Have you ever found that one thing that just made your life easier.
Like the time you discovered the bottle cleaner at the dollar store and it made cleaning those bottles so much easier for all the moms out there? Well I have.
When I started canning I was very poorly equipped, so when my jars were done cooking, I used a hot pad to get them out of my pressure cooker or canner.
When filling my jars I poured everything in very carefully and when getting my lids out of the hot water using a fork, I burnt myself frequently.
That all changed the day I discovered a home canning utensil set by Ball® that made home canning so much easier.
Let me introduce you to the dream team! The Jar Lifter The jar lifter made getting my jars in and out of my pressure cooker or canner so much easier.
It also made it a lot easier to put the next batch into my already warm water without having to worry about boiling the tips of my fingers off when I put the last jar or two in.
The Funnel The funnel does not negate the need to still wipe the rims of your jar off before applying the lids, but it does make it a lot less messy.
The Bubble Remover and Head Spacer Tool The bubble remover and head spacer tool, I'm going to be honest I don't can a lot of jelly and I don't really need the head spacer part so I really don't use it often, but if you do want a perfect jar of jelly bubble free it can come in handy.
The Star of the Team - The Magnetic Lid Lifter However, all that said the tool that is worth it's weight in gold, even with gold prices near $2,000 per ounce is the magnetic lid lifter.
I absolutely love that thing.
You have your lids sitting in a nice bowl of hot water and you want to get them out.
No more trying to fish them out with a fork worrying about scratching your seal, while trying to not drop them or let them burn your fingers.
This little tool simply plops down in the water, snatches out the desired lid, places it on top the jar (so you don't have to touch the hot lid) and then on with the ring.
I don't know that you can truly appreciate this tool unless you've retrieved lids with a fork and your fingers, but it truly is worth it.
Home canning is always a rewarding experience but when you can find such affordable tools that help you get the job done easier and faster it is always extra special!