Today I’m reviewing Tattler reusable canning jar lids. Yes-you read that right. Re-useable!!!
When I heard about this product I was immediately intrigued. It’s always bothered me that those metal canning lids are single use-and this year the packs of 12 for the regular mouth jars was running about $2.50-$3. Considering the fact that I canned over 250 jars this year, that means I spent at least $50 on canning jar lids. Thank goodness I already had most of the jars eh?
I wrote the kind folks at Tattler and asked them if they would be willing to provide me with some lids to review. They were more than happy to-and also offered to host a giveaway here on Frugal Upstate! (details at the end of the post)
Now before I start this review I want to do a big ‘ol disclaimer right up front. The USDA has NOT changed their canning recommendations. If you read all of their information the only approved way to can is with the disposable lids. You should read all of the information available on the Tattler website and then make your own assessment of whether you feel comfortable using the product.
However, after reading the materials from Tattler I felt very comfortable with my decision to use this product for preserving food for my family. These lids have been made since 1976 and seem to have a very good track record.
The Tattler lids are made up of a plastic lid (to replace the metal one) and a rubber gasket. They use the standard metal canning rings that you already have to hold down the lids during processing and cooling.
The lids are BPA free and made of materials that are FDA and USDA approved for food. From their website:
TATTLER Reusable Plastic Canning Lids are manufactured using a plastic compound that is safe for direct contact with food products.We utilize an FDA and USDA approved, food grade product known as Polyoxymethylene Copolymer (POM) or Acetal Copolymer.
The product we use is compliant with applicable FDA regulations for food contact. . . This product is formulated using polyacetal base resin that is compliant for use in food contact applications according to (CFR), Title 21, 177.2470. Any additives, that may be present, comply with appropriate, specific FDA Regulations.
Additionally, this plastic is approved by the USDA for direct contact use with meat and poultry products, as well as meeting the Sanitary Standards 3A Compliance for the Dairy and Food Industries Supply Association (DFISA).
Now on to the canning! I wanted to really test the metal (ha!) of these lids, so I waited until I had some pressure canning to do before I tried them out. I had an entire turkey that I had cooked specifically to can the meat-so that’s what I tested with.
To start, both the lid and the gasket are heated up in simmering water.
Then you go about your normal process of filling your canning jars with the hot food.
Next you wipe the rim just as you do with a standard lid. I always like to use a damp cloth for this.
Now you take the lid and the gasket out of the hot water. . . and fit the gasket onto the lid.
The lid is placed on the clean jar rim. You are supposed to press down on the center of the lid while screwing the ring down.
The directions state to tighten the rings all the way (a big difference from the “finger tight” normally used with disposable canning lids) and then loosen them a 1/4 inch. That’s a 1/4 INCH-not a 1/4 turn-which is what I thought at first!
Then the jar went into the pressure canner right along with all the others. After about a half an hour of heating up, 90 minutes of canning at 15lbs of pressure and another 30 minutes or so to cool. . . out came the jar. Sealed!
With these lids there is an additional step when the jars come out of the canner–you must tighten the lid all the way down to help it seal!
Here is the jar after cooling–the lid was dimpled in and the seal was tight! Success!
It’s 5 days later now and the jar is still securely sealed. Of course I can’t comment on how long they stay sealed as I’ve only just started using them–but I have no reason to doubt the claims of the many reviews on their site.
The Tattler reusable canning jar lids run $20.95 for three dozen of the regular sized, $23.95 for three dozen of the wide mouth. That works out to $6.98 for a dozen of the regular sized. Since the disposables cost me $2.50, as soon as I hit 3 uses on the lids I’m saving money! The company has done trials using the same lids and gaskets 14 times with no failures–and they cite anecdotal evidence from satisfied users who have been using the same lids for up to 20 years. So in the long run these could save a LOT of money for your average canner-even though the initial outlay may be expensive. (note: there are bulk discounts for large orders and you can also order replacement gaskets on their own)
If you decide to buy some Tattler lids after reading this review, I’d appreciate it if you’d consider using my affiliate link below or in the sidebar!
*****This Giveaway is Closed*****
Now on to the fun stuff-the GIVEAWAY!
