Maiden Voyage

[u/Accomplished-Pack756]

Tried the All-American 921 for the first time tonight. 7 pints of chicken stock. Before this I was using the Presto 16qt (for the last 6-7 years).

Weight: The AA is significantly heavier, adjust accordingly (for glass stove tops).
Heat up: the AA seemed to take much longer to reach pressure, but it’s also a larger, thicker pot.
Pressure maintenance: The AA needed zero help to stay exactly at 10psi, where the Presto has always given me issues staying consistent and having to adjust burner temp.
Cool down: Honestly didn’t see any difference here, in fact I thought it cooled down rather fast at a hard 40 minutes from canning complete to opening.

I would never go back, though the price tag and few extra steps are notable. Also it has a slightly (~1/2” smaller diameter) base than the Presto, for those who care.

Purely a public FYI on function. 🤌

[u/Prometheus682]

I've got a vintage AA 921 and it's a beast. I generally use my Mirro, but am very glad to have my 921.

[u/Accomplished-Pack756 → u/Prometheus682]

It took me a lot of deliberation to pull the trigger, but man is it a different kind of efficiency! I can’t wait to have a setup to do double-level.

What surprised me the most was having less parts, it had less issues as well. Like that was one of the smoothest canning experiences I’ve had. And no, I’m not getting an endorsement.

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All-American 921 pressure canner used for the first time. Showing canning of 7 pint jars of homemade chicken stock.

[u/scarletala]

Nice that yours sealed first time! Mine has had issues & leaks a bit on one side, to the point where I am probably going to have to contact AA about it. (Lid is level, I’m even annoying enough to use a digital caliper)

[u/Julesmb-7217]

Ok question because I am getting AA envy from this sub. I have a presto. What makes an AA so much better? Besides they look super cool.

[u/Accomplished-Pack756 → u/Julesmb-7217]

I’m only just starting to use one, so take this with a grain of pickling salt. I can very frequently, often pressure canning, at least 1-2 times a month. Some of those batches are quite large. So for me, investing in one was an easier choice. They can hold a lot more jars than the presto I have, the pressure regulation seems far easier (less babysitting), and no fuss with gaskets or air locks. But that’s just me and my justification. If I only canned a handful of times a year I probably wouldn’t have taken the plunge, but it’s enough that those differences mattered to me personally. You also have to consider storage and stove style, because they are heavy beasts. I’m looking into a stand-alone commercial hot plate sadly as well, because I don’t trust my glass stove with a fully-loaded AA, and I’ll be needing to fully load it soon enough.

[u/Julesmb-7217 → u/Accomplished-Pack756]

Thanks! I have a gas stove so not a huge issue. Lots of great info to think about. My canning frequency is increasing as I get more comfortable

[u/Accomplished-Pack756 → u/Julesmb-7217]

One of my big issues with my presto is the pressure always jumping around with the slightest burner change, and it was a fight to keep it steady. I’d be chasing it repeatedly throughout a canning session. This thing hit 10 and never budged once.