What type of equipment should I look for if I’m just getting started in home canning?
It is always best to use the type of home canning jars and two-piece vacuum caps, boiling-water canner and steam-pressure canners that are described on this site. Ball®home canning products and Kerr®home canning line have a wide variety of jar sizes and closures to make home canning easy and safe. See Products. Old jars and closures have a nostalgic appeal many people like; however, they are not considered the best type of jars and closures for home canning. Jars requiring a zinc cap and jar rubber or jars requiring a glass lid, wire bail, and jar rubber have not been recommended since 1989. There is no definitive way to determine if a vacuum seal has formed. This is one reason why the two-piece vacuum cap is superior to older style closures. Today there are only two recommended methods for safe processing of home canned foods.
