Canning on a Glass Top Stove

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Learn What Kind of Pressure Canner for Glass Top Stove & What Water Bath Canner for Glass Top Stove

Canning on a glass top stove: Is it safe? Will I break my stovetop? The risk most people are aware of with a glass top stove is the possibility of breaking your stovetop. But did you know that you might also not process your food correctly if your equipment is not compatible with your stove?

An open graniteware canner and other open pots sitting on a white glass top stove.
Photo credit: Dianne Hadorn from Hidden Springs Homestead

Canning on a Glass Top Stove: Let’s Start with the Hearsay

I’ve read lots of comments from readers that they’ve tried canning on a glass-top stove with no problem. And then, the occasional person says they cracked theirs, or it overheated and the canner lost pressure. It will all depend on the manufacturer, what stove you’re using, and what canner you’re using (and how long you’re using it). There are so many variables when canning on a glass top stove!

Disclaimer: I don’t have a glass top stove, nor have I ever even used a glass top stove (let alone tried canning on it). I’m on a propane gas stove, so I don’t have personal experience. But I did a little research, and this is what I’ve found.

Canner and canning supplies on a black glass top stove.
Photo credit: Betty Cawthra, a Simply Canning School Member

Canning on a Glass Top Stove: Check Your Stove Manufacturer

Check with your stove manufacturer first and foremost! No matter what experience others have had, this is YOUR stove and YOUR problem if it breaks. Even if you use a canner that is fine for a glass top, your stove needs to be able to handle it too.

According to the NCHFP (National Center for Home Food Preservation), these are some issues that can come up with using glass top stoves for canning:

  1. There can be damage to the cooktop from the heat if the canner is not the appropriate diameter size for the burner.
  2. Cooktops can be scratched by sliding heavy canners around.
  3. Cooktops may have settings that will turn burners off if the heat gets too high. This will affect the pressure in the canner. You want to keep that pressure as steady as possible, which is difficult if the burner is turning off and on during processing.

The biggest concern is that canners may reflect too much heat back to your cooktop, causing the burners to get too hot and overheat, which may cause them to turn off, or cycle on and off.

This can lead to problems when pressure canning in particular. If you’re pressure canning and this happens, the pressure will drop and cause your food to be under-processed. You may lose liquid in your jars from the heat fluctuations. You really need to be able to keep the canner at a consistent pressure. If the burners are cycling on and off…steady heat is not going to happen!

A small pressure cooker or canner sitting on a white glass top stove.
Photo credit: Dianne Hadorn from Hidden Springs Homestead

Pressure Canners for Glass Top Stoves

Glass top stoves require smooth-bottom cookware.

Pressure Canners – The All American Canners are not smooth bottomed and so can not be used. Presto Canners, however, have a smooth bottom, and they are lighter than the All American too. If you are looking to buy a canner to use on your glass top stove, get a Presto Canner.

Can You Use a Presto Canner for Canning on a Glass Top Stove?

This is what Presto has to say regarding their canners:

“Acceptable: All Presto® Pressure Canners will work on electric coil and regular gas ranges. Current models of Presto® Pressure Canners will also work on glass/smooth top ranges.

“Although Presto believes that current pressure canners are acceptable for use on glass top stoves we recommend that you check with the owner’s manual for your range or the manufacturer before using.”

So the answer basically is…it depends again on that manufacturer’s recommendations.

Presto pressure canner sitting on a gas range.

The model of canner you own makes a difference. I’ve read that the stove manufacturer will have more information for your stove.

This is what reader Erin from South Carolina had to say about canning on a glass top stove with a Presto: “The Presto Pressure Canner is one of the only canners that is safe to use on a glass top stove. I have never had a problem with it. I have owned it for 2 years and use it frequently to can things from stewed tomatoes to chicken. Great product!”

Disclaimer from Sharon (i.e., the legal stuff): This is a reader-added opinion, as are the other reader comments I’ve shared on this page. I cannot verify the accuracy, so I encourage you to check with your stove manufacturer and do your own research. (I hate feeling like I need to add disclaimers, but you never know!)

Okay, back to your regular reading. :0)

Can You Use an All American Canner for Canning on a Glass Top Stove?

This is what All American has to say:

“No, it is our understanding that the manufacturers of glass-top stoves recommend using only flat cookware, and the ALL-AMERICAN Pressure Cookers have indentations in the bottom.

“Also, the cooker is quite heavy and if dropped or slid across the glass-top stove, it may damage the cook top. You may want to check with the manufacturer of your range for additional information.”

So for an All American Canner, the answer is no…not a good idea at all. Such a nice, clear answer!

All American pressure canner sitting on a gas range.

Can You Use a Mirro Pressure Canner for Canning on a Glass Top Stove?

I’ve asked Mirro for their input on whether their pressure canners can be used on a glass top stove. However, they did not get back to me, so I can’t give concrete information for what they say. So personally, I would not recommend it. I’m not sure about the diameter of the pot OR the condition of the bottom of the canner. Is it flat? You’d have to check.

Water Bath Canners for Glass Top Stoves

You might consider using a flat bottomed stockpot. Remember, you can do water bath canning in any pot–it doesn’t have to be an official water bath canner. The pot just needs to be deep enough for the jars to be fully submerged with some sort of a rack under the jars. If your stove manufacturer says “no” to water bath canning because the canner is too large and heavy, consider doing small batches of 3 or 4 jars at a time in a stockpot. This would be similar in weight and size to making a large batch of soup or stew.

