Monday, May 16, 2011

Keeping A Lid On It

Do any of you canners out there have experience with the Tattler reusable canning lids? (This is their website if you care to check it out.)

I use around 200 lids each year (some regular mouth and some wide mouth) and have been debating for several years now (nobody ever said I make snap decisions) trying some of this company's reusable lids.

According to their website, the lids first came out in 1976 and are "guaranteed to last a lifetime." I don't know a single person who has used these. Have any of you?

I would be curious to know how well the rubber rings do indeed hold up. I've had storage jars with a rubber ring for a seal and they have all seemed to deteriorate and become useless in time. But the rings of these reusable lids may well be a better quality of rubber.

They seem pricey (the wide mouth lids are 3 dozen for $23.95) so it would take a few years before they started to pay for themselves. And I know I couldn't afford to buy 17 dozen (which is about what I'd need) all at once. But I wouldn't do that regardless of cost until I tried some first.

Now you can't beat a lifetime guarantee, if that would truly be the case. But will the company be around for my life time? Or yours? I've rarely had a seal go bad in the many, many years I've canned with the more commonly known lids, so do I want to chance experimenting with these reusable lids?

It would really be helpful if any of you have had experience with the Tattler reusable lids and would care to share your thoughts with me.

Anybody?

14 comments:

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

I have not used them, yet, because like you I pick them up off the shelf, look at them, then put them back because I get scared. I would hate to go to all the trouble and the food spoil. But it does look like the rubber part is replaceable and they were very reasonably priced at Lehmans when I looked at them (like $4 for a box of the rubber rings). I like the fact the lid is BPA free and regular canning lids are not.So I hope someone has a review.

The Apple Pie Gal said...

I would love to hear from others who use them also. It may be more than what we are used to spending at first but as with anything, the investment should pay off.

Thanks for askin' Mama!

Erin said...

I seem to remember you pondering this publicly last year too, LOL and anxiously awaiting to hear from anyone - or was that Patty? Someone "up there" was "talking about something" LOL. No experience here, I'm the same way as Jane, I ponder and release :) Like I've been doing for 3 months about buying a potato masher... I look at the cheap one for 5.99 every shopping trip, put it in the cart, then decide no, I don't have arthritis so I'll keep mashing with a wooden spoon or find one at a thrift shop LOL! And HEY, just what are you canning in your "no-garden garden" this year anyways? :)

Mama Pea said...

Jane - Yes, the BPA free part appealed to me, too. Hoping to hear yet from someone who has used them. But, ya know, if the company's been in business since the 70s, they must WORK, right? A box of the rings only on their website lists for $2.50 a dozen.

APG - Stay tuned . . . hopefully someone will let us know how they like them!

Erin - Nope, 'twasn't me asking about them last year. Whoever it was, please speak up! What will I be canning this year? Well, maybe jam from our berry crops, or if I can get my usual apples in the fall, applesauce for sure. We loves our applesauce!

judy said...

Good luck with that one-it is out of my league.I FREEZE EVERYTHING.but your a smart lady,I'm sure you'll figure it out. I'm with the other ladies. look but don't touch .AND IN A FEW MORE HOURS I CAN HONESTLY SAY I GOT TO SLEEP IN MY OWN BED,CAN'T WAIT-AWHHHHHH

dr momi said...

I just got some Tatter Lids for Christmas -- haven't used them yet. I've heard only good about them. Can't wait to try them out! :-) I'm sure I'll be posting about it.

Leigh said...

I've been meaning to buy some of these. I can't give you specifics, but I think I googled something like "customer review Tattler lids." Got a lot of good info that way. The rings don't last forever, but seem to be cost effective anyway. They're cheaper at the Tattler website than anywhere else, I believe.

Qwaynt said...

I can remember my Grandmother using something like this when i was a kid. but do not know a thing about them

Mama Pea said...

judy - I freeze a lot, too, but there are some things that I think I just have to can!

Dr. Momi - Cool! Can something quick so we can all have a report! ;o}

Leigh - I think I will do some Googling and see what info I can find there.

Qwaynt - I do, too! Did they used to put the red rubber rings inside those old zinc covers?

Anonymous said...

Mama Pea, Suzanne over at Chickens in the Road wrote a post on these I believe, but for the life of me I can't find it! If I remember right, she loved them. Not sure if that helps you any lol.

Anonymous said...

Nope, it wasn't Suzanne, it was on Granny Miller hehe. Here is the link:
http://homesteadgardenandpantry.com/canning/tattler-reusable-canning-lids/

Erin said...

It was Patty last year, I knew it was a MN friend! I just posted a comment to her asking if she ever decided to try them - http://letsgetrealjeremiah2911.blogspot.com/2010/08/reusable-canning-lids.html#comments

odiie said...

I bought some of these a couple of months ago because I'd heard good thing. I think Jackie Clay-Backwoods Home Magazine-has used these. I'll let you know how they work. I thought I'd buy about 6 dozen a year and then not have to make such a huge investment all at once.

Mama Pea said...

Stephanie - Thanks a bunch, Stephanie! That link you sent was super worth while and informative.

Erin - Thanks for the link to Patty. Hope to hear from her regarding if she did try them.

odiie - I think we're all going to learn something here!