Primula Ball Jar Pack - Clear (16 oz), Case of 12goodunited states

I am 49 and have canned for as long as I can remember--back to the time I was first able to stand at the stove on a little stool next to my parents. I have canned through tough times and prosperous ones, and in all walks of life. And I give these jars one star...and will never buy them again. (Goodwill and Craigslist are my sources, sorry seller.)

How sad that one corporation now owns all the smaller canning jar companies, and has reduced their quality so terribly. The glass is thinner than ever, the lids come jammed onto the jars--with a higher rate of failure and less reusability--and the jars come in a flimsy carton, not at all suitable for storing and protecting foodstuffs from bumps, dirt, and spider poo. These jars have always been a durable product. Till now.

I hope for the day when someone in China or Poland or Mexico or SOMEWHERE markets a competing brand to Jarden's canning jars, which used to be produced under the high-quality, reliable Ball, Mason,... Read more

My how disappointing it was to learn that all Ball/Kerr metal canning jar lids are lined with the hormone-damaging toxin BPA. I hope they're working on a lid that is 100% free of BPA, but in the mean time, if you're searching for lids without BPA, you might try Tattler lids. They are reusable and guaranteed to last a lifetime. There are others on the market as well.

A good quality canning jar can be used over and over again as long as you don't break it or chip the sealing edge. I have used mayonnaise and jelly jars from the store, but I've had more breakage with those because they are slightly thinner glass and weren't designed for home canning. I can attest to the dismay at the loss of perfectly good food due to breakage of the jars in the pressure canner.

If you garden, or if you buy food in volume at sale prices, home canning, freezing, or drying make perfectly good sense. Whether you use quarts or pints is up to you. I use both sizes, and the Ball Mason Canning Jars are perfect for all. (Be careful freezing, because overfilling can cause breakage even of the best jars.)

Having said that, I do not recommend purchasing jars online unless the price is extremely low or the shipping is free, because shipping costs can be horrendous. Unless you have no alternative, buy them locally. (There may be some exceptions: If you... Read more