Do keep in mind the cycling off and on of your burners. The water MUST remain boiling the whole processing time.

The typical black speckled graniteware water bath canners have a waffle bottom and so are not recommended.

Speckled graniteware canner sitting on a white glass top stove.
Photo credit: Dianne Hadorn from Hidden Springs Homestead

But many stainless steel water bath canners have the flat bottom needed. I have a Victorio Stainless Steel Water Bath Canner.

Victorio states:

“USE ON ANY RANGE: Flat clad bottom for even heating on any cooktop, including induction ranges”

So that means if you want a full-size water bath, this canner is a good choice. There may be other brands that will work too, but Victorio is the one I have.

But also remember…still check with that stove manufacturer, because the weight and width may be an issue.

Alternatives: What If I Can’t Use My Glass Top Stove for Canning?

There are still some solutions available to you if you find you can’t use your glass top stove for canning.

First, consider canning outdoors. (I actually have a kitchen set up in my garage where I process sweet corn, etc. during the summertime. And I’ve heard from others on Facebook who have set up outdoor cooking areas too.)

You can use a propane burner or electric burner instead of canning on a glass top stove. Personally, I’ve tried canning on a Camp Chef stove with great success, but there are some concerns about using such a burner for canning.

Read more about the concerns here, so you can make your own informed decision.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation lists these concerns about using propane or electric burners for canning:

  1. Because they’re portable, these burners may become unsteady or tilted.
  2. The size may not be big enough for using a canner. (Generally, “…the canner should not extend more than 2 inches from the burner on any side.”)
  3. For electric burners, a low wattage may not be high enough to allow for canning. (Side note: This also means that low-cost electric stoves will most likely NOT work for canning either.)
  4. For propane burners, the heat produced may be too high for the canner or burner itself to handle.

Another alternative is an electric water bath canner. I have one and like it. Note that it is only for water bath canning. To my knowledge, no electric pressure canners are available.

In Short: Canning on a Glass Top Stove

  1. Check your stove manufacturer.
  2. All American Canner is a NO.
  3. Presto Canner is a yes IF the stove allows it.
  4. A stainless steel water bath canner is a yes IF the stove can handle it.
Boiling peas on a glass top stove with a canner to the side of the pea pot.
Photo credit: Dianne Hadorn from Hidden Springs Homestead

Canning on a Glass Top Stove Tips & FAQs

Like I mentioned earlier, I get these questions all the time. Here’s a peek at what people have been saying about this topic (people who have more experience with glass top stoves than I do).

Pressure & Water Bath Canning on My Glass Top Stove

by: Jennifer

I do both pressure canning and water bath canning on my stove. I called the manufacturer of my stove and asked them what I could do. Their advice was:

1. Don’t use the old fashioned “granite ware” water bath canner. It’s enamel and can melt on to the stove top. Not good!

2. Pick a pot with a flat bottom, not ridged. It will keep the temperature constant and the stove won’t turn off and on.

3. Don’t go too big. Pick a pot that has a diameter of one inch or less bigger than the burner you will use it on.

I found a Presto pressure canner that works great on my stove. I also found a stock pot that I use for the water bath and I cut the rack that came in my granite ware canner to fit inside the stock pot. Make sure to use something to keep the jars off the bottom. . . a towel, a rack, something.

I have a Frigidaire stove if that helps any!

Glass Top Stove Canning

by: Gmabird

I had to return the canner, Granite ware water bath, I had bought because I just got a new glass top stove from GE and they say not to use it on the glass top as it can melt onto the top, plus is really way too large to heat properly on the burners.

I have ordered the stainless steel one made by Ball, from Kmart online, that has a flat bottom and is not as fat around as the old school ones. happy canning everyone. tis the season…

Related Pages

Have an Induction Top Stove Instead? – What about canning on induction top stove tops? Is it possible? Is it even safe? Get informed at SimplyCanning.com

Pressure Canner Basics – The brands, the features, and how they work!

Stainless Steel Water Bath Canners Like This One are a great investment for someone who does a lot of canning each year.

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Canning on a Glass Top Stove

Page last updated: 10/6/2021

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Priscilla Obermeyer
Priscilla Obermeyer
10 months ago

I did some water bath canning on a glass top stove. I was careful not to over do in one day. Just spread out over several days and not doing anything in the evening. On the third day of finishing up the glass top cracked all the way across 3 of the burners. My thought is just be super careful.

Jo P
Jo P
2 years ago

The information provided in this article about All American canners is incorrect, they are flat bottomed and can be used on glass. The quote listed in this article (and linked) is NOT from the manufacturer, it is from a third party reseller. If you go to the actual All American Canner website you can read their warning at the bottom for glass stoves.

roger olson
roger olson
2 years ago

I do have a glass top stove and I have been canning on it for years. I do use an All American pressure canner and NEVER have had any problems. I also use my water bath canner and have not had any problems. People who do not use the products that they are writing about are not doing anybody any good.

Charlene
Charlene
1 year ago
Reply to  roger olson

I also have an American pressure canner and am looking at puchasing a smooth top stove. What brand do you have?