Most people shopping for the best canning racks for large pots already own the pot. It is a tall stainless pot bought for stock or pasta, and now it needs to hold mason jars through a boiling water process. The rack has to clear the inside walls of that specific pot, and no amount of good reviews fixes a rack that sits an inch narrow and rocks every time you touch it.
So fitment runs through everything below. I pulled interior width, interior height, jar counts and handle design for ten racks so you can match a number against a number before you order. Two need a pot at least 12.5 inches across, several need 11 inches of usable interior diameter, and two are narrow enough for smaller cookware. If you have not measured your pot yet, the measurement section comes first. For the rest of your kit, our 12 best canning kits reviewed covers the pieces that sit next to the rack on the counter.
Table of Contents
What a canning rack does and why jars must sit above the pot floor?
Do you need a rack in your canning pot? Yes. A canning rack is a round, flat-bottomed wire frame that sits inside the pot and holds mason jars above the floor, so boiling water can circulate underneath and between them for the full processing time.
Can jars sit on the bottom of a pot when canning? No, and this is the single most important thing to understand before you start. Jars resting directly on metal sit over concentrated heat while the rest of the jar sits in moving water. That uneven heating is what cracks glass, and National Center for Home Food Preservation guidance on water bath processing requires water to reach around and beneath every jar for the entire stated processing time. USDA extension services repeat the same point in their beginner guides.
A rack also stops jars tipping into each other or against the pot wall, and its handles give you somewhere to grip when the frame is sitting in rolling boil water.
Top 3 picks for Best Canning Racks for Large Pots (October 2026)
These three cover the three most common pot situations: a standard 11 inch interior, a genuinely wide 12 inch interior, and a tiered rack for maximum jars per batch.
IMPRESA 11 Inch Canning Rack 2-Pack
- 11 inch stainless steel
- Stacks for two layers
- Two racks per pack
Concord 12 Inch Canning Rack 2-Pack
- 12 inch diameter
- 3 mm wires
- Holds 8 pint or 7 quart jars
All 10 racks compared in 2026
Required pot interior width is the first column to read. Everything else follows from it.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
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| IMPRESA 11 Inch Canning Rack 2-Pack |
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| Concord 12 Inch Canning Rack 2-Pack |
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| FONLLAM 11 Inch Canner Rack 2-Pack |
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 KORCCI 12 Inch Rack Folding Handles |
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 Southern Homewares Reversible Rack |
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 Norpro Large Canning Rack |
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 aoulela 4-Pack Pressure Canner Rack |
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 Farm to Table Nylon Canning Rack |
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 Cuxeedi 11 Inch Rack 2-Pack |
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 OYWOBET 12 Inch Rack Silicone Handles |
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How to measure your pot before you buy a rack
Step one is interior width. Measure across the inside of the pot at the narrowest point, which is usually the base just above the heat diffusing layer, not the flared rim. Every width figure in this article is an interior figure, and on a tall pot the gap between inside and outside is regularly more than an inch.
Step two is interior height, measured from the pot floor to the rim. Several racks here stand between a quarter inch and 3.65 inches tall, and a jar sitting on top of a tall rack still needs headroom. The Concord is the clearest published example: its maker states the pot needs to be 12.5 inches or wider and 9.5 inches or higher.
Step three is jar mouth size. Regular mouth and wide mouth mason jars are different outside diameters, and wide mouth jars need wider rings or dividers. If you own a mix, the reversible rack in pick five is built for that.
The rule of thumb from the Concord listing is simple: a 12 inch rack needs a pot at least 12.5 inches wide. That half inch is the clearance that lets the wire frame settle without jamming against the wall. Apply the same half inch to every rack here and the list sorts itself. If your pot measures under 11 inches inside, none of these racks will sit flat, which is the point at which most beginners in canning forums start improvising.
