Presto 01755 review
The smallest canner the USDA's research actually covers, reviewed on published specifications rather than a test we did not run.
Disclosure: we earn a commission on purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It does not change what we recommend — see how we pick and our affiliate disclosure.
The Presto 01755 is a 16-quart aluminum pressure canner holding 7 quarts, 10 pints or 13 half-pints, which also doubles as a boiling water canner for pints and smaller. It is the smallest size the USDA's pressure research covers, weighs 9.25 lb empty, uses a gauge that should be checked yearly, and carries a 12-year limited warranty.
We have not used this canner and will not write as though we have. What follows is its published specifications, checked against the NCHFP's published canner rules, plus what those two documents together tell you about living with it. Our method is on how we pick.
The 01755 exists for a specific buyer: someone whose kitchen, stove or shoulders cannot take the 23-quart, but who still wants to can meat, beans and vegetables properly. The interesting question is whether shrinking a canner costs you anything that matters, and for once the answer is documented rather than guessed.
The specifications, as published
| Presto 01755 | Presto 01781 | |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid capacity | 16 quarts (15.1 L) | 23 quarts (21.8 L) |
| Quart jars | 7 | 7 |
| Pint jars | 10 | 20 |
| Half-pint jars | 13 | 26 |
| Boiling water canning | Half-pints and pints only | Half-pints, pints and quarts |
| Empty weight | 9.25 lb | 10.32 lb |
| Out-of-box height | 12.00" | 15.50" |
| Warranty | 12-year limited | 12-year limited |
The row that decides most purchases is the pint row. Both canners take the same seven quart jars; the 23-quart takes twice as many pints because it is tall enough to stack them in two layers. If your canning is mostly pints — and for most people canning vegetables, beans and meat it is — the smaller canner means twice as many runs.
Is 16 quarts big enough to count?
Yes, and this is the one spec where the 01755 sits exactly on the line rather than over it. The NCHFP's rule: "To be considered a pressure canner for USDA processes, the canner must be able to hold at least four quart-size jars, standing upright on the canner rack, with the lid in place." At seven quarts, the 01755 clears that comfortably.
More than that, the NCHFP points at this size directly when describing where the processes came from: "The research for USDA pressure processes for vegetable and meat products was conducted in pressure canners that are most similar to today's 16-quart or larger pressure canners." That is a meaningful sentence for anyone weighing a 16-quart canner against a smaller pressure cooker: this is the size the science was done in.
The gauge, and the annual errand
Presto describes the 01755's gauge as one that "automatically registers the complete range of processing pressures", and its specification sheet calls it a "Deluxe Pressure Gauge" that registers the complete range of processing temperatures — which, it notes, is "especially important when pressure canning at higher altitudes." That is the real argument for a gauge canner: it reads actual pressure rather than a fixed step, so altitude adjustments are precise.
The obligation that comes with it is annual. The NCHFP: "Check dial gauges for accuracy before use each year. Gauges that read high cause under-processing and may result in unsafe food." Adjustments can be made if a gauge reads up to 2 pounds high or low; beyond that, the gauge is replaced. Testing is often available through county Extension offices. The gauge itself is Presto part 85772, which also replaces the older 82121 and 82237 gauges.
If an annual errand sounds like a chore you will not do, that is a legitimate reason to buy a weighted-gauge canner instead — weighted gauges "control pressure precisely and need neither watching during processing nor checking for accuracy." The trade-offs are in dial gauge vs weighted gauge.
Quick picks
Every pick below is screened against the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s published canner rules first. Tap a row for the full write-up.
| # | Product | Best for | Key spec | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Presto 16-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker (01755)The smallest canner the USDA's research actually stands behind, and the one to buy if the 23-quart is too tall, too heavy or too much for your burner. It holds 7 quart jars, 10 pints or 13 half-pints, doubles as a boiling water canner for pints and smaller, and carries Presto's 12-year limited warranty. | A pressure canner that fits a small kitchen | 16 qt, 7 quarts or 10 pints | |
| 2 |  Presto 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker (01781)The default first pressure canner, and the one most beginners should buy: it takes a full seven-quart load, it doubles as a boiling-water canner for pints and half-pints, and it costs a fraction of a cast-aluminum canner. The dial gauge is the catch, and it is a real one. | A first pressure canner | 7 quarts / 20 pints | |
| 3 |  Presto Steam Gauge for Pressure Canners (85772)If your extension office tests your dial gauge and it reads more than 2 psi off, this is the fix. It is also the part that makes a dial-gauge canner a lifetime object instead of a disposable one, because the gauge is the only component on it with an opinion about pressure. | A dial that reads wrong | Replaces a failed dial | |
| 4 |  Presto Pressure Canner Sealing Ring / Overpressure Plug Pack (09985)The one spare every Presto owner should have in a drawer. The sealing ring is a rubber part that hardens with age and heat cycles, and it is the reason a canner that worked last September will not come up to pressure this September. Presto sells it packed with the overpressure plug, which is the other rubber part in the lid. | The part that fails first | Ring + overpressure plug | $24.78 · View on Amazon#ad we earn a commission · price as of October 18, 2026 |
Presto 16-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker (01755)
The smallest canner the USDA's research actually stands behind, and the one to buy if the 23-quart is too tall, too heavy or too much for your burner. It holds 7 quart jars, 10 pints or 13 half-pints, doubles as a boiling water canner for pints and smaller, and carries Presto's 12-year limited warranty.