The kind folks at Tattler are hosting the giveaway of 1 box of regular lids and gaskets and 1 box of widemouth lids and gaskets for a lucky reader!
This giveaway runs from today–Tuesday Nov 29, 2011 until midnight Saturday Dec 4, 2011.
To enter: leave a comment telling me your favorite food to can!
Want some additional entries? Use any or all of the following and then come back and leave a comment for each!
1. Tweet telling others about the contest using this link: http://bit.ly/t5W5hW
2. Sign up to get Frugal Upstate sent to via email: Frugal Upstate Email Subscription Signup or to read it in your RSS Reader
3. Subscribe to the Frugal Upstate YouTube Channel. Just go to the Frugal Upstate channel and click on the yellow “subscribe” button there on top.
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Catherine says
Jam and applesauce are favorites around here! I am just a waterbath canner, so nothing too fancy. Someday I’d love to borrow a pressure canner and do chili & soups.
Catherine says
I subscribe to the RSS feed.
Ginger says
My favorite thing to can thus far is strawberry fig preserves. This year was my first time ever making it and canning it . I think I love it so much because it is something my grandmother use to make when I was a child. I still consider myself a newbie at canning,I’ve got two canning seasons under my belt and so much more to learn and experience. I’m heading over to the Tattler website to read some more on this lids, Thanks for the chance to win some … hope I win !!
-Ginger 🙂
Stephanie says
Oh I so want to try these. Tried another brand, and was not happy with them. I’ve heard good things about this brand. I love canning stew meat, mostly because I love the end result; tender flavorful ready to use meat!
Melissa Bein says
I would love to learn how to can– and being able to have the reusable lids would go a long way to helping me get my can on! 😉
Kimberly says
I myself havent done too much canning, but what I have, I love. I’ve done jellys and this year, my in-laws, hubby and I canned fresh tomatoes. yumm! i always just got a few cans from the in-laws, never had a case to myself. 🙂 want to do more though. Thanks for the giveaway!
Kimberly says
Question… do you keep the rings on the lids, or take them off after it is sealed and cooled?
Pam says
I love to can spaghetti sauce.
thefrugallery says
Wow, what a great idea! I am very excited to try these reusable lids. The lids get very costly and this will be a way to make canning more frugal. To answer Kimberly’s question above, I usually take the rings off after they are sealed and cooled.
Greg says
I love strawberry-rhubarb jam and that’s pretty much all I can. Thanks!
Stephanie Thurow says
My favorite thing to can this season was anything with cranberries!
Stephanie Thurow says
I tweeted about this on Twitter (StephLovesToCan)
Stephanie Thurow says
I just liked your page on Facebook!
Kathi says
This was the first year I tried chow chow! It was delicious and I can’t wait for green tomatoes next year. Love that they didn’t go to waste since they were so late coming on this year in our area. Haven’t canned anything with reusable lids but am definitely willing to give it a try. Thanks so much for the giveaway.
Judy D in WA says
I love to can green beans with my the best assistants ever, hubby and grandkiddos. I’ve been thinking of buying these lids and didn’t realize until now that the gasket is reusable. I think now I will start to stock up on these. Thanks for this review.
Teresa Koci says
I haven’t canned for quite a few years, but this year I stepped in and tackled a whole bunch of stuff…they are all my favorites, as it means feeding my family, as well as gifting to those I love…This year I canned peaches, nectarines, dill pickles, gherkins, salsa, spaghetti sauce, raspberry jam, blueberry jam, strawberry jam (light, no sugar and regular) as well as what I call strazzberry jam (raspberry/strawberry) and chicken, including broth and beef stew. The amount of jars and lids can become enormous after a while, so these would be extremely useful and put to good use in my house.
Teresa Koci says
I also forgot…I did apple sauce, baking apples and cranberry sauce, both whole and jellied as well.
sharon pierce says
No favorites , but anything I get canned becomes a favorite 🙂
Dano says
I love canning apple pie filling and grape juice.
Nice Website! P.S. Testing the ‘metal’ of something is actually ‘mettle’. 🙂
Kerrie says
I am a beginner canner myself. I have helped my mom and grandmother a lot. My favorite thing to can is green beans. Strange, I know. It is just because we eat a TON of them. I would love to get into canning chicken in broth and things like that. Just not quite there yet.
