I was interviewed the other day by the extremely talented Margaret Roach for her weekly gardening podcast on public radio. During the conversation, we chatted very briefly about the difficulties of using a water bath canner on an electric range. We only touched on the subject and afterwards I felt I probably should have gone into more detail about the problems with using any sort of electric range for any canning. There are some definite dos and don’ts you should follow.
Since I seem to be getting this question a lot lately, I decided to write full post on the subject.
Can You Water Bath on an Electric Range?
Well, the answer to that depends on the brand and design of your stove. Standard coil electric stoves are generally okay for water bath canning.
If using a coil top stove: You just want to use flat bottomed canners so that you have even coverage of the heating element. In other words, avoid the “waffle” bottomed canners. (The bottom is rippled instead of flat) The rippled bottom will not have as good of a contact with the coiled top and you won’t get as good of a heat conduction.
However, most of the modern electric stoves are the flat surface types with either glass or ceramic tops.
If you want to can on one of those, you really need to check with the manufacturer to verify it is okay. Many makers of flat topped electric stoves come right out and say “NO” to any type of canning because of the risk to the surface as well as some safety issues. The maker of your stove can tell you if you can or cannot water bath can on your stove.
Guidelines for Flat Surface Stoves:
The problem is that most flat surface electric stoves have a fluctuating temperature. It heats up and cools off repeatedly in order to maintain a semi-steady temperature. This can cause many problems in canning – epecially in the maintenance of a temperature sufficient enough to kill bacteria and mold. However, despite this fluctuation there are many electric stoves that can and do maintain a boil. You just need to check with your brand’s maker to see if yours qualifies and also test it with a tall pot of water to verify that the boil does not stop throughout an entire processing time.
Even if your stove is approved for water bath canning, you can NOT use the type of canner that has a rippled bottom. The ripples cause heat loss and you can’t reach a steady temperature. Instead, you must use a flat bottomed canner or a tall stock pot with a rack inside to hold jars up off the bottom.
You can NOT use a pot or canner that is more than 1 inch larger than the flat surface burner or you risk overheating the glass or ceramic top. Overheating will cause the cooktop to crack and break. Instead, you must use smaller pots which means you will process smaller batches and smaller jars.
Weight can also be a problem. Most stove top manuals tell you the weight limit it can handle without cracking the cooktop. Remember a large pot of water filled with canning jars is very, very heavy.
Guidelines for Coiled Electric Stoves:
Coiled electric stoves (not the flat surface type) can handle pots that are up to 2 inches past the coiled heating element on all sides.
You should use a canner or stockpot with a flat surface (not rippled) so that the element has full contact with the bottom of the pot.
What About Pressure Canning?
It is NOT recommended that you”pressure can” on a flat surface electric stove.
- The fluctuating temperature prevents the ability of keeping a steady pressure inside a pressure canner.
- A pressure canner reaches a much higher temperature than boiling (over 240 degrees F) and that will probably crack the stove top.
- Pressure canners are usually too large to use on an electric stovetop anyway. (Over 1 inch past the burner size)
Final Checklist for Electric Stove Canning:
- Verify that your particular brand of stove is approved for water bath canning.
- Use a flat bottomed canner or stock pot to water bath can with a rack inside to lift jars off the bottom.
- For flat surface: Keep the batches small and weight of the pot low so you don’t break the glass or ceramic top.
- For flat surface: Do NOT use a pot that is more than an inch wider than your burner or you might break the stove top.
- For a coiled stove: Do NOT use a pot that is more than 2 inches wider than the coiled burner.
- DO NOT pressure can on a flat surface electric stove.
Happy Canning!
About Joe Lamp'l
Joe Lamp'l is the Host and Executive Producer of the award winning PBS television series Growing A Greener World. Off camera, Joe dedicates his time to promoting sustainability through his popular books, blog, podcast series, and nationally syndicated newspaper columns. Follow Joe on Twitter
Interesting, I have a glass top. I have been canning water and pressure for about ten years on it. Wish I had known all this year’s ago. I have had major problems with keep the pressure steady. Have to sit and watch it the whole time… Guess it is time for a new stove since I can most everything we eat crept olives and tomato sauce. Thanks for bringing information to us.
My Jenn-Air smooth top electric range (model #JER8885QAS) actually addresses canning in the owner’s manual (it doesn’t mention if there is a weight limit though). I have copied and pasted it below for anyone who is interested:
Canning and Oversize Cookware
All canners and large pots must have flat bottoms and must be made from heavy-gauge materials. This is critical on smoothtop surfaces. The base must not be more than 1 inch larger than the element.
When canners and pots do not meet these standards, cooking times may be longer, and cooktops may be damaged.
Some canners are designed with smaller bases for use on smoothtop surfaces.
When canning, use the High heat setting only until the water comes to a boil or pressure is reached in the canner.
Reduce to the lowest heat setting that maintains the boil or pressure. If the heat is not turned down, the cooktop may be damaged.
