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As I worked on canning the green bean harvest this weekend, I encountered a problem I have had before with my Smartcanner.
It’s not the Smartcanner’s fault. When I flip back and forth between water bath and pressure canning, I get confused between the instructions for each. There is enough of a difference that it will cause canning failure so I had to come up with a solution.
Part of the problem is the font size and formatting in the instruction book. So, I created my own sheet for each set of instructions.
The new instruction sheets are in a larger font, that doesn’t require reading glasses. The important aspects are in bold type. I added boxes that I can check off as I work through the process so I don’t lose my place. I slipped them into a sheet protector so that I can erase the check marks, ready for the next use.
I keep the easy to follow instruction sheets in the drawer of my canning table for easy access.
PRESSURE CANNING – NESCO SMARTCANNER
□ Put jars in canner
□ Add 8 CUPS HOT WATER
□ Valve @ “EXHAUST”
□ Press “HIGH”
□ Press “TIME” to set to number of minutes required in recipe
□ Press “START”
□ Digital chase will rotate until correct internal temp reached (up to 30 minutes)
□ One BEEP – Control Panel will read “E10”
□ Will countdown to “EO” and BEEP 3x
□ Change Valve to “AIRTIGHT”
□ Will chase until pressure reached and BEEP 1x
□ TIME will count down
□ BEEP 3x when countdown done – display will read “OFF”
□ Let canner set for minimum 1 HOUR before opening lid and removing jars
Two Chickens Homestead 
Some people would call people like us (I do this too) OCD…I call us smarter than the producers of the original instructions! (Probably 20’somethings who don’t know how to can or cook or grow their own veggies!) LOL
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I have been trying to compare the NESCO electric pressure canner to the Presto electric canner. I just started canning (water bath and pressure) this year, so I’m not sure I can justify the cost. I work from home so would love to be able to set my electric canner up and sit at my work desk while it’s canning… can this really do that? Is it really “set it and forget it” until it beeps for you to push another button?? I’ve tried stove top pressure canning while working and it just requires too much of my attention to do that. But I think the electric pressure canner would solve that dilemma.
I’ve read your struggles with the NESCO though so that is also in my decision making process! 😊
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Now that I have settled in with my Nesco, I really prefer it to stovetop canning. There are a couple of spots you have to pay attention to it. For example, when pressure canning, there’s a point that you have to change the weight from exhaust to airtight. Once that’s done, you can walk away. I watched Rose Red Homestead for guidance on choosing my Smartcanner. She has a video on Presto also. Those might help you make your decision. I would be interested to hear back from you when you’ve made your decision.
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