Back to Basics 286 5-Piece Home Canning Kit

by Back to Basics

Product Features

• Home-canning kit provides 5 essential tools with stay-cool handles
• Jar lifter and magnetic lid lifter for removing jars and lids from boiling water
• Canning funnel directs ingredients into the jar quickly and cleanly
• Kitchen tongs; jar wrench effortlessly removes sticky lids
• Measures 8 by 6 by 12 inches; 1-year limited warranty

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6 x 12 inches ; 1.9 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002BF1WY
• Item model number: 286
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (87 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,369 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Capture summer fruits and vegetables at their prime for enjoyment throughout the year by canning at home. This five-piece canning kit provides all the essential tools needed for getting started--a jar lifter, a magnetic lid lifter, a canning funnel, a jar-lid wrench, and kitchen tongs. To safely remove the hot jars and lids after they've been sterilized in boiling water, use the jar lifter to pick up the jars and the magnetic lid lifter to easily remove the lids--with no risk of burned fingers. The canning funnel directs ingredients into the jar quickly and cleanly and offers a wide design that accommodates both regular and wide-mouth jars. Heat-resistant handles and durable steel construction makes the kitchen tongs a convenient addition to the tool set. And when it's time to enjoy those tomatoes or fruit preserves, the jar-lid wrench effortlessly removes the sticky lid. When not in use, the tools can be stored in their original box, which measures 8 by 6 by 12 inches. The home-canning kit carries a one-year limited warranty.

Product Description

All of the Back to Basics essential canning tools in one simple kit. Includes: Canning Funnel, Jar Wrench, Jar Lifter, Kitchen Tongs, and Magnetic Lid Lifter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

129 of 130 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wish I'd realized the jar lifter was available separately, August 6, 2008

By 

Julia Rietmulder-Stone (Harrisburg, PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Back to Basics 286 5-Piece Home Canning Kit (Kitchen)

I am brand new at canning, and did my first batch prior to ordering these tools. It went okay, but I was immediately sold on the idea of a jar lifter. I looked and looked locally but couldn't find one, and this set was available for immediate shipment.

The jar lifter is fantastic, and ultimately I think it alone is worth the price of admission -- not because it's worth it in and of itself, but because it's a total necessity, so I would have purchased it at any price that wouldn't break the bank.

The other pieces are either already part of a moderately well-equipped kitchen, are nice but not necessary, and/or are not all that well constructed.

I'd opted to return a relatively expensive set of plastic funnels when I purchased this set, but the included funnel here melted a bit under the heat of the boiling brine I poured over the pickles-to-be. Same for the plastic surrounding the magnet when I used it (quite effectively) to grab the jar lids out of a simmer sauce pan. The lid wrench I'm just not sure I see a use for, since jars aren't supposed to be super tight and they tend to loosen when cooled anyway (or am I misunderstanding what this is for?), and the tongs, well, who doesn't have tongs?

Anyway, in researching for this review, I've come to feel like something of an idiot, because the pieces are available separately and eligible for the free shipping promotion of your choice. Unless you don't already have a funnel, or don't mind the possibility of plastic in your canned food, I recommend saving five bucks and just getting these two pieces:

Back to Basics 284 Jar Lifter
Back to Basics 174 Magnetic Lid Lifter

If you need more than those two pieces, though, this set will do the job.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great set., October 15, 2008

By 

Charise E. White "Reece" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Back to Basics 286 5-Piece Home Canning Kit (Kitchen)

We have used this several times since we recieved it a couple weeks ago. The one piece I have been a little disappointed with is the lid magnet. It did not pick up the lids very well, (it is a little dangerous to fingers to have lids drop and splash boiling water) I finally just gave up and used the tongs to get the lids out. That being said the other products have worked well.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Canning Kit Satisfies, September 3, 2009

By 

Donald W. Sturman "dsturman" (SF Bay Area) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Back to Basics 286 5-Piece Home Canning Kit (Kitchen)

This canning kit has everything you need to do home canning. The only improvement is that the magnet on the end of the lid tool was bigger; sometimes when I am working fast the jar lid repeatedly falls back into the boiling water.