Teresa Koci says
I just liked your Frugal Upstate page on Facebook. Thanks!!
Teresa Koci says
Just subscribed to Frugal Upstate YouTube channel. Thank-you!!
Sharon says
I love to can all different kinds of jelly & tomatoes.
Sharon says
Just liked your facebook page 🙂
Heather says
If it holds still long enough, I’ll can it! Jams, many different fruits, pickles, dilly beans, soups, tomatoes, salsas, beans, etc….I love seeing my jars all filled up. When they are empty I feel like they are mocking me 🙂
Heather
Christina Bredenkamp says
I’d love to try these. I can everything I get my hands on. But mostly green beans and lamb.
Darla Shannon says
I love to can tomatoes.
Pam Bartholomew says
My favorite food to can or to eat?! Pizza sauce! I don’t can because I love the process – it’s messy and labor intensive – but I do love to have the finished product on my pantry shelf over the winter. And I love the way it makes my whole house smell! I even add a jar of pizza sauce to my homemade chili. Now you know my secret recipe.
Darla Shannon says
I subscribed to Frugal Upstate on U tube.
Angie W says
I love to can salsa and eat it all year round – so much fresher than the store-bought stuff. Thanks for the giveaway!
Carole says
I like to can pickles, and tomatoes.
Sandy says
I love canning and I can quite a variety of foods. One of my favorites is to can things from the apples off our apple tree. My family all loves my ‘Apple Pie Jam’!!
Rinda says
I don’t really have a favorite thing to can. We love home canned peaches around here. I can tomatoes from the garden, pickles, relish, jams, grape juice, salsa, tomatillas, apple pie filling and applesauce. Just about anything I can get my hands on. 🙂
kerri says
I love to can preserves and jelly!
Gwen Murillo says
I’m a new canner, so I’ve only canned green beans. So I’d have to say green beans with bacon ends (my neighbor Eva recommended I use bacon ends).
Love the site. Thanks for all you do!
Debra Basquez says
I love to can jellies. I think they look like jewels when light is behind the jars. I just canned pretty green jalapeno jelly on Saturday this past week. I’ve been wanting Tattler lids and have put them on my Christmas list. I do about 200-300 jars of food per year. Thank you. I found you via Tattler on Facebook.
Kristin says
Applesauce….it’s not my favorite canned food to eat, but I love canning it. 🙂
Eileen K. says
I love to can pickles! Beans and Cukes go straight from my garden into a jar, and I like pickled asparagus too, but don’t grow it myself. Thanks for the giveaway!
Ramie Schulteis says
Jelly, salsa, rotel, juices……….I really enjoy canning! Thanks for the chance to win!
Danny says
I love to can anything I can get my hands on, but tomatoes are my favorite I guess, whole, chopped, juice, spaghetti sauce, salsa, and on and on. Thanks for the review, and the giveaway!
kerri says
I liked your Frugal Upstate page on Facebook. Thanks!
kerri says
Signed up to get Frugal Upstate sent to me via email
Cindy Brick says
Tomatoes…by far. We have trouble, because of high altitude (6250 ft here), canning less acid items.
I am really hoping that these work! Would love to try them.
Cindy Brick says
…and yes, I’ve subscribed via e-mail.
Stephanie says
pickled cauliflower!
Stephanie says
Subscribed!
Stephanie says
tweeted. I also found you via tattler on facebook, fyi.
Christi says
I love to can jam.
My mulberry tree gives us almost enough berries to feed my PB&J addiction.
Howard Tuckey says
I used them just this morning (11/29) to pressure-can 9 pints of veggie-beef soup! We’ve been using them for a while now, and have no complaints whatsoever. Excellent product!
I do can lots of chicken, stock, and other foods requiring the pressure canner, so it never really gets put away. We don’t use them exclusively, as we do give away canned fruits and jams, but for what we keep here at home we try to use them — saves quite a lot!
Amber says
I love to can apple butter and spiced apples.
margaret arsenault says
I love to can pickles each year. Especially my favorite is mustard pickles