Presto 23-Quart Pressure Canner vs All American 921 (21.5-Quart) Pressure Canner

Last reviewed July 2026.

Both of these are in the equipment class NCHFP's recommended-canners guidance describes — this is a comparison inside the recommended class, so the differences that matter are mechanical: gauge type, seal design, capacity and what you pay for each.

Presto 23-Quart Pressure Canner: A stovetop pressure canner in exactly the equipment class the USDA processes were developed for: NCHFP's recommended-canners guidance describes canners 'designed to hold seven quart jars or eight to nine pints', dial- or weighted-gauge, and UL-approved — and warns that smaller pressure saucepans are not recommended for canning. Dial gauges need annual accuracy checks (your extension office does this); the add-on 3-piece weight sidesteps that.

All American 921 (21.5-Quart) Pressure Canner: Stovetop, weighted-gauge, seven-quart class — squarely the equipment NCHFP's guidance describes, and weighted gauges 'control pressure precisely and need neither watching during processing nor checking for accuracy' (NCHFP). The metal-to-metal seal means no gasket to replace, which is why these get willed to grandchildren. Note: not for glass-top stoves per the manufacturer.

How to choose

Since both carry the same verdict, buy on mechanics. The Presto 23-Quart Pressure Canner costs less; a dial gauge needs an annual accuracy check at your extension office while a weighted gauge doesn't (the dial-vs-weighted difference); a gasketed lid is cheaper to buy and needs gasket replacement, while metal-to-metal seals cost more up front and carry lifetime warranties. Neither choice buys you more safety than the other — the process, not the pot, is what NCHFP's guidance actually specifies.

The single-canner pages go deeper: Presto 23-Quart Pressure Canner · All American 921 (21.5-Quart) Pressure Canner · or see the full table.

Canning Score indexes what NCHFP, USDA and university extension programs have on record about canning equipment, with attribution — we publish no process times and no safety advice. Verdicts describe the state of the authority record for an appliance class, not a guarantee about any jar. For tested recipes and process schedules, use NCHFP (nchfp.uga.edu), the USDA Complete Guide, or your state extension office — or the Seal canning guides, which work food-by-food from the same sources. If an authority publishes new guidance, the page changes — the authority always wins.