I just moved to Florida and there is a guava tree that has more guavas that I know what to do with. I have never canned in my life, the guavas are going to waste. I have an electric, glass stove and now I know I can’t use it for canning. What else can I do to save the guavas? I give some to my neighbors and I eat some. What else can I do with the guava? Help! Thank you.
Hi Blanca,
Well, you can cook up the guava into refrigerator jam (you make the jam and keep it in the refrigerator instead of the pantry shelf) or you could cook it up into syrup (using the plum syrup recipe below) and then freeze it. Or you could buy an inexpensive mini- gas burner and can jam that way. I hope that helps.
Plum Syrup: https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/simple-plum-syrup/
Several years ago my mom contacted the mfg of her electric coil stove & they sold her a special “heavy duty” coil burner made specifically for canning. I have canned for over 30 yrs with my plain coil burners using both water bath & pressure, & never had any problems.
That is awesome Teresa – Do you remember who made it?
Heat buildup can ad to issues on flat tops stove , but my understanding is there is more to it than that. While they do make pressure canners that recommend they can be used of Flat top stoves, AKA Ceramic surface flat tops, it is the weight of the canner filled that is the concern; more than the heat build up. The heat is important from the canned food perspective, but the weight of water and filled jars, plus the weight of the canner itself, dependent on the size of the canner is the major issue from my understanding. There is a weight limit on the stove top itself, regardless of the heat issue. Setting heavy items on the stove top even with the heat off can break or crack the stove top. Once you have a crack, like a car windshield the whole thing can shatter on day when you least expect it.
I need to purchase a new electric cook stove to use for large size, heavy pressure canner processing. I typically use a 16 Quart size pressure canner. It is heavy when our jars are filled with spaghetti sauce. I have been searching the internet and can find no suggested manufacturers who produce a coil electric range “approved” for pressure canning. I need an element at least 8″ diameter with 2″ of extra space around it, that will not touch the outer edge of the stove. Help please . . . anybody out there with feedback on this? Heaps of thanks!
Desperate in the Country
~DB~
Hi Debbie,
I’m hoping someone here will have a stove they personally use that they can recommend.
Perhaps you could call the major manufacturers directly to see what models they have available? Having a coil element is not so much the problem. It is the glass top and ceramic tops cracking that can be your biggest worry. The weight and heat on the glass is just too much sometimes.
I hope you find what you need.
Can you suggest another method to the electric stove for canning? We don’t have gas in our neighborhood, so electric stoves are our only option. Is there a way to can safely using an alternative burner, perhaps set up outside or on a counter that might work? Would a camping stove work?
Hi Dianne,
You can use electric stoves for water bath canning. It is just that if you have a ceramic or glass stovetop, the canner should not be too big or it might crack your stovetop. If you are asking about an alternative for pressure canning, yes you can use a stove set up outside or even a camp stove. You just need to watch it for obvious safety reasons. You don’t want to leave a pressure canner unattended outside for long periods of time.
So,can I pressure can on a coil electric stove? I would hate to find out I just wasted money I shouldn’t have spent on a pressure canner that I won’t be able to use.
Elaine,
You can pressure can on a coil electric stove. It is the flat top (glass/ceramic) kind that you need to verify. If you have a coil electric, you should be fine. Sorry for the confusion.
~Theresa
Your insistence that a pressure canner not be used on a glass-top stove concerns me. I just bought one and the instructions from Presto say just to make sure that the stove top is cleaned according to manufacturer’s instructions and the bottom of the canner be cleaned so there is no debris that could harm the stove surface. Plus t should not be more than an inch wider than the burner. Now I wonder if I shouldn’t trust Presto’s instructions and if I wasted $80 since I cannot return the item (I tossed the packaging).
Hi Melanie,
I don’t blame you for being concerned. Here’s what I know – It is not recommended (according to the USDA canning guidelines) because of the variances of the different stoves and the concern over stove top breakage. Also based on the guidelines and the national county extension offices, most electric (flat surface) stoves companies do not recommend it. I believe the stove makers worry that the glass or ceramic top will crack.
I know that pressure canners say it is okay to use a coiled electric stove but did not know they say it is okay to use a flat surface electric stove – especially since the USDA recommends against it.
HOWEVER, you really just need to contact the maker of your brand of stove to see. It is very possible that your brand will not have a problem. That is what I would do if it were me. When you contact the stove maker, make sure they understand that you need to verify that the temperature does not fluctuate so much that you would ever go below 240 degrees F while under pressure during processing. That is key for safety. (We are talking serious concerns over botulism if that requirement is not met.)
Also make sure they understand that you are talking about a pressure “canner” and NOT a pressure cooker. (There is a difference).
I hope you can get a solid answer from them. It would be shame if you can’t use it on your stove.
There are pressure canners that can be used on a glass top stove, but you need to make sure that the particular model you buy states that fact. Presto does make one that is safe for glass top electric stoves.
Excellent to know Wendy. Thank you.