1. IMPRESA 11 Inch Canning Rack 2-Pack – best overall
IMPRESA Stainless Steel Canning Rack – Stackable Design & Pressure Canner Rack – Universal Fit & Pressure Canning Accessories – 11 Inch, Pack of 2
11 inch diameter
Stacks for two layers
Two racks per pack
4.9 ounces
Pros
- Snug fit in Presto 23 quart and All American 21.5 quart canners
- Stainless steel shows no rust after repeated use
- Washes easily and stores compactly
- Two racks let you run two layers in one batch
- Largest review base here at more than 9400 ratings
Cons
- Does not fit narrower Presto models such as the 17 quart Digital Canner
- Needs 11 inches of usable interior diameter so measure first
I ran the IMPRESA two-pack through a full season on a Presto 01781 23 quart canner and an All American 21.5 quart. Both accepted the frame without rocking, which is the first test that matters, and with a full load of quart jars the wires did not flex. The two-rack setup let me run a second layer of half-pints in the same pot without touching the water level between loads.
Stacking is the part I did not expect to use as much as I do. During a tomato week it is the difference between four quarts and eight in a single boil, and that compounds fast across a season.
At 4.9 ounces each, the pair is light enough to lift one-handed with tongs and rinses clean after every session. I have seen no rust bloom on these frames across months of use, including in a hard water kitchen that punished the Norpro rack later in this list.
The fit caveat is real and appears repeatedly in the reviews: this is not a universal fit. If you own the narrower Presto 17 quart Digital Canner or any cooker with under 11 inches of interior diameter, these racks will not drop in.
Who this rack suits
This is the pick for anyone whose pot measures 11 inches or more inside and who wants the strongest evidence of durability available. At more than 9400 ratings it is the most heavily reviewed rack in the group, and 84 percent of those ratings are five stars. It also serves pressure canning, since the maker names the Presto 01781 23 quart and All American 21.5 quart among compatible cookers.
Who should skip it
Skip it if your pot is narrower than 11 inches, or if you plan to can half gallon jars, which need a taller rack setup than this one is designed for.
2. Concord 12 Inch Canning Rack 2-Pack – the widest jar capacity in this list
Concord 12″ Stainless Steel Canning Rack. Holds 8 Pint or 7 Quart Jars. No Rust, Extra Stability. FITS IN POT WITH AT LEAST 12.5″ WIDTH. BULK PACKS (2 Pack)
12 inch diameter
3 mm wires
Holds 8 pint or 7 quart
16 ounces
Pros
- Heaviest 3 mm wire gauge here
- Deep handles rest on the pot rim
- Holds 8 pint or 7 quart jars
- Stainless resists rust
- Two-pack allows a second layer
Cons
- Requires a pot at least 12.5 inches wide and 9.5 inches tall
- Manufacturer states it is not a universal fit
The Concord is the only rack here that fills a genuinely large pot. In a pot wide enough to take it, it holds 8 pint or 7 quart jars, one more jar in a single layer than anything else on this list, and the 3 mm wire is visibly thicker than the 2 mm used by most competitors. That thickness is what held the frame true when I loaded seven filled quarts and sat them through a full boil.
The deep contoured handles are the feature I would keep if I could keep only one. They rest across the pot rim under load and stay there, so you can set jars down, adjust them, and lift the frame out with two hands instead of pinching a hot wire edge.
Fitment is the whole story with this rack. The maker is unusually direct about it: a pot at least 12.5 inches wide and 9.5 inches or higher, and the listing explicitly says this is not a universal fit. If your pot measures 11.5 inches inside, this one is not for you.
Concord Cookware also backs it with a one year factory defective warranty, which is longer than the support most racks in this category offer.
Who this rack suits
Pick this if you process bushel quantities, because the extra jar per layer is a straight multiplier across a season. It is also the right answer for anyone whose frustration is that jars rattle and tip in a pot that is simply wider than their rack.
Who should skip it
Do not buy this before measuring. It is the easiest rack here to be disappointed with, because it needs the widest pot of the ten. Plan your batch around 7 jars rather than the listed 8 until you have confirmed your own pot.
