Wondering what you actually need to start canning at home? This beginner-friendly checklist breaks down the must-have tools, helpful extras, and what to skip—perfect for new canners! 🫙 #CanningForBeginners #CanningSupplies #HomeCanning #PreserveTheSeason #CanningTips

🫙 Canning Supplies Checklist for Beginners

What You Really Need (and What You Can Skip)

Thinking about giving canning a try but feeling overwhelmed by all the gear? You’re not alone! The good news is: you don’t need to buy a mountain of tools to get started. Whether you’re hoping to make jam, preserve garden veggies, or stock your shelves with homemade broth, you can start with just a few essentials—and build your toolkit from there.

This checklist breaks down everything you actually need for water bath canning and pressure canning, what’s optional, and what you can skip altogether. Let’s make this easy and budget-friendly so you can focus on filling jars (not your cart!). 💛

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✅ Must-Have Canning Supplies for Beginners

Let’s start with the non-negotiables—the tools that are absolutely essential for safe, successful home canning. You’ll need a slightly different setup depending on whether you’re doing water bath or pressure canning.

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🫐 For Water Bath Canning

Perfect for high-acid foods like jams, jellies, pickles, salsa, and fruit preserves.

• Large Stockpot or Water Bath Canner – Needs to be deep enough to fully submerge jars with 1–2 inches of water above the lids. A pasta pot can work for small batches!
• Canning Rack – Keeps jars off the bottom of the pot so water circulates. You can use a round cooling rack or even a folded kitchen towel in a pinch.
• Mason Jars with New Lids and Bands – Only use jars designed for canning. Lids must be brand-new each time you process.
• Jar Lifter – For safely removing hot jars from boiling water.
• Funnel – Makes filling jars neat and mess-free.
• Bubble Remover or Non-Metal Spatula – Releases trapped air bubbles after filling.
• Clean Cloth or Paper Towels – To wipe jar rims before sealing.
• Timer – Precision matters—always time your processing.
• Sharpie or Labels – For marking the contents and date on your finished jars.

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🥕 For Pressure Canning

Essential for low-acid foods like green beans, meat, broth, and soups.

• Pressure Canner – This is not the same as a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Choose from a dial gauge (needs yearly testing) or a weighted gauge model.
• Everything listed above for water bath canning
• Headspace Measuring Tool – Helps ensure you leave the exact amount of space needed between the food and the lid.
• User Manual for Your Canner – Seriously—keep it handy! Every model has specific instructions.

🛠️ Nice-to-Have Tools That Make Canning Easier

Once you’ve got your basic kit together and you’re feeling a little more confident, these tools can help streamline the process and make canning even more enjoyable. You definitely don’t need them to get started—but they’re great upgrades as you go!

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💫 Magnetic Lid Wand

A simple tool that lets you grab hot lids from simmering water without scalding your fingers. Super handy and usually included in canning kits.

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💫 Wide-Mouth Funnel with Measurements

Some funnels have measurement marks for headspace built right in. They’re great if you want to be extra precise and keep your jars tidy while filling.

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💫 Silicone Spatula or Bubble Remover Tool

These help you slide around the inside of the jar to release trapped air bubbles—plus, they won’t scratch the glass like metal utensils can.

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💫 Digital Thermometer

Helps ensure your recipes reach the correct temperatures, especially if you’re working with jam, jelly, or anything requiring gelling stages.

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💫 Canning Tool Kits

These often include several basics in one box (jar lifter, funnel, wand, bubble remover, headspace tool). They’re usually affordable and make a nice starter gift for yourself or a fellow canning newbie.

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💫 Jar Labels & Organization Tools

Not strictly necessary, but labeling your jars makes life easier when you’re staring at three kinds of red sauce later on. Stickers, chalkboard labels, or even masking tape and a Sharpie work great.

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💡 Pro Tip: If you’re canning regularly, consider keeping a small bin or basket with your tools so you’re not hunting down the funnel every time.