Published specs
- Model
- 01755
- Liquid capacity
- 16 quarts (15.1 liters) (Presto)
- Jar capacity
- 13 half-pints, 10 pints, 7 quarts (Presto)
- Boiling water canning
- Half-pints and pints only (Presto)
- Material
- Extra-strong aluminum; regular and smooth-top ranges (Presto)
- Size and weight
- 17.25" x 13.5" x 12", 9.25 lb (Presto spec sheet)
- Burner limit
- Household burners of 12,000 BTUs or less (Presto)
- Warranty
- Extended 12-year limited warranty (Presto)
What works
- Holds a full canner load of 7 quart jars, so it is a real canner rather than a compromise — the NCHFP's rule is that a canner must hold at least four quart jars upright
- At 9.25 lb empty and 12 inches tall it fits under cabinets and lifts more easily than the 23-quart, which matters on a smooth-top range with a weight limit
- Presto publishes a parts list for it — gauge, sealing ring, overpressure plug, rack, handles — so wear is a part number rather than a new canner
What to know first
- It is a gauge canner, and the NCHFP says to check gauges for accuracy every year. That is an annual errand the weighted-gauge canners do not ask of you
- Aluminum, so it will not work on an induction range — Presto's induction-compatible canner is a different model
- Ten pints per load where the 23-quart takes 20, so a big harvest means twice as many runs
Specs from Presto, 16-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker (01755), Presto, 01755 specification sheet (PDF). We have not handled this product — see how we pick.
Presto 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker (01781)
The default first pressure canner, and the one most beginners should buy: it takes a full seven-quart load, it doubles as a boiling-water canner for pints and half-pints, and it costs a fraction of a cast-aluminum canner. The dial gauge is the catch, and it is a real one.
Published specs
- Liquid capacity
- 23 quarts (21.8 liters)
- Jar capacity
- 26 half-pints, 20 pints, 7 quarts
- Material
- Warp-resistant aluminum
- Gauge
- Dial gauge
- Ranges
- Regular and smooth-top
- Burner limit
- 12,000 BTUs or less
- Also
- Doubles as a boiling-water canner
- Warranty
- 12-year limited
- Base diameter
- Not published by Presto
What works
- Seven quart jars is the standard batch size every tested NCHFP recipe is written around, so you are never processing a half load
- Doubles as a boiling-water canner for pints and half-pints, which means one pot covers the jam-and-pickles year as well as the beans
- Presto sells a replacement dial gauge and sealing ring separately, so a decade-old canner is a repair rather than a replacement
What to know first
- A dial gauge should be checked for accuracy every year — most extension offices do it free, and most owners never go. A weighted gauge needs no calibration at all
- Presto does not publish a base diameter, so you cannot check it against the NCHFP element rule without measuring the box yourself. See will it fit your stove
- Rated for burners of 12,000 BTUs or less, which rules out most outdoor propane burners and some high-output gas ranges
Specs from Presto, 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker (01781). We have not handled this product — see how we pick.
Presto Steam Gauge for Pressure Canners (85772)
If your extension office tests your dial gauge and it reads more than 2 psi off, this is the fix. It is also the part that makes a dial-gauge canner a lifetime object instead of a disposable one, because the gauge is the only component on it with an opinion about pressure.
Published specs
- Presto stock number
- 85772
- Presto's own name
- Steam Gauge for Presto Pressure Canners
- Function
- The dial that registers processing pressure
- When to replace
- NCHFP: check dial gauges for accuracy before use each year
- Listed for
- Presto's parts page for the 23-quart Pressure Canner
What works
- A dial gauge is the one part of a pressure canner that can be quietly wrong, and replacing it is cheaper and faster than replacing the canner
- Genuine Presto part listed on Presto's own parts page against your canner's stock number
- Makes the annual accuracy test actionable — there is no point testing a gauge if a failed test has no remedy
What to know first
- You still need somewhere to test the gauge. Many county extension offices do it free, and you have to actually go
- Replacing the gauge does not remove the annual test from your calendar. A new dial gauge is a dial gauge
- If you resent the whole business, the honest answer is a weighted-gauge canner, which the NCHFP says needs no accuracy checking at all
Specs from Presto, Parts and Accessories for the 23-Quart Pressure Canner, NCHFP, Recommended Canners. We have not handled this product — see how we pick.
Presto Pressure Canner Sealing Ring / Overpressure Plug Pack (09985)
The one spare every Presto owner should have in a drawer. The sealing ring is a rubber part that hardens with age and heat cycles, and it is the reason a canner that worked last September will not come up to pressure this September. Presto sells it packed with the overpressure plug, which is the other rubber part in the lid.