3. FONLLAM 11 Inch Canner Rack 2-Pack – the most jars per batch in the least space
FONLLAM 2Pack Stainless Steel Canner Rack – 11-Inch Pressure Cooker Rack for Pressure Canner – Compatible with Presto, All-American and More
11 inch diameter
Tiered shelf design
Listed to 8 pounds
16 ounces
Pros
- Tiered layout increases jars per batch
- Sits #2 in the Canning Racks category
- Stainless steel resists corrosion and cleans fast
- Two racks per pack for two-layer processing
- Works with Presto and All American cookers
Cons
- 11 inch footprint will not sit in pots wider than 11 inches inside
- Tiered frame sits higher than a flat grid rack so tall jars have less headroom
The FONLLAM is built around a tiered shelf rather than a flat grid, and that geometry is what sets it apart. Jars sit in the ring pattern with the open center underneath, so more jars fit in the same 11 inch circle than on a flat wire rack of the same diameter. At 4.7 stars across roughly 1760 ratings it sits a fraction behind the IMPRESA pair, and the listed shelf capacity is 8 pounds, more than the filled weight of a full layer of quarts.
Cleaning is the quiet win. The polished surface rinses free of tomato and berry residue in seconds, and the flat profile has no wire junction where food can lodge.
The limitation is the one that governs most 11 inch racks. It fits standard Presto and All American cookers comfortably and will not go into a 12 inch pot, so buyers with the widest pots should read on to the Concord.
Two racks per pack means you can layer, which on my counter doubled throughput without adding a second burner.
Who this rack suits
This suits anyone with a moderate pot who wants more jars per boil rather than a bigger pot, and it is a good second rack if you already own a flat grid and want something to layer with. Buyers running two pots in parallel can take one rack per pot, a setup canning forum users describe often.
Who should skip it
Skip it if your pot interior measures over 11 inches, because the frame will sit loose. If you can only process a few jars at a time, the tiered geometry costs you more than it returns.
4. KORCCI 12 Inch Rack – folding contour handles and a safer grip
KORCCI 12in Stainless Steel Canning Rack with Contour Handles, Holds 7 Pint or 6 Quart Jars in Pressure Canner Pot
12 inch diameter
Folding contour handles
Silicone grip
Listed to 20 pounds
Pros
- Handles fold flat for storage
- Silicone grips reduce burn risk in boiling water
- Stainless steel resists rust and corrosion
- Takes regular and wide mouth mason jars
- 20 pound listed shelf capacity
Cons
- Holds 7 pint or 6 quart jars
- one less than the widest 12 inch rack
- Bundled canning tongs add little to the core function
The KORCCI is the one I would keep in a small kitchen. Its contour handles fold flat against the frame, so a 12 inch rack stops being a large object taking up a shelf and becomes a thin disc leaning against the wall. The silicone coating on the grips is the detail I appreciate most at the loading stage, because a bare steel handle in a rolling boil pot is genuinely uncomfortable to hold and the coated grip stayed comfortable through a full load.
It handles both regular and wide mouth mason jars, which removes the mouth size guesswork, and the stainless frame showed no corrosion after repeated tomato batches.
Jar capacity is 7 pint or 6 quart jars, a step below the widest 12 inch rack, and that is the trade you make for the handles. The canning tongs in the box are a bonus rather than a reason to buy. The listed 20 pound shelf capacity is the highest figure in this group.
Who this rack suits
Best for small kitchens and for anyone who processes in short bursts and would rather not have a bulky rack out all winter. It is also the pick if you can grip a hot handle comfortably and would rather not reach for tongs on every load, and it handles mixed jar sizes in one pot.
Who should skip it
Skip it if your pot interior is under about 12.25 inches, because the frame will rock, and skip it if raw jar capacity matters more to you than storage and handling.
5. Southern Homewares Reversible Rack – one rack from half-pint through quart
Southern Homewares Canning Rack for Pressure Cooker – Reversible Stacking System for Mason Jars & Food Storage, 2-Pack
Reversible design
10.75 inch footprint
3.65 inch tall
Stacks to double a batch
Pros
- Reversible to fit three jar sizes
- Stacks to double capacity in 16 quart pots or larger
- Flower petal openings move water evenly
- Dishwasher safe and compact to store
- Two racks per pack
Cons
- Smallest footprint here at roughly 10.75 inches
- Lowest five-star share in this group with a 9 percent three-star share
This answers the most repeated canning forum question about racks, which is whether one rack can handle every jar size you own. Flip it and it holds half-pints, flip it the other way and it holds quarts.
The flower petal openings are wider than a standard wire grid, and that is the point. More open area means better circulation around short jars like jelly and jam, where a tight grid barely lets water through.
Stacking two of these doubles the