VKP Fruitsaver Steam Canner Review: Helping You To Buy Better
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Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could try out those expensive canners before buying them? Especially those novelty ones, like the VKP brands steam canners. If you’re like us, test-driving these canners isn’t likely to be an option for you. So, we’re here to help with the second best thing – an unbiased steam canner review! While this post is dedicated to FruitSaver steam canner review, we also briefly touch on other steam canners and multi-use canners by the same manufacturer.
Why we picked VKP brands FruitSaver atmospheric steam canner
We were interested in steam canners because we looked for an easier alternative to water bath canning. As budget-conscious shoppers, we sought the best value for our money. The FruitSaver steam canner seemed to fit the bill perfectly. So, we spent our own money and bought the VKP brands FruitSaver Steam Canner for our canning needs. Then, we put it through some serious testing in our kitchen. Now, we’re excited to share our honest review of this aluminum steam canner with you.
This isn’t a sponsored post, just our genuine thoughts on this specific steam canner model. In this review, we give you all the details you need to make a smart purchase decision without holding anything back.
What is steam canning?
Steam canning, also known as atmospheric steam canning, is a way to preserve food using steam instead of lots of boiling water or high pressure. Here’s how it works: You place your jars of food in a shallow pan with a few inches of boiling water. The steam generated from the water bath surrounds the jars, heating them and ensuring the contents reach a temperature that kills off bacteria, yeasts, and molds. If you are new to steam canning, we strongly recommend you start here before you decide on buying steam canning equipment.
VKP Brands, Kitchen Crop and Victorio Brands steam canners
VKP Brands offers a range of steam canners designed for home food preservation. As of this writing, they manufacture two purpose-made steam canners and one multi-use canner that doubles as both a water bath and a steam canner.
The purpose-made steam canners include:
- The Kitchen Crop Stainless Steel Steam Canner: This one is made with stainless steel and is the more expensive purpose-made steam canner version
- The FruitSaver Steam Canner: Made of aluminum, this model comes with a more budget-friendly price tag. With an exception of the price and material, this steam canner is virtually identical to a Kitchen Crop steam canner.
The multi-use canner in their lineup is the Harvest Stainless Steel Multi-Use Canner. This model can be used as either a steam canner or a water bath canner. It’s made with stainless steel and normally has the highest price tag of all three.
Fun fact: you might come across these canners labelled as VKP Brands, Victorio Kitchen Products, Kitchen Crop or Victorio Brands canners. While this might seem confusing, we can say with certainty, that they all refer to the same manufacturing company and the same line of canners.
Why we like FruitSaver steam canner
After using the FruitSaver steam canner in our kitchen for a while, we’ve moved past the initial “honeymoon” phase with our new gadget. We’ve come to truly appreciate several of its features, while realizing that some are less important than we initially thought.
Here’s what we continue to love about this Victorio aluminum steam canner:
Price:
The FruitSaver steam canner is the cheapest option among all the canners made by Victorio brands. If you’re on a budget and want a steam canner, this is the best choice. Also, if you’re looking for a good deal, remember that buying a steam canner during the canning season (June to September) can often mean finding these canners at lower prices. Typically, a price of about $59 USD is a good price for this canner.
Lightweight Material:
The material used to make this steam canner is both its weakness and a strength. Unlike the Kitchen Crop steam canner by this same manufacturer, the FruitSaver steam canner is made of lightweight aluminum. This makes it very easy to move this canner around on the stovetop, whether it’s filled with water and preserves or not. Because it is so light, we’re not afraid to store it on top of other kitchen gadgets, like our waffle maker. There’s no danger that the canner will squash or damage the items it is stored on top of, or cause the kitchen shelf to warp.
Design:
The design of the FruitSaver is unique and funky. In our earlier article about FruitSaver steam canner, we said that it reminds us of a restaurant cloche more suited to hotel room service than home canning. Despite its unconventional appearance, the design of this steam canner is one of our favorite features. This is because the water pan of the steam canner is very shallow. This makes it the lightest canner to pour water into and carry to the stove or maneuver on the stove. The shallow pan design also means you no longer need to reach inside the canner to place or remove jars. You can use your regular kitchen towel or kitchen mitts instead of having to purchase special tools.
