# Ball Electric Canner - Thoughts?



## LauraD (May 25, 2014)

I've done canning once, and found that my electric stove wasn't really up to it: the water in my canner wouldn't do more than a weak simmer until I put the lid on. Makes me even more concerned about doing pressure canning on the same stove... :grump:

Yesterday I saw a tv ad for a 40qt Ball FrechTech "set & forget" electric canner. As I don't expect to can more than a few pints at a time for the next few years, so my first thought was "wow, that'd be great!"

Does anyone have experience with this canner? I can't determine if it does pressure canning or only water bath. If not, is there a reliable electric pressure canner out there somewhere? Or should I just put the lid on my canner from the get-go and pray that my stove holds out?

Any & all thoughts/ideas would be appreciated.


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## Debbie in Wa (Dec 28, 2007)

I have looked into this and have decided that it might not be for me. Here is what I have read so far:
One thing that gives me major pause is the fact that the manufacturers currently recommend that you only use this device with their recipes and they have no plans to offer instruction as to how you can adapt it for use with your favorite recipes. I can understand that they don&#8217;t want to be responsible for preserving projects gone awry, but to my mind, if a recipe is safe for boiling water bath canning, it should be safe for use in the FreshTECH Canner. The fact that it seems like they&#8217;re trying to create a closed system of recipes and products makes me hesitant.

Here is a link to that
http://foodinjars.com/2013/11/ball-freshtech-automatic-home-canning-system/

They probably only are doing certain recipes that they've tested, that's why it's restricted. Now if they came up with an electric pressure canner that did at least 10 psi (15 would be nice) and recipes for that, or even better get all the NCFP/Ball Complete PC recipes tested and programmed in for the 1-touch operation, THAT would be worth it! 

Here is that link:http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/harvest/msg1115174617691.html?17


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## Melesine (Jan 17, 2012)

I'd have my stove checked. I've BWB and pressure canned on more than one coil electric stove and on glass top radiant electric ( and gas). Not sure how large your pot was but it can take a long time to get water boiling and putting a lid on to hold in the heat is always a good idea. 

I would not pay 300 dollars for that electric canner. If my stove was really that bad that it can't boil water, then it's time for repair or replacement and the money would be better spent on a new stove.


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## Solar Geek (Mar 14, 2014)

I have the Weck Electric BWB canner and love it. My LG glass top electric stove says not to use a standard canner on it due to weight and sizing.


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## LauraD (May 25, 2014)

Thanks for the input. I have to agree with you, Melesine. A new stove would be a better investment... Oh well.


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## Solar Geek (Mar 14, 2014)

Here is the link. But it is out of stock right now. 
https://secure.cnchost.com/weckjars.com/productsDetail.php?category=8


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

I agree, if your stove struggles to boil water, there is something seriously wrong with either the stove or the wiring that goes to it. Have an electrician check your wiring - it should be 220 volt, btw. I'm not an electrician by any means, but I read sometimes the 220 line will only run 110 volts. It's kind of a "brown out" thing.


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