The Best Mason Jars and Canning Supplies
John Landis Mason patented the mason jar in 1858 and the format has not needed improvement. Glass does not react with food; the two-piece metal lid creates a vacuum seal through heat processing; the jar itself can be reused indefinitely. The supplies on this list are the American canning standard that has been feeding families through winter for 165 years.
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How to Choose
Wide-mouth jars are easier to fill with large items; regular-mouth jars work for jams, sauces, and anything poured in. For the lids: original two-piece lids (flat lid plus band) are the only format approved for home pressure canning. Reusable plastic lids are fine for refrigerator storage but not for shelf-stable canning. Buy name-brand lids (Ball, Kerr) rather than generic -- the lid seal quality is what stands between safely preserved food and spoilage.
Ball Wide Mouth Mason Jars 32-Oz 12-Pack
Ball has been making mason jars in Muncie, Indiana since 1884. The 32-ounce wide-mouth jar is the standard for home canning of whole fruits and vegetables, pickles, and large-format ferments. The glass is thick enough to withstand the thermal shock of pressure canning; the wide mouth allows easy filling and removal. The lids and bands are included. These jars last decades with proper care.
The American canning jar. Made by the company that defined the category 140 years ago.
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Ball Regular Mouth Mason Jars 16-Oz 12-Pack
The pint jar is the most useful single size for home canning: right for jams, jellies, salsas, pickles, sauces, and most processed vegetables. The regular mouth is narrower, which makes it better for pouring contents into glasses or bowls. Twelve jars per case is the practical purchase unit for anyone canning in volume -- a dozen quarts of tomatoes, a dozen pints of jam.
The pint is the most useful canning size. This is the jar that fills the pantry shelf.
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Ball Wide Mouth Canning Lids 12-Count
Canning lids (the flat discs with the sealing compound) are single-use: once the vacuum seal is established and released, the compound does not reseal reliably. A season's worth of canning requires as many lids as jars processed. Ball lids are the standard: consistent sealing compound, accurate vacuum indication (the center pops up when the seal breaks), and compatibility with all standard mason jar bands.
Replace lids every season. Ball is the only brand worth trusting for shelf-stable food safety.
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