Basic Canning Equipment List for Beginners {Free Printable}

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Whether you’ve been canning for a long-time or are just starting out, there are some essential pieces of equipment you need to have on hand to process food safely. In this post, I’m going to map it all out to make it as clear and easy as possible. I also have a free printable canning equipment list to help you make sure you’re set up for success!

The first thing I want to emphasize is that you can can foods at home without a lot of this equipment.

You really just need a large pot, jars, new lids, and some way to get the jars in and out of the canner. 

I started canning in 2013 with an old soup pot and using quarter pint and half pint jars, which were short enough to can with what I had. They worked great and I saved up a little cash to buy a big water bath canner.

Eventually, I expanded my canning kit to incorporate other equipment, but don’t feel like you need to go out and buy everything right away to get started. You certainly do not!

If you have just a little money to invest in canning, get yourself a wide mouth funnel and a headspace tool. The rest you can figure out as you go and piecemeal together from local thrift stores.

Canning Supplies List

The supplies you’ll need will vary depending on the canning method you use and what you want to preserve, but many of the items can be used in multiple ways.

Water Bath Canning

This is how you process high-acid foods, like pickles, jams, and jellies. Low-acid foods must be pressed canned following specific recipes. 

Water bath canning is the easiest place to start!

You need a canning pot that can hold your jars and cover them in enough water to submerge them with 1-2 inches of water above the tops of the lids. This can be a large stock pot or get a water bath canner from the store. 

Note: If you have a pressure canner, it can be used as a water bath canner. 

Pressure Canning

As noted, pressure canning is how you preserve low acidity foods, like canned beans, carrots, potatoes, meat, soups, and more. To safely pressure can, you must use a pressure canner. 

This is where quality really matters. All American are generally the most highly respected pressure canners, although there is a wide range of options.

Digital Pressure Canners

After splurging on a brand new glass cooktop a couple of years ago, I switched to a digital pressure canner, which I also use for water bath canning. It’s so convenient and has really worked great so far!

If you’re most likely going to process smaller batches or are intimidated by pressure canning, it’s a great option.

Additional Canning Supplies

Depending on what you like to can, you will need to gather some extra supplies. These may already be in your kitchen, so shop there first, and don’t feel the need to buy everything! If you don’t make jellies or juices, you don’t need a jelly bag at all. Don’t like cherries? No need for a pitter. 

Every canner should start with these basic canning tools:

• Canning rack – This is generally included with your water bath canner.
• Canning funnel – I use mine constantly for different purposes. It’s one of the most useful tools in my kitchen!
• Headspace tool – Headspace is essential in ensuring your canned goods at safe. I measure every jar, every time.
• Jar lifter
• Clean kitchen towels
• Labels or a permanent marker

The rest of these supplies are helpful, but not required unless you plan to preserve specific foods. 

• Steam juicer – This is the easiest way to juice fruits for home canning. It’s not necessary, but a nice option!
• Jelly bag and sieve
• Food mill – Great for applesauce, tomato sauce, and more
• Slow cooker – Key for making the best apple butter or pear butter
• Hand-crank peeler – For peeling fruits and veggies
• Cherry pitter
• Kitchen scale
• Zester
• Magnetic lid lifter (if you want)

Safe Canning Recipes

This isn’t exactly a supply, but it’s essential for safe canning! There’s been a surge in canning advice on the internet over the past few years and some is better than others. 

I only recommend using safe, tested canning recipes and learning the science of home canning. I always share the tested source of the recipes I share and only make safe adjustments. 

You can see all of my canning recipes here, but I also recommend:

• This Safe Canning FB Group
• National Center for Home Food Preservation
• Ball Canning Recipes (or Bernardin, they’re the same company)
• Attainable Sustainable

Once you have a bunch of safe recipes, make your own canning recipe book with my printable canning journal! It makes it easy to make sure you have everything you need, keep track of your previously canned goods, and gather your favorite canning recipes in one place. 

Remember, you can stock your canning supply cupboard with many items you already have or you can find them secondhand or at garage sales for very little. There’s no need to go out and drop all of your hard-earned cash on a canner. Start small, get comfortable with the canning process, and add more elements as needed. That’s it!

Happy Canning!

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