts in the 930 due to a shorter processing time and less loss of texture in your final product, not to mention it's easier to size your portions when using pints vs quarts.

Unless you have several people working dealing with processing and filling all those jars is going to be a hassle. Since we are relatively a small family, I'm actually keeping my eyes open for a second AA at a yard sale. I really want something smaller so I could actually fill it and use it in an evening. I find that the dealing with the 930 is best left to weekends. I'd even get another 930 because then I would be able to stagger loads. Working on the second while the first one is processing.

 

If you are on a tight budget a Presto 23 quart is a good reliable pressure cooker.
I have owned several.

That being said, if you want one that will outlast you, your children & theirs.
Absolutely go with an AA, the bigger the better & I would suggest a 925 as a small one & a 941 as a BIG one.

https://fantes.com/manuals/all-american-pressure-cooker-manual.pdf

They are a work horse & so long as you treat them right, they literally will last forever.

Below are a few pictures of AA’s I have owned & several I still do.

AA 925

AA 941, 921 & 910

AA 941

All of mine are equipped with the Sterilizer valves

They don’t release steam, unless you over pressure them to around 21 pounds.

Then, they whistle like a like a steam engine.

 

I have a Presto, and I am happy with it. I think I paid $60 at Walmart for it 6 years ago. I have done probably close to 2000 jars with it. I have replaced the gasket once.

Mine will hold 7 quarts, 10-11 pints (Depending on the brand of jars), and I think 13 or 14 1/2 pints. I don't often do 1/2 pints.

At one time I would have loved to have gotten a larger All American canner, one that could do double the amount. But I honestly don't think I'd use all the extra space.

I did tomatoes last night, for example. I got 4 1/2 quarts of tomato broth and 3 quarts of sauce. And that's generally about what I get in a full batch, which just fills up my canner (and the 1/2 quart went in the fridge).

When canning goes full blast, and I have bushels of apples, or grapes, or green beans coming out of my ears, or tomatoes piling up... just enough jars to fill up the canner is mostly all I can do at a time. I do green beans in pints, and while I have one load starting, the time it takes for that to be done is just enough time for me to get the next batch ready to go.

 

I made the same choice you're looking at, with this exception: I bought the 921. A little more capacity, which if you're serious about switching away from commercially-canned food, I think you're going to want. So if I were you, I'd look at the larger capacity.

We have one of those stoves w/ the glass top and the elements underneath; supposedly that's a problem w/ heavy canners on them, but I didn't have any problem, and called the company and they said it was OK. That was the 921. But as always, YMMV.

The biggest reason I made this choice was the same as you noted: no gasket.

Now, having said that, for those who don't have $200-250 lying around for a no-gasket pressure canner, the Presto, I think, is fine--and you can buy extra gaskets for them and they don't cost all that much. I've talked/communicated w/ people who have them and the gaskets appear pretty robust, lasting years and years.

I've considered buying a Presto as a backup to my All-American, and buying a couple extra gaskets at the same time. Might allow me greater throughput when canning (while I'm waiting for the All-American to cool down, I could start the Presto), and, well, in the dictionary next to the words "redundancy," "backups," "spare parts," and "fail-safe" is my picture.

And FWIW: The reason the 921 doesn't need a gasket is the perfect fit between pot and lid. It's why I bought it to begin with--no gasket--but I can also envision a scenario where I or someone drops the lid or drops something onto the pot rim, and dents or scratches or otherwise compromises the surfaces that must mate exactly for pressure to build. And then what? I've never heard of that happening, but as I said, my logon name shouldn't be Goose3, it should be Mr.Redundancy. I plan for contingencies and capabilities.

Goose

 

I made the same choice you're looking at, with this exception: I bought the 921. A little more capacity, which if you're serious about switching away from commercially-canned food, I think you're going to want. So if I were you, I'd look at the larger capacity.

This is the one I'm look for as my second AA, when I was trying to decide what I wanted (it was a gift) I really looked long and hard between the 921 and the 930. The number of pint jars is the same, but you could do two levels of quarts. I really, really wanted that.

What decided me was the number of people who said they started with the 921 and it was just too small and they were hoping to get the 930. I also have seen the 921 on Craig's list but not the 930.

 

So Kev, you started this thread a year ago....what did you decide to get?