The spring and summer of 2020 were unlike any other for those of us that are accustomed to growing gardens, harvesting the bounty we have grown and preserving it in various ways. Not only were seeds difficult to get, even illegal for some, but canning supplies became the most sought after item for gardeners. Because of this I think it’s time to talk about the benefits of reusable canning lids.

Why Reusable Lids?

If you are a person who is serious about canning switching to a reusable lid is a great investment. 

There are several reasons that I would say reusable lids make sense for a growing family or even a seasoned canning pro. For the sake of everyone reading I have narrowed it down to my top three reasons you can benefit from having reusable canning lids.

I want to let you all know that I am a well seasoned canner. I have been processing my own creations for the last 10 years on my own.

Honestly I wish I would have taken this leap to reusable lids sooner. Not only for the reasons listed below but for the sheer lack of stress that I am currently experiencing going into this years canning season.

Top 3 Reasons to Have Reusable Canning Lids

Less Stress and More Security: 

When it comes to reusable lids, after your initial cost to purchase them you have a sense of security going from growing season to growing season. 

In my research, and according to the companies that produce them, reusable lids have been known to last 6-8 processing cycles. Since my jars are usually only processed once a year this would mean my gaskets should last at least 6 years.

This is a real savings compared to needing to purchase every year. There is less strain when you have your supplies already on hand. There is also no need to count your inventory. I have a sales slip that shows exactly how many reusable lids I have of each size and I know that this number will never change.

One last note on the life span of the gaskets. It’s important to note that those that are used for pressure canning do not last as long as those used for hot water bath processing. To ensure that I put all the pressure on the same gaskets, I plan to keep a gallon size bag and put my pressure used gaskets in that bag to keep them separate.

Decreased Cost:

If you have been following me for a while you know that I see things from a frugal standpoint. I don’t take spending money lightly and I’m always looking for ways to decrease the costs that we have in our home.

When it comes to comparing the price of disposable vs reusable canning lids you have to think long term.

Consider that your purchase of reusable canning lids is a six year return on your investment. It’s not a one year get your money back quick and save kind of thing. With that in mind you will find that the up front cost of purchasing the lids is well worth it.

For myself when I calculated how much the lids were between different brands they were fairly comparable. I was able to get a pretty sweet deal from Harvest Guard though and you can grab their awesome coupon code canning15 to save $15 on your order.

Please not that I am not an affiliate with Harvest Guard. I was simply able to ask them for a great coupon code for my audience to use. Enjoy that discount 🙂

As mentioned in the security section, it’s great to not have to purchase lids or gaskets every year. However your gaskets will need to be replaced every 6-8 years depending on how you process your jars.

Even with needing to purchase new gaskets every 6 years you would still be saving money in the long run. Currently, my favorite brand to use has the replacement gaskets for $20 for 100 ct. At $.20 a gasket to replace every six years you can’t go wrong.

If you compare this to the typical Ball disposable lids you will find that the costs are WAY higher. Currently a 96 count of replacement lids will cost you about $90 on Amazon. Let’s not forget that is a yearly investment…ouch!

Let’s Do the Math and Compare Lid Types

Reusable lids 100 ct regular mouth: $64 at Harvest Guard (cheaper with my coupon canning15), for argument let’s say after 5 years you need to replace your gaskets which will cost you another $20. Over the course of 5 years you would spend $84.

Disposable Lids 96 ct, or 8-12 ct. boxes: Let’s pretend it’s not a COVID year and prices haven’t been jacked up so much. Let’s say a conservative $3/box is the price you find. That would mean each you you would pay $24/year. Over the course of five years, replacing those disposable lids every year you would end up spending $120 over 5 years.

So there you have it. After 5 years you are already coming out $36 ahead on your reusable lids. Let’s not forget that you can keep using those lids from there and save even more money!!!

Years 5-10 would have you still spending $120 on disposable canning lids and only $20 on replacing your gaskets for the reusable ones. Hello savings!!!

Positive Environmental Impact:

Environmentally reusable lids can have a huge impact if you are a serious canner. Yes they can be recycled but even then you have to use energy and resources to make that happen.

On an average year I can over 150 jars of product. As my family continues to grow and as the boys are getting older this number only continues to rise. Man can those kids eat! That is a decent amount of canning lids that will not need to be recycled every year. 

While my count is small, if you take into consideration several households doing this the numbers really add up. Just while I was in the process of creating this post I have shared my coupon code for Harvest Guard with fellow gardeners and canners in my circle and well over 1,000 lids have already been purchased.

Many of these families purchased a small amount to test them out first but I’m sure they will be reordering more if they had the success that I had.

Small numbers add up over time and can create a lasting impact.

Make the Leap and Switch

While the up front cost is more than purchasing disposable lids the long term investment carries many benefits. I want to strongly encourage each of you to consider how switching to reusable canning lids could help your family.

I recently reviewed three different types of reusable canning lids and found that my favorite is Harvest Guard. Harvest Guard was gracious enough to provide a coupon code to me to share with all of you. Hop on over to buy your reusable lids and be sure to use the coupon code canning15 to save $15 on your purchase.

Happy canning everyone!

As noted above, I am not an affiliate of Harvest Guard. I did not receive any free products from them when completing my review. They are simply listed here because I like their product.