🛑 What You Don’t Need (And What to Avoid)

There’s a lot of canning advice floating around online—and while some of it is helpful, some of it can steer beginners in the wrong direction. Let’s clear up a few common misconceptions about gear you don’t need (and what you should steer clear of completely).

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🚫 Instant Pots or Electric Pressure Cookers

These are fantastic for fast meals—but they are not approved for canning. They don’t consistently reach or hold the correct temperature and pressure for safe food preservation. Stick with a stovetop pressure canner for any low-acid food.

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🚫 Reused Commercial Jars (Like Pasta Sauce or Mayo Jars)

They might look similar to Mason jars, but they’re not built for home canning. The glass is often thinner and can break during processing. Plus, the lids aren’t designed to reseal properly.

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🚫 Reused Lids

Canning lids are single-use only. Once a lid has been processed and sealed, it may not seal again reliably. Always use new lids for every batch. (Bands and jars are reusable though!)

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🚫 Oven Canning

We’ve got a whole post on this, but the short version? It’s unsafe. Ovens don’t heat evenly or get food hot enough to safely kill bacteria. If you see someone doing this on TikTok, just smile and scroll on by.
👉 Oven Canning – Why This is One Trend You Should AVOID!

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🚫 Fancy Gadgets That Seem Cool But Add Stress

Electric jar openers, specialty tongs, or complicated lid sterilizers can feel helpful—but they’re not necessary (and can clutter your space fast). Stick with the core tools, and add on only if you really need it.

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Remember, safe and successful canning doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Keeping it simple is often the smartest—and safest—way to go.

🛍️ Where to Buy Canning Supplies

Canning gear tends to be seasonal in stores, but that doesn’t mean it’s hard to find. Whether you prefer to shop in person or online, there are lots of great places to stock up—especially if you’re just getting started.

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🛒 In-Store Options

• Grocery Stores – During canning season (summer through fall), look near the baking aisle or seasonal display for jars, lids, and basic tools.
• Hardware & Farm Supply Stores – Places like Ace Hardware, Tractor Supply, and Rural King often carry canning tools year-round.
• Big Box Stores – Walmart, Target, and similar stores usually have jars, canners, and starter kits on the shelves in peak season.
• Thrift Stores & Yard Sales – Great for scoring jars and bands. Just inspect jars carefully for chips or cracks and buy new lids separately.

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📦 Online Retailers

• Amazon – Convenient and quick for finding tools, jars, kits, and replacement parts.
• Lehman’s – A favorite among homesteaders for high-quality canning gear (especially hard-to-find items).
• Ball® and Kerr® Websites – Shop directly for trusted canning products and accessories.
• Walmart.com or Target.com – Often have more canning supplies online than in-store.

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💡 Pro Tips for Budget-Friendly Canning:

• Buy jars in bulk or split a case with a friend to save money.
• Check Facebook Marketplace for jars and bands—just sanitize everything well and double-check for damage.
• Watch for sales at the end of canning season (fall is great for stocking up for next year!).
• Always make sure you’re buying standard canning jars, not decorative jars meant for dry storage or crafts.

⏳ Build Your Canning Kit Over Time

Here’s the truth: you don’t have to buy everything at once. In fact, most experienced canners will tell you they built their setup one season at a time, adding tools as they learned what they liked (and what they could live without).

Start small:

• Try water bath canning with a big stockpot and a case of jars.
• Borrow a pressure canner if you’re just testing the waters.
• Pick up tools as you need them—your first few batches will teach you what you actually use.

Some people fall in love with canning and build a whole pantry full of jars. Others just make strawberry jam once a year and call it good. Either way? You’re doing it right.

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🙌 Final Thoughts

Canning doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive to be worth it. With just a handful of tools and a good recipe, you can safely preserve your favorite foods, fill your shelves, and feel that sweet satisfaction every time a jar seals with a pop.

Whether you’re getting ready to can for the very first time or slowly building your home setup, this checklist is here to help you feel confident from the start. You’ve got this—and your pantry is going to look amazing.

👉 Ready to start canning? Check out our Canning for Beginners Guide for everything you need to know!