Published specs
- Presto stock number
- 09985
- Presto's own name
- Pressure Canner Sealing Ring/Overpressure Plug Pack
- Contents
- Sealing ring and overpressure plug
- Listed for
- Presto's parts page for the 23-quart Pressure Canner (stock no. 0178107)
- Why two parts
- Both are rubber, and both age at the same rate
What works
- A genuine Presto part ordered from Presto's own parts list for your model number, which is the only way to be sure of the fit — the aftermarket for this part is crowded and inconsistently labeled
- Packed with the overpressure plug, so you replace both rubber components at once rather than discovering the second one next season
- Turns a decade-old canner into a repair rather than a replacement, which is most of the reason a Presto is good value in the first place
What to know first
- Part numbers are per-model. Presto lists parts by canner stock number, and buying by 'looks about right' is how people end up with a ring that will not seat
- A sealing ring is a wear part, not a lifetime one. Inspect it each season for hardening or cracking rather than waiting for a failure
- It will not fix a canner that fails to hold pressure for a different reason, such as a blocked vent pipe or a gauge reading wrong
Specs from Presto, Parts and Accessories for the 23-Quart Pressure Canner. We have not handled this product — see how we pick.
Will it work on your stove?
Presto's own guidance is specific and worth reading before buying. The 01755 is "constructed of extra-strong aluminum and suitable for use on regular and smooth-top ranges", and the spec sheet adds that it "works on electric, smooth-top, and gas ranges." The limits are as published:
- 12,000 BTUs or less. Presto: "This pressure canner is designed for use on household range burners of 12,000 BTUs or less." Outdoor LP burners and high-output gas ranges are explicitly excluded.
- Not induction. Aluminum, so the magnet test fails. Presto's induction-compatible canner is a different model with a stainless-clad base.
- Smooth tops: check the weight limit. Presto warns that "a full canner can exceed 50 pounds" and says to check your range's manual. The 01755's lighter empty weight helps here.
- Match the element. Presto's advice is to use an element that closely matches the canner base and not to place it across two elements. Our element-size calculator does this arithmetic.
At 12 inches tall out of the box, the 01755 also solves a problem the 23-quart creates: clearance under a range hood or microwave. That is worth measuring before you order either one.
Parts, and the twelve-year argument
The reason to buy a Presto rather than an unbranded canner is that it stays repairable. Presto publishes a full parts list for the 16-quart canner, and the parts are ordinary purchases rather than special orders.
- Sealing ring and overpressure plug pack — 09985. Presto: "The sealing ring fits around the inside rim of the cover and forms a pressure-tight seal... It is recommended that both items be replaced at the same time."
- Steam gauge — 85772, which includes the gauge, compression gasket, washer and nut.
- Overpressure plug — 09915, the safety device that releases steam if the vent pipe clogs.
- Cooking/canning rack — 85707, the part most likely to be lost rather than worn out.
- Pressure regulator — 09978, for the weighted regulator that rocks at 15 pounds.
With a 12-year limited warranty on top of that, the sensible way to think about the price is as a long amortization: a canner that is repaired rather than replaced is a fifteen-year purchase. The full parts picture is in pressure canner replacement parts.
Who should buy the 23-quart instead
Anyone who cans pints in volume. Twenty pints per load versus ten is not a marginal difference when you are putting up a bushel of green beans, and the larger canner takes quarts in a boiling water bath where the 16-quart is limited to pints and smaller. If you have the burner, the clearance and the counter, the 23-quart is the more capable machine for a similar price.
Buy the 01755 when the constraint is real: a smooth-top range with a weight limit, a kitchen with low clearance, a household that cans quarts of tomatoes and a few pints of beans rather than a season's worth. The detailed comparison is in what size pressure canner, and the 23-quart has its own review.
The verdict
The 01755 is the right canner for a small kitchen and the wrong one for a big harvest. It is a genuine pressure canner by the USDA's own definition, sized at the point where the research was done, repairable for a decade or more, and lighter and shorter than its sibling in ways that matter on a smooth-top range. What you give up is the second layer of pints — which, if pints are what you can, is most of the reason to own a canner at all.
Next stepSizing a canner to your harvestCommon questions
How many jars does the Presto 01755 hold?
Is a 16-quart canner big enough for USDA processes?
Presto 01755 or 01781 — which should I buy?
Does the Presto 01755 work on a glass top stove?
Does the gauge need testing every year?
Can the Presto 01755 be used as a water bath canner?
What replacement parts does it take?
How heavy is it?
What warranty does it come with?
Sources
- Presto — 16-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker (01755)
- Presto — 01755 specification sheet (PDF)
- Presto — 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker (01781)
- Presto — Canning Heat Source
- Presto — Parts and Accessories for the 16-Quart Pressure Canner
- NCHFP — Canning in Pressure Cookers
- NCHFP — Recommended Canners
- USDA — Complete Guide to Home Canning, Guide 1
Product specifications are taken from each manufacturer’s own published page, cited on the product. We have not handled these products — how we pick.
