All American Pressure Canner 921 21-Quart

Bottom Line

For the avid canner, the All American Pressure Canner 921 is an obvious choice. Many professional reviewers and owners say the volume is ideal for canning, and it's supremely safe. Owners say the quality of this canner is immediately apparent. However, for the casual canner or cook, the 921 may not be the best bet. It's too heavy to lift when full and too heavy for use on flattop ranges. It's also much larger than necessary for most families' everyday cooking.

Performance

An ideal model for canning. Owners consider this pressure canner and cooker one of the top-rated options on the market. They say that it's sturdy, reliable, high quality and may easily outlive its first owner. Because it's so large, most owners use this unit exclusively for canning. Some owners do say they use it to cook large meals, like an 11-pound turkey, and it leaves the meat tender and moist. For canning, the capacity of this canner is ideal according to many reviewers, including the canning blogger at MyShinyKitchen.com.

Ease of Use

Simple design. The metal-to-metal seal makes this unit far easier to use than many other models. It doesn't have a gasket and uses simple metal clamps to secure the top in lieu of a more complicated locking mechanism. The All American 921 also has an easy-to-read pressure gauge that's more precise than gauges on cheaper models. However, this unit is very heavy -- so heavy that most owners say they can't lift it when it's full. Because of its heft, the manufacturer does not recommend its line of pressure canners for anyone with a glass or flattop range.

Appearance

Cumbersome size. Many users describe the All American 921 as "a beast." With its large size and intimidating metal clamps, it looks more like lab equipment than cookware. Its size could easily make it difficult to store and clean as well, though few owners report these challenges. We attribute this limited number of complaints to the notion that owners are self-confessed canners and know what they're getting into with the unit. Before buying any canner, but specifically this large model, measure your range to ensure the canner will clear any vents or cabinets over the stove.

Safety

Fewer bells and whistles, but still safe. It may have fewer safety precautions than some other pressure cookers, but reviewers say this unit is very safe thanks to its metal-to-metal seal. It does have two backup safety precautions if the unit becomes over-pressurized: the safety-control valve and over-pressure plug. No owners have reported needing these precautions. One owner reports feeling safe enough to use this canner over an open fire.