Last updated: August 22, 2026
Use of this website
The information on foodstoragegearwise.com is provided as general guidance about food preservation equipment. It does not replace the manual that came with your own equipment, the instructions of the manufacturer, or the published guidance of the National Center for Home Food Preservation, the USDA and your local extension service.
Food safety comes from the sources, not from us
Processing times, pressures, temperatures, acidity limits and brine ratios are safety critical. Where we mention such a figure, it comes from NCHFP, the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, FSIS or a university extension service, and it is named as such. Altitude changes processing requirements, recipes are tested as written, and the tested recipe and its source table are always the authority. Where our text and a current NCHFP or USDA table disagree, follow the table.
Your manual comes first
Venting times, gauge checks, gasket care, pump maintenance and cleaning are model specific, and the manual for your exact model is the authority on all of them. Pressure canners and freeze dryers are appliances under pressure and vacuum: follow the manufacturer instructions, have dial gauges tested, and treat a machine that will not hold pressure or vacuum as something to fix, not to work around.
No product testing
We do not physically test the products we write about. Our guidance is based on published manufacturer specifications and on reported owner experience. Descriptions of how a product performs are therefore an interpretation of available information, not a measured result, and your own experience may differ. Always confirm capacities, compatibility and instructions on the product listing and in the manual before use.
Your food, your judgment
Only you can see the jar, the seal, the smell and the storage conditions in front of you. When a jar has not sealed, when a lid bulges, when a ferment looks or smells wrong, the safe choice is to follow the published guidance and, when in doubt, throw it out. No article outweighs that rule.
Accuracy
We take care with our content, but we cannot guarantee that all product and specification information is always complete or current. Product lines are revised and guidance is updated. Always check the manufacturer, the retailer and the current NCHFP/USDA guidance before you rely on it.
Liability
We are not liable for any damage resulting from the use of the information on this website. You use our guidance at your own discretion.