Knowledgebase
Electric Pressure Canner #895770
Asked March 29, 2025, 8:51 AM EDT
In a prior post it was said that extension offices were in the process of testing the electric pressure canners (not cookers). Has any testing been done yet? Has the Presto company released any of their testing data for evaluation?
Sacramento County California
Expert Response
Hello.
Individual Extension offices would not take on the responsibility of testing electric pressure canners but a state lab might do this. Oregon State University has done some testing in the past, but had to reconfigure testing equipment. They are currently working with the National Center for Home Food Preservation but no results seem to be published at this time.
A 2024 article by Penn State Extension states, "the National Center for Home Food Preservation has written that they have no information on the type or extent of Presto’s research and cannot independently verify the company's statements. Therefore, they recommend that the consumer follow only the digital canner's manual and not instructions from other sources." https://extension.psu.edu/pressure-canner-updates
I am attaching a document by Presto, in it they answer the following question:
"Has the Presto Precise Digital Pressure Canner been approved by the USDA and the National Center for Home Food Preservation? No. The USDA and the National Center for Home Food Preservation provide guidelines for home canning. Neither agency certifies or approves home canning equipment. However, the canner has been subjected to extensive testing and was designed to match the internal canner and jar temperatures that are achieved in a stovetop pressure canner."
Finally, I am including a link to PNW-421 Use, Care and Operation of Your Pressure Canner (2022), that includes the following statement about Digital Pressure Canners on page 12: "National Presto Industries recently released a digital electric pressure canner in the marketplace called the Presto Precise Digital Pressure Canner (Figure 13). The canner was developed specifically to follow the protocols and procedures established by the USDA for the safe canning of low-acid foods. The digital electric pressure canner is not a multicooker and is designed for canning only. Directions for operation of the canner should be followed to achieve the conditions necessary for the pressure-canning process. To date, Cooperative Extension has not conducted independent testing of this product. Contact Presto Industries for additional information on research and testing protocol."
I hope this information is helpful.
Sincerely, Robin Maille
