# Canning & Flat Top Stove



## FarmFun (Jan 14, 2012)

I am all set up to start canning and my has mother has told me that she doesn't think it is possible to can on a flat top stove because it doesn't get hot enough. Is this true? I thought I would check with the professionals before I hit the panic button.


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## marytx (Dec 4, 2002)

It'll get hot enough, but it's a pretty expensive replacement when that glass top breaks. Ask me how I know.:ashamed:


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## kimmom2five (Apr 19, 2009)

I do water bath canning on my glass cooktop but not pressure canning. And I can't do anything bigger than pints because it just doesn't boil water in that big of a pot.


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## arrocks (Oct 26, 2011)

Lots of info on this out on the web since it seems to come up often on canning forums. You can probably find lots of old posts about it here too. But from what I have read it seems to depend on the brand of stove.

Some have gotten it to work by using special sized pots and limiting themselves to BWB canning by setting the canner off-center on the burner. Others claim they can't make it work no matter what they try.

DIL has a GE smooth top so its the only brand I have any experience with. She called the manufactuer and they said canning on it would void her warranty. Since it was out of warranty anyway we decided to try since her kitchen is so much bigger for all the canning mess.

While we could BWB can on it if we used a small stock pot ( I think it is a 10 quart one) it just cycles off and on when we tried anything bigger like the regular BWB canner. We have tried to pressure can on it with a Presto 23 qt. and it won't hold the pressure steady. Everytime it cycles the pressure falls.

We finally gave up on it and do all our canning on my old coil cooktop.


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## Guest (Jan 19, 2012)

My son bought me the 921 All American pressure canner for Christmas..I have a $1000 Flat surface stove and there's no way I'm gonna push my luck..If I were you unless you have the money to replace your mom's stove I would look into another solution..


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## marytx (Dec 4, 2002)

Mine did fine canning, but then one day, when I wasn't using it, it just cracked. It's a pretty expensive fix. I'll never have another glass top stove.


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## CCCC (Nov 21, 2011)

My mom found what I believe is called a coil plate, no sure, but it just looks like one large single coil off of a coil stove with a base under it and you plug it into the 110v outlet on the wall and cook on it. She has not used it yet so I don't know how it works.


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## jamala (May 4, 2007)

I use my glass flat top with my presto but not my AA. In fact the canning instructions with my presto said it was safe to use on flat tops. But my AA said NOT to use on flat tops.


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## PixieLou (May 1, 2010)

I have an Amana glass top stove. I use my granitewear BWB canner and the Presto 16 quart both without incident. Personally I wish the stove would break then I would have an excuse to replace it. We have gas coming into the house, so I'm not sure why the previous owners kept an electric stove when they redid the kitchen.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

I have a JennAir glass top, and use my Presto pressure cooker on it because of the raised circle on the bottom of the canner; but I don't use my AA on it. The AA is a 941, and is responsible for crushing my last stove and destroying the wiring harness. It's too heavy for anything.

The other nice thing about the JennAir is the burners come in modules. If I break one (which I've never done) it easily unplugs and a new one can go in, no service call needed. It also comes out and converts to a grill, or a griddle.


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## FarmFun (Jan 14, 2012)

I really appreciate all the input and advice. It looks like I will be replacing the flat top electric stove with a gas stove. I prefer gas anyway.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

I have water bathed on mine (tomatoes, apples, peaches, etc) for 6 years.
I only WISH it would crack and break.
Then I could justify a new one!!!


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## Bountiful Ranch (Jan 11, 2010)

When I had the electric glass top I (had) to use my two burner camper propane stove for all canning. I now have a gas stove which is easy to can on but you know I still go to my two burner propane for almost all canning.


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## Bountiful Ranch (Jan 11, 2010)

Laura Zone 5 said:


> I have water bathed on mine (tomatoes, apples, peaches, etc) for 6 years.
> I only WISH it would crack and break.
> Then I could justify a new one!!!


That was of the opinion I was into too! Finally my husband put in the line so I could have propane and boy is it nice. Not only for cooking but we get frequent power outages sometimes for a week at a time (ice storm area) and I could cook so it is a preparedness issue too!


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

Bountiful Ranch said:


> That was of the opinion I was into too! Finally my husband put in the line so I could have propane and boy is it nice. Not only for cooking but we get frequent power outages sometimes for a week at a time (ice storm area) and I could cook so it is a preparedness issue too!


I have the lp line ready to go......
just need to find the 'right' gas top / convection oven to buy!!


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Check out my canning stove - 



















It's cast iron and a cast iron frying pan fits nicely on the top (or my Mirro canner). Runs on kerosene.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

Sally, that's beautiful!!! Where did you find it?


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

I collect all things kerosene, from kerosene lamps to sad iron heaters. I was on ebay about 5 years ago and this thing popped up. I didn't really know what it was, but thought it was pretty cool. Turns out (after YEARS of searching) that it's a stove. It has two burners inside. It was made by the A & W Manufacturing Co. and patented 1882. A & W is Adams and Westlake, a company that made all kinds of kerosene items in the mid 1800's in Chicago. I think it looks Gothic.

Here's a different view :


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## Bountiful Ranch (Jan 11, 2010)

Wow that is neat.


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## shepherdtim (Oct 22, 2009)

We can all the time on a flat top stove....water bath and pressure!


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Now that is what I've been looking for. We use kerosene to heat the trailer and I have just created an area outdoors (under a shed) for processing our home-grown foods. I have been needing something that only has "one" burner large enough for my American "Pressure Canner". I'll google and see if I can find one. Thanks for sharing the info.


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## Melesine (Jan 17, 2012)

suitcase_sally said:


> Check out my canning stove -
> 
> 
> 
> It's cast iron and a cast iron frying pan fits nicely on the top (or my Mirro canner). Runs on kerosene.


That is beautiful!



We recently moved into a house with a ceramic top stove and I have pressure canned on it once so far with my Presto 23 qt. No problems. I did do a lot of reading before trying it. My stove has a 12 inch burner though, so the canner was within the 1 inch max overhang limit that I read was suggested.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

You won't be able to find one like that, but there are other types available. End Times Report has some good articles about them. For the new type cookers, you will need to build a stand to support the cooker because they aren't designed to hold heavy weight.

(except this one) http://www.endtimesreport.com/bf-2698.html

http://www.endtimesreport.com/kerosene.html


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thanks for the urls Sally.


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