Updated on March 12, 2023
Canning On A Glass Top Stove
A lot of people have asked me about canning on a glass-top stove, and it made me realize that I needed to address the subject! As far as I know, it’s safe. Both, really. It’s a thorny issue.
Learn What Kind of Pressure Canner for Glass Top Stove & What Water Bath Canner for Glass Top Stove
Is it safe to can on a stovetop with a glass top? Where is my cooktop at risk? Breaking your cooktop is the most common concern when using a glass top stove. But did you know that if your equipment is not compatible with your stove, you may not be able to prepare your food properly?
Canning on a Glass Top Stove: Let’s Start with the Hearsay
Canning on a glass-top stove seems to be a popular topic of conversation among readers. Then there are some who allege their canner broke or overheated, causing the canner to lose pressure. If you’re using a canner from a different brand, a different stove, or a different canning method, the results will vary. When it comes to canning on a glass top stove, there are so many variables!
Disclaimer: I do not own or have ever used a glass-top stove (let alone tried canning on it). My stove runs on propane, so I can’t speak from experience. That being said, I’ve done some digging and discovered this.
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:
There can be damage to the cooktop from the heat if the canner is not the appropriate diameter size for the burner.
Cooktops can be scratched by sliding heavy canners around.
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.
Canning on a Glass Top Stove: Check Your Stove Manufacturer
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!
Pressure Canners for Glass Top Stoves
Cookware with a smooth bottom is required for use with glass top stoves.
When using a pressure canner, the All American Canners are not smooth bottomed and so cannot be utilized. A smooth bottom and a reduced weight make Presto Canners a better choice than the All American. Get a Presto Canner if you’re searching for a canner for your glass-top stove.
Can You Use a Presto Canner for Canning on a Glass Top Stove?
Your canner’s manufacture and model make a difference. According to what I’ve read, your stove’s maker will have more information.
The following is what South Carolina reader Erin had to say regarding canning on a Presto glass top stove: On a glass top stove, the Presto Pressure Canner is one of the few canners that can be used. It’s never been an issue for me. In the last two years, I have used it to can a wide range of foods, from stewed tomato to chicken. “Wow, such a fantastic product!”
In the interest of full disclosure, here is Sharon’s disclaimer: As with the other reader comments I’ve provided on this page, this is a user-contributed viewpoint. Since I am unable to confirm the veracity, I recommend that you contact the manufacturer of your stove and do your own investigation. Although it pains me to say this, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Can You Use an All American Canner for Canning on a Glass Top Stove?
All Americans have the following to say:
Glass-top stove makers, it is believed, advocate only using flat cookware; nevertheless, the bottoms of ALL-AMERICAN Pressure Cookers are indented for easy pouring.
In addition, the hefty cooker might harm the cooktop if dropped or dragged over it.” For further information, you may wish to contact the range’s manufacturer.”
