For a few years I’ve wanted to try the Tattler canning lids. They’re reusable . . supposedly over and over! They’re quite a bit more expensive than the traditional “use ’em once and toss ’em” lids. Three dozen Tattler lids with rubber rings is $29.95 so that’s about $10/dozen. The regular disposable lids that we’ve used forever for canning run about $2.50/dozen.
What’s kept me from trying the Tattler lids was that my old lids always worked . . always! I can’t remember the last time I had a jar that didn’t seal. Part of me said “Why change something that’s working so perfectly?” but, on the other hand, I have several concerns about the throw away lids:
- What if . . at some point in time, for whatever reason, there’s a shortage of canning lids? You know how things happen! Everything is perfect, we’re getting everything we need and then for a myriad of reasons, we can no longer get the product or the price skyrockets. I’ve seen it happen with quite a few things through the years. It would be crazy to have a big garden and all the jars and rings, which I use over and over, but without lids, I couldn’t can anything!
- Something just doesn’t seem right about using the lids one time and throwing them away. Once or twice is not so bad but we go through hundreds and hundreds of canned goods each year . . from jelly, to homemade salsa, chutney, tomatoes, green beans, everything!
A month or so ago I ordered some of the Tattler lids to try. Amy had brought heirloom tomatoes to the retreat and I brought home those that were leftover.
Even with the Tattler lids, I debated about whether or not to use them or the regular lids. Trying something new isn’t always easy for me but I figured the best time to try them was when I had only a few jars and if, for some reason they didn’t seal, it would be better than if I were canning dozens of jars and they didn’t seal.
The Tattler lids worked great! They were no harder or no easier to use than regular lids. All five quarts sealed just fine. In the photo below, you can see from the Tattler box, that the rubber rings/seals are separate from the lids. The rubber seals are placed directly on top of the jar, once the top has been wiped completely clean, and then the lids are placed on top of the seals. The seals are also re-usable and the reviews I read said they have been used dozens of times. Replacement rings can be purchased and I did purchase some of those too.
If I use the lids four times, that will make the cost equal to the cost of the throw away lids. I’ve heard of folks using the lids over and over, dozens and dozens of times. They come in wide mouth and regular size. I mostly use the wide mouths so that’s all I ordered.
I’m very glad I tried them and think I’ll be using them from now on!
Lynn says
I ordered some of these a while back but haven’t used them yet. My reason for not having used them is because I’d forgotten I’d ever ordered them. Thank you for the reminder and the review.
Sharon says
Thank you so much for doing this review on these lids…I love canning, although I have never canned tomatoes, I think the acidity worries me, but I was wondering about these myself. I appreciate it.
Helen Koenigl says
Sharon – if the tomatoes you can are the old standbys – and NOT the hybrid tomatoes – they SHOULD be ok. Hybrid tomatoes – some are not as acid as others – and so hard to tell. However some folks add an aspirin to each jar of tomatoes – or else add lemon juice or vinegar (just a dab – we are NOT talking pickled tomato here) to the jars!
Re what to do if no lids – since I stupidly have been in that position here in MA a couple of times – I agree. Stupidly because I thought – oh gee, those are ALWAYS available. Uh Uh! We had a real shortage of them – and i couldn’t wait for my sister to send me some from Indiana!
So I used my dehydrator to dry them – worked wonderfully. Tasted great when reconstituted too – and they stored VERY well – as long as I kept moisture away from them.
JudyL says
I use lemon juice or citric acid always when canning tomatoes.
pdudgeon says
i notice that the Tattler lids are white, which is a good way to tell them apart from the regular gold colored use-and-toss lids once they’re on the jars!
JudyL says
And, the Tattler lids come as two pieces. There’s the rubber ring, that you place on top of the jar, and then the plastic lid. The rubber “ring” is attached to the throw away lids. There’s no way of confusing the two . . even for a dingbat like me.
Debbie W says
These remind me of the rings my grandmother used. A metal screw cap with a glass lid and then a new rubber ring used only once. The screw cap and glass lid could be used indefinitely as long as the glass did not chip.
Erin says
Thank u for the info! What did u make it looks yummy!!!
Liz N. says
I switched to Tanner lids last year. I was very concerned to learn that the old style lids contained BPA , a substance labeled as toxic in Canada and the EU since 2010…….Tanner’s are BPA free! I grow as much of my own food as possible and rely on the local farmer’s market for the rest.
JudyL says
Tattler lids contain formaldehyde (http://reusablecanninglids.com/BpaFree.aspx) and if I were worried about the trace amounts of BPA or the potential for formaldehyde release, I’d be more concerned about the formaldehyde. But, I’ve read extensive reviews and studies about both, including the amount of BPA or formaldehyde released using these kinds of lids and I’m not worried about either. I’m more concerned about what goes into the foods we buy.
