What to look for when buying used canning jars
The local Facebook group ad read "Canning jars, $1 a dozen." How could I resist?
The seller was even in my town. I grabbed one of our teenagers to go with me (this was before our children all "flew the nest") and we met her in a public place. While I passed on the mayonnaise jars, I bought twenty dozen canning jars, mostly pints and quarts, for just $20!
I still think that's one of the best bargains I've ever found.
If you're just getting started with home canning, the cost of equipment can feel overwhelming. Between the canner, jars, lids, and other supplies, preserving your own food requires an investment up front. Buying used jars is one of the easiest ways to lower that cost without sacrificing safety or quality.
Where to Find Used Canning Jars
Buying used jars (or having them gifted to you) is a great way to save money. Where can you find them? Garage and yard sales, estate sales, and thrift stores are all good places to look.
Tell everyone you know that you are looking for canning jars, and you might be the recipient of someone's grandma's empty jars. Keep an eye on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and Freecycle lists too.
I bought a few half-gallon canning jars from our local thrift store. They didn't even charge me for the dead cricket in one of the jars. While the USDA and the National Center for Home Food Preservation recommend using half-gallon jars for very acidic fruit juices such as apple and grape juice only (see this link), those jars look great on my kitchen counter holding rice, macaroni and other dry staples.
Half-pint jars are often used to can jams and jellies, or small-batch specialty foods. Pints and quarts are the most-often used sizes for canning. Half-gallon jars should only be used to can juice from highly-acidic fruits; apple and grape are the only juices recommended by the USDA.
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What to Look for When Buying Used Canning Jars
Finding used canning jars can save you a lot of money - but only if the jars are still in good condition. Here's what to check when you find used jars:
- Check the rims of jars for chips and cracks; jars with chipped rims can still be used in craft projects and to store dry goods short-term but can't be used for canning.
- Don't use glass mayonnaise jars for canning, although they can be vacuum-sealed to store dehydrated foods and dry goods. Genuine canning jars will have raised lettering; if the jar is completely smooth, it probably isn't a canning jar.
- Look carefully for cracks in the "body" of the jar, and especially around the bottom. This is often where my older jars crack, with the bottom of the jar breaking off of the body.
- Check that the jars aren't cloudy or etched inside. Over time, minerals from hard water or repeated dishwasher use can permanently etch the glass. Those jars are still fine for storing dry goods, but I usually pass on them for canning because tiny scratches can weaken the glass.
Vintage canning jars are beautiful, and many people collect them. While many older jars are still perfectly usable if they're free of chips and cracks, I generally leave valuable antique jars for collectors and look instead for modern Ball, Kerr, or Anchor Hocking jars for everyday canning.
Can You Reuse Canning Jars?
Yes, canning jars can be reused. This is why it's important to choose jars that have been manufactured to withstand repeated processing at high heat for long periods of time. Mayonnaise-type jars are not made to the same standards and are basically considered one-use jars.
Eventually though, even good-quality canning jars can break. Handling them gently will help to increase their lifespan. Don't bang them on the counter, sink or against other jars, and gently add them to the canner when you're preserving food.
Bands (the rings that hold the lids on canning jars) can be re-used, but you should retire any rusty bands because they can crack the jar when you try to remove them.
Canning lids (sometimes called "flats") should not be re-used.
Wash jars thoroughly before using them. I usually run secondhand jars through the dishwasher before storing them away. You never know how long they've been sitting in someone's basement or garage - or whether they've been home to a few curious crickets.
Building Your Canning Pantry
Don't let the cost of supplies keep you from learning to preserve your own food. Building a canning pantry doesn't have to happen all at once. Pick up a few jars at a garage sale, accept the extras your neighbor no longer wants, or keep an eye on local online listings.
Before long, you'll have enough jars to preserve your own harvest - and every time you fill one, you'll be building both your pantry and your confidence.
Kathi Rodgers is the gardener and writer behind Oak Hill Homestead (est. 2006) and the host of HOMEGROWN: Your Backyard Garden Podcast. With over 30 years of gardening experience in a variety of climates and soils, she helps new and aspiring gardeners grow healthy, organic food right in their own backyards.
A passionate advocate for simple, self-reliant living, Kathi is the author of multiple ebooks, a published magazine contributor, and shares practical advice with readers who want real-life solutions they can trust.
Kathi lives in Oklahoma, where she grows more cherry tomatoes than she can count and keeps a watchful eye on tornado season. A proud grandma and great-grandma, she believes that wisdom - like a bountiful garden harvest - should be shared.
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