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Presto 23 quart pressure canner: how to load it, test it and keep it

By the Plain Prepper editors. Updated 2026-10-15.

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Quick answer

The Presto 01781 is a 23 quart aluminum canner with a dial gauge that pressure cans 7 quarts, 20 regular-mouth pints or 26 regular-mouth half-pints, and doubles as a boiling-water canner. Reaching those pint and half-pint counts means double-decking jars. Have the dial gauge checked before every canning season, replace the sealing ring and overpressure plug at least every 3 years, and confirm your stove can carry a load Presto says may exceed 50 pounds.

Jar capacity depends on the method and the jar mouth

Presto's spec sheet and manual list capacity by both method and jar style:

Jar	Pressure, regular mouth	Pressure, wide mouth	Boiling water, regular mouth	Boiling water, wide mouth
Half-pints	26	16	13	8
Pints	20	16	10	8
Quarts	7	7	7	7

The higher pressure-canning counts for pints and half-pints require double-decking: Presto says to stagger jars by setting one on top of two, and that jars may touch. A second rack between layers is optional and orderable from Presto. Never double-deck in the boiling-water method. Presto also says to test load the canner with empty jars before filling them, since jar brands vary in diameter.

Wide-mouth jars cut the pressure-canning count for pints from 20 to 16, so stock the jar style that fits your batch size.

Size, weight and stove fit

The spec sheet lists the empty canner at 17.50 x 13.50 x 15.50 inches and 10.32 lb. Loaded, it gets much heavier: Presto's manual says a fully loaded 23 quart canner may exceed 50 pounds.

• Ranges: electric coil, electric smooth-top and gas.
• Smooth-top: check your range's manual for weight limits first, clean the canner bottom and make sure it has no nicks that could scratch the glass.
• Burner size: household burners of 12,000 BTU or less. Presto warns against outdoor LP gas burners and elements that are too large, which can warp the bottom.
• Portable burners: Presto says they may lack the wattage to pressurize a full canner or the strength to hold its weight.

Measure the clearance under your range hood too: the canner is 15.5 inches tall before the regulator is added.

The dial gauge needs testing

On this model the pressure regulator is a safety limit that keeps pressure from exceeding 15 pounds; Presto says pressure readings come only from the dial gauge. That makes gauge accuracy central to safe low-acid canning.

Presto says to have the gauge checked before each canning season, and also if:

• The cover was submerged in water or dropped
• Parts are rusty
• The pointer does not rest in the "0" block
• You think it may not be accurate

A county extension office can usually test it; if not, Presto accepts gauges by mail through its Consumer Service Department. NCHFP adds the decision rule: replace a dial gauge that reads high or low by more than 2 pounds at 5, 10 or 15 pounds; if it is off by less, you can adjust to be sure you reach the required pressure.

Running a batch the Presto way

1. Use a tested recipe from NCHFP, Cooperative Extension or the Presto book.
2. Check that the vent pipe is clear and the air vent/cover lock moves freely.
3. With the regulator off, heat until steam flows steadily from the vent pipe, then vent for 10 minutes.
4. Add the regulator and bring the dial up to the recipe's pressure. Presto suggests lowering the heat when the gauge is 1 to 2 pounds below target, but start timing only once the target is reached.
5. Above 2,000 feet, low-acid foods need more than 11 pounds. If the regulator starts rocking at that higher pressure, Presto says to ignore the dial and keep a slow, steady rock.
6. At the end, turn off the heat and let pressure fall on its own. It is fully down when the air vent/cover lock drops and no steam escapes when the regulator is lifted; do not judge by the dial.

Presto warns that rushing the cool-down can break jars and pull liquid out of them.

Parts, warranty and storage

The product carries a 12-year limited warranty, but Presto's manual treats these parts as routine maintenance not covered by it: the air vent/cover lock gasket, overpressure plug, dial gauge, pressure regulator and sealing ring.

• Replace the sealing ring and overpressure plug together at least every 3 years, or sooner if the ring turns hard, deformed, cracked, worn or pitted, or the cover gets hard to open or close.
• Use genuine Presto replacement parts, per the manual.
• Store the canner dry, above freezing, with the cover upside down on the body. Presto says freezing temperatures may damage the canner, which matters if you keep it in an unheated garage or shed.

For a preparedness pantry, keeping a spare sealing ring and overpressure plug on hand means a worn gasket does not stop a harvest-season batch.

What to look for when you buy

Questions people ask

How many jars fit in a Presto 23 quart pressure canner?

Presto lists 7 quarts, 20 regular-mouth pints or 26 regular-mouth half-pints for pressure canning, with pints and half-pints double-decked. Wide-mouth counts are 16 pints and 16 half-pints.

Does the Presto 23 quart canner work on a glass top stove?

Presto says it works on smooth-top ranges, but check your range's weight limit first; a fully loaded canner may exceed 50 pounds.

How often should I test the Presto dial gauge?

Before each canning season, and again if the cover was dropped or submerged, parts are rusty or the pointer is off the zero block. NCHFP says replace it if it is off by more than 2 pounds.

Can the Presto 23 quart be used as a water bath canner?

Yes. Presto lists 7 quarts, 10 regular-mouth pints or 13 regular-mouth half-pints for boiling-water canning, in a single layer.

Sources

• 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker, 01781, Presto
• 01781 spec sheet: dimensions, weight and jar capacity, Presto
• Pressure canner instructions and recipe book, 01755 and 01781, Presto
• Using pressure canners: venting and dial gauge accuracy, National Center for Home Food Preservation

Sources checked 2026-10-15.