Built-in temperature indicator knob:
All Victorio canners come with a built-in temperature indicator knobs, even the cheapest models like this FruitSaver steam canner. The indicator measures the temperature of the steam inside the canner. When the steam reaches its highest temperature, the needle on the knob stops moving, so you know exactly when to start the processing time for your preserves. We like this feature because, once it’s calibrated correctly, it takes the guesswork out of the canning process.
Warranty:
The FruitSaver steam canner comes with a 5-year warranty. While we didn’t have a need for it, based on feedback from other users, Victorio honors their warranty, providing peace of mind for your purchase.
What we don’t like about FruitSaver steam canner
You might assume we’re head over heels for our new canning gadget, but the truth is a bit more nuanced. As we’ve settled into using the FruitSaver steam canner, the initial thrill has given way to a clearer view of its drawbacks. Here’s what we’ve discovered after spending some time with this model.
Compatibility with various stove top types:
One of the most frustrating things about the FruitSaver steam canner is that it doesn’t work with some types of stove tops. For starters, this aluminum steam canner is a no-go with induction cook tops. If you try to use it, your induction cook top might start beeping loudly and then shut off. So, if you have an induction cooktop, don’t buy this canner.
Additionally, the manufacturer says not to use this canner on a glass cooktop because it could damage the cooktop permanently. For those of you with a glass cooktop, it maybe best to find a different canner to avoid any accidents.
Flimsy Material:
While we appreciate the lightweight design of the FruitSaver steam canner, we have concerns about the durability of its aluminum construction. We worry whether this canner will hold up beyond its first canning season.
Additionally, the material of this steam canner tends to darken easily, especially the water pan. While this doesn’t affect how the canner works, it does affect its appearance. It is true that you can remove this discoloration with vinegar and some elbow grease, but this adds to the maintenance workload.
In hindsight, we wish we’d splurged an extra $20 for an all-steel steam canner, which might have offered greater longevity and less maintenance hassle.
Clunky assembly:
When you get your new FruitSaver steam canner, be prepared for the temperature knob indicator to come unassembled. Putting it together and attaching it to the lid isn’t as straightforward as you might hope. The instructions aren’t very clear either. Should you buy FruitSaver steam canner and need more detailed instructions on how to assemble and attach the indicator, we hope our article will be of help.
Snap-on pointer on the knob:
The temperature knob indicator has an adjustable snap-on pointer. You are supposed to use it to mark the maximum point on the knob. This maximum point is reached when the canner is filled with steam that can’t get any hotter. Start timing the processing time for your preserves once the temperature indicator needle reaches this marked maximum point. It’s a great idea in theory, but in reality, it’s not perfect. The snap-on pointer often gets bumped or moved. Even the manufacturer recommends taking a picture to record the maximum point, indicating a flaw in the design.
Limited processing time:
The manufacturer specifies that the steam canner cannot be used for processing preserves requiring more than 45 minutes of processing time. While we managed to exceed this limit once, there’s no guarantee that our one-time success is repeatable.
Conclusion:
The time has come to wrap up this steam canner review. Is this canner a winner or a flop?
We were hoping our canner will be a reliable workhorse, but the FruitSaver steam canner feels more like a cute pony.
A pony can handle a small load and entertain a couple of kids, or even carry an adult for a short ride. But it’s not the sturdy steed we’d rely on for a long journey. While we are committed to the team “steam canning” vs. “boiling water bath canning”, and this canner is good at what it does, we sometimes find ourselves wishing we had gone for the multi-use stainless steel canner instead. In summary, we give this canner 3.5 stars out of 5 and that is a wrap of our honest FruitSaver steam canner review.
Canning Equipment We Reviewed:
*Note: We purchased all the items reviewed with our own money. These posts are not sponsored; they reflect our honest opinions on jars, lids, and other canning supplies we use.
