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Electric pressure canner & altitude adjustment #943996

Asked September 01, 2026, 2:47 PM EDT

We live at just less than 3000’. When using a conventional dial gauge canner, we add 2 pounds pressure. The newer electric pressure canner does not have an option to control pounds of pressure. Are there any adjustments that should be made for safe pressure canning with an electric unit.

Union County Oregon

Expert Response

Hi Patti, 

The makers of most of the newer digital pressure canners advertise that the canner has an internal sensor that directly measures the temperature of the steam inside the unit. This means that no adjustments for pressure are needed by the user, as Presto states here. I would advise you to check the manual for your particular unit and confirm that this is the advice given by the manufacturer. 

No university or government entity has independently tested the accuracy of the sensors used in digital pressure canners, and all Extension service recipes/processes are written with the assumption that the consumer is using a stovetop pressure canner. If you're using a digital unit, we defer to the manufacturer's instructions.

Thanks for using Ask Extension,

Jared


Jared Hibbard-Swanson Replied September 01, 2026, 4:34 PM EDT

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