# canning on flat top stove



## mommyby3 (Aug 20, 2002)

Ok I have heard so many different things about canning on a fat top stove. Some do some don't. 
My biggest concern is the sensor that is built in the burner. It keeps the burner from having a steady temp. To me this would be a problem when canning because of the possibility of the water not getting hot enough to kill all the germs and such.

So my question.........what can I get that I can use on my kitchen counter that will work to can. I've only ever canned with a water bath, but would like to try pressure canning this year .

Thanks so much for the help


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## chickenslayer (Apr 20, 2010)

We can on a flat top stove, been doing it for years and never had a problem, just be careful not to break the glass top with the canner.


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## praieri winds (Apr 16, 2010)

I did water bath canning on my flat top had the canner the pan with the pickles in it and the pan with the lids I was more worried about the weight but had no bad effects from it and like you would like to try some pressure canning this summer if I can het over being afraid of it good luck with yours


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

> It keeps the burner from having a steady temp. To me this would be a problem when canning because of the possibility of the water not getting hot enough to kill all the germs and such.


You are correct. The canner weight breaking the glass top and the trapped heat breaking the glass top problems aside, the biggest problem is the burners cycling on and off. And that problem is especially important when it comes to pressure canning. It becomes difficult, if not impossible, to keep the heat stabilized and thus the pressure in the canner stabilized. You end up with a lot of liquid siphoning problems and under-processed foods.

There are several alternatives and there are some discussions here about them that include photos and links to models and sources. Some are electric and range from an stand alone, high watt (look for 1500 watt), counter top burner to installing a separate range top in the kitchen (or other location) devoted just to canning. I have seen this model http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?sku=15862700&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=shopping recommended although it is a bit low in watts.

The more common alternative is gas (propane) burners. There is a wide range of gas burners, both single and double, available on the market but again BTU ratings are important. Look for 25,000 BTU rating minimum and infinite heat control ability.

Try a search here using 'smooth top stove' to read the prior discussions and see the photos. And this propane burner http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Single-Burner-Propane-Stove/dp/B0000AXAAA comes highly recommended on other canning forums.

Hope this helps.


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

our salesman told us we could can on ours and we did for a few years. Both pressure and hot bath. Never a problem.
We had to replace the old girl this fall with a regular element stove just cuz we had a spare out in the shed...
We did start using a propane burner for hot bathing outside when the kitchen was just too durn hot.....


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Been canning on one for about a year. I'm really careful with it. Going to have a different setup outside when spring gets here. Will run off propane tank from grill.


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## Lucy (May 15, 2006)

Presto is the brand of canner recommended for flat top stoves if your manufacturer says canning on the glass top stove is safe. Cycling on and off may be a real problem keeping the pressure constant. The pressure needs to stay constant in order to prevent siphoning of the food. Plus, if the pressure drops below the required pressure at any time during canning, you need to start the processing time all over again. If your stove does this, I really would see no way to pressure can on it.
Then, Presto told us that no burner more than 15,000 BTU's should be used for canning. 
It is hard to find something suitable at times for pressure canning if your stove won't work.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

Mine was never a problem as long as I had the canner (presto) in the exact right position.

I would watch under the canner at the start with the burner set high, and if I saw it cycling on and off, I'd move the pan just slightly, and I could get it to stay on. Once I had the pan in that "sweet spot" I had no problems through the whole cycle. Once I got it to pressure, I'd start turning it down bit by bit, and would end up around 1.5 for the duration, with the weight set. Had problems with just the pressure gauge as I almost had to turn the burner OFF to keep it from building - that was a real pain in the behind.

I now have an induction cooktop and can't use aluminum pans on it. I do most of my canning in my summer kitchen with a coil cooktop, but bought a Cadco hotplate for indoor use. This was not a cheap unit, and at 11.5 months, the thermostate went haywire. The warranty required I shipped the unit back to the company and then they would look at it and see what could be done . . . 

Shipping would have been about $25 and new thermostat was $50, and they would not say over the phone how long it might take before they would look at it. They said if they determined it was not a warranty issue, then I'd have to pay parts and labor to fix it. 

So I bought the thermostat, but I wasn't very happy with how customer service treated me, and won't recommend this unit any more. At least the new thermostat looks much more heavy duty than the original. I think they had problems as it basically melted and I'd only used it maybe 15 times (and it's made to be used for long periods of time). 

The good part - DH found a neat company that sells all sorts of heating type electrical components. He's got plans to build me a single burner coil hotplate if the Cadco goes out on me again.


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## simanco (Jun 2, 2013)

I know I'm resurrecting an old thread here, but, Macybaby, does your husband still have the name if this neat company and what plans did he have for the coil hotplate?

And, does your Cadco get your AA 21 up to pressure in the same amount of time as your coil stove?

Thanks,
Jim



Macybaby said:


> The good part - DH found a neat company that sells all sorts of heating type electrical components. He's got plans to build me a single burner coil hotplate if the Cadco goes out on me again.


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