Doreen says
I haven’t done any canning in years so am not aware of a lot of the products out there. Thanks so much for the info. There is too much of the “use it/toss it” out there so am glad to hear of other options!
Judy D in WA says
I haven’t used mine yet. What I’m curious about is the seal test. Can you tell by pushing down on the lid if the jar is sealed or not?
JudyL says
I could tell that the center had been pulled down but I gently tried to remove the lids and they were sealed. Before using any home canned jar, I always check to make sure the seal is still tight by trying to remove it with my hands before using an opener.
Roberta says
Thanks for the review, love to hear more when you use some of those tomatoes.
Hugs
lurking linda says
Wow! This takes me back a few years! My folks always had the glass lids and rubber rings. We used those over and over as well! I think I only used them once then switched to the other cause I found it easier to tell if they had sealed. Great memory!
gardenpat says
What I’ll be interested in is how they seal on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th jars! Keep us posted!!
Vicki W says
I’d love to use those but I give away a lot of my jam and I can’t even get the jars back!
Diana W. says
I have the same problem!
Lee Ann L. says
Anything that is reusable (isn’t throwaway) AND works is wonderful in my book! Thanks for letting us know these do work! 🙂
Helen Koenigl says
These also sound like the old Mason jar lids – the old fashioned use them forever gray lids with a rubber ring you place on the top of the jar (the rubber ring you replace yearly) and the Mason jar lid which has a ceramic inner lid that goes next to the food part. Loved those things.
Re the Tattler rings – once the jars are canned – can you remove the outside ring? or does that need to stay on to hold the tattler lid in place?
JudyL says
http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/howtheywork.aspx It states that the rings can be removed if desired.
Angie says
Great idea, but I wonder at what point do they quit working. 10 uses, 15 uses, last forever—and how would you find out? Suddenly you have jars that haven’t sealed?
JudyL says
http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/faq.aspx
Once the jars are sealed, they should stay sealed unless there’s something else wrong. I always check all my jars as soon as they have cooled and if anything hasn’t sealed, you would know it right away and could use that product or re-process it or whatever you want to do with it.
Julie says
Thank you for the review! I’ve been debating getting some of these lids. I plan to do more canning this year and also hate to throw away the metal lids–seems like such a waste. It will be great to get re-usable lids that I know will be worth the extra cost. Meanwhile, I save the metal lids for target shooting. 🙂
cin rafter says
I too bit the bullit and bought the 3 dozen pack of reg. and 3 dozen wide mouth. This will be my second season using only Tattler Cannning Lids. Ran out and Mom bout me another 3 dosen. LLove them and have had great seal success!
Cin
PeggyF says
I have used some of my tattler lids 2-4 times – there is really no way to mark them so you know exactly. One thing they recommend is to flip the rubber seal each time. I have trouble telling which side was down previously. You can purchase just the rubber seals if they tear, but I have not had that problem at all. I also check my seals after they have cooled and you know right away if they are sealed or not. Great Product!!!
tammy k. says
everything old is new again. my great grandmother used some of those old rubber rings with her canning lids and rings. funny how those things come back around every now and then.
Teresa says
I always test my jars after processing by removing the ring and then picking them up by the metal lid/glass lid to make sure it doesn’t come off of the jar. I would think that if these lids seal well, they wouldn’t come off of the jar by checking this way either.
JudyL says
I wouldn’t recommend picking the jars up by the lids because if they haven’t sealed and you drop them, that’s a mess to clean up. I always try to gently pry the lid off with my fingers, as soon as the jars cool and again before I open the jar to use the contents. If the lid will pop off with my fingers prying it, then it isn’t sealed.
Amy @ Heritage Homamaker says
Next year I will be ready for a garden and I plan to get the Tattler seals. I have read so many positive things about them.
Mary says
I bought some of these last years and they work great. I had a batch of the regular lids that must have been bad. About half of them did not seal. I like these so much that when tattler had a deal on bulk lids a bought a boatload!
As long as you follow the directions on the box they work great!
Marie says
When my mom canned tomatoes, as well as green beans, it seems like she always put in a teaspoon of canning salt to each quart, before sealing them. Have they done away with this method or changed things? As a kid, my folks would plant from 200 to 400 tomato plants a year, so yeah, we did alot of canning and green beans were planted constantly, cause once they quit growing beans, Dad would pull the plant and stick something else in the ground. Needless to say, we all worked the garden.
CJ says
I use Tattler lids… and I also have a number of reusable European style jars and bottles with rubber nipples and glass lids. I would love to have enough Tattlers to can everything, but if you can enough food to last through a year for a small family, (2-4) that’s somewhere in the vicinity of 2000 plus jars of food. I keep adding more every year though!