# Wide mouth or regular mouth



## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I buy regular mouth jars because I can get the lids any time for a dollar. I bought 5 boxes of lids for what I could've bought 2 boxes of wide mouth lids.

What kinda jars do you use? I see where the wide mouth would be easier to fill and get the air out of. During the off season wide mouth lids are hard to find around here.


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

I use both. When I buy lids every payday, I buy a box of each (I wish I could find them for a buck!).
Quart Jars... I prefer wide mouth unless I'm canning a liquid.


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

Primarily regular for the reason you stated, both regular lids & jars whether retail or second hand tend to be cheaper. I also found that it was easier for me to just know that I really only need regular lids & bands.
That said only my half gallon jars which I really only use for storage are wide mouth of course.

2nd that about only paying a $1 per box on lids. I finally broke down and bought a flat of lids @ Big Lots for $1.50 each. Still trying to buy when on sale or with coupons ect. but I just wanted to keep quanity level up.

~~ pelenaka ~~


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## Stephen in SOKY (Jun 6, 2006)

Up until about 3-4 years ago I was actively switching to all wide mouth. Then the price difference hit and I went back to regulars. For the first 25 years I canned the difference was a quarter or less and the wide mouth are easier to fill and empty. Now I reserve wides for green beans and things where it really matters.


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## sewserious (Apr 2, 2010)

I use both. Wide mouth work better for things such as whole chicken breasts and anything in large pieces. I also use them for storage of some larger items (and I use a lot of half-gallons now that I found a store near me that carries them). I use regular for smaller pieces, liquids, etc.


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

I have a lot of both, but as I buy new I get wides. They're easier to pack and clean. I'd rather pay a little more for the lids for those reasons. But, I can also get any amount of lids that I want anytime at the bulk Amish store not far from me. I'm still kicking myself for not buying more jars when KMart had them 1/2 price awhile back.


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

I use wide mouths because they're easier to pack and clean and because I just plain like the way they look better than the regulars. 

And I use them exclusively rather than a combo with regulars because it reduces clutter and streamlines organization having only one type of ring/jar/lid to stock. Which, to me, is priceless. I cannot stand clutter. Having double the canning stuff to stock would drive me bat guano crazy and it'd never last. I know myself too well. One fine Sunday morning in a fit of feeling crushed by "all this stuff" I'd throw all of one or the other -- likely the regulars because I like them least -- out. So, I spend a bit extra up front and save myself the hassle and belated cost of _that_.


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## laughaha (Mar 4, 2008)

I can in both- Most of the jars were free so even with the added cost of widemouth lids, it's still cheaper than buying new jars. I second going to the Amish for lids!


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I use both because that's what I have as far as jars go.Thousands of jars and I can't imagine haveing to replace them.The wide mouths are also easyer to clean when meat has been in the jar, better for scrubbing them. I also buy the lids in "sleeves" from the Mennonite store.


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## Gladrags (Jul 13, 2010)

For stuff that gets dumped into a pot (quartered tomatoes), I use a regular mouth jar. 

For stuff that is to be spooned out (jams, salsa, mustard), I use a wide mouth jar.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

We have an Amish store not to far away. They always have lids too but they are more than $1.00 a doz.


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

I use both simply because I have both. But I definitely prefer wide mouth for filling, emptying, cleaning, and storing reasons. I also prefer to have a single system whenever possible.

The price difference for jars and lids isn't that noticeable when you buy in bulk, so I keep an eye out on the major bulk distributors for sales or free shipping deals. For instance, a pallet --_72 cases_ -- of wide mouth half-pints comes to about $1 a jar with shipping & handling included. With reusable Tattler lids and bulk sleeves, I'm less concerned with the cost of the wider lids. Rather than nickle & diming it every paycheck buying a case here or there from a store, or wasting time & fuel with garage-sales, I just put away a certain amount every paycheck into savings, and buy a bulk order. This works great if you can pool an order with friends and neighbors, just in case you don't actually _need_ a full pallet of jars LOL.

I'm actually in the process of converting some of my jars to the Euro-style bail & gasket jars. I replace wide with wide, but regular with Euro. Those jars cost a heck of a lot more than US canning jars, but there is virtually zero ongoing costs with those, and you can use just about anything squishy as a gasket in an emergency). So far, no bulk distributors on those, so slow and steady works well enough.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

PlicketyCat said:


> I use both simply because I have both. But I definitely prefer wide mouth for filling, emptying, cleaning, and storing reasons. I also prefer to have a single system whenever possible.
> 
> The price difference for jars and lids isn't that noticeable when you buy in bulk, so I keep an eye out on the major bulk distributors for sales or free shipping deals. For instance, a pallet --_72 cases_ -- of wide mouth half-pints comes to about $1 a jar with shipping & handling included. With reusable Tattler lids and bulk sleeves, I'm less concerned with the cost of the wider lids. Rather than nickle & diming it every paycheck buying a case here or there from a store, or wasting time & fuel with garage-sales, I just put away a certain amount every paycheck into savings, and buy a bulk order. This works great if you can pool an order with friends and neighbors, just in case you don't actually _need_ a full pallet of jars LOL.
> 
> I'm actually in the process of converting some of my jars to the Euro-style bail & gasket jars. I replace wide with wide, but regular with Euro. Those jars cost a heck of a lot more than US canning jars, but there is virtually zero ongoing costs with those, and you can use just about anything squishy as a gasket in an emergency). So far, no bulk distributors on those, so slow and steady works well enough.


Oh I love those Euro Jars, Beautiful shapes, and yes a gasket could be made out of alot of salvage items. Sounds like you belong in our Survival Forum.


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

I love the Weck juice jars, the carafe shape is so much easier to handle while pouring and almost no splashing. 

I agree, too, that the Euro jars can be little works of art... but then Europeans have long asserted that enjoying great food starts with the eyes


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## Osiris (Jun 9, 2010)

Wow! Thanks for the note on Weck. I'd never seen them before.


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

The Weck jars are my favorite by far. But the Fido line from Bermioli Rocco is a nice bail & gasket collection, the jars are squarer than normal mason jars. They also have the Quattro Stagioni line which has some nice fat pots and anphora shapes, but they come with one piece screw lids and I don't know if I'd trade the 2 piecers for anything but a bail & gasket (but the 2-piece lids do fit them if you wanted them for the shape). Leifheit are also really cool shapes with 2 piece lids. My least favorite aesthetically are Le Parfait... they pretty much look just like the old bail & gasket mason jars, but they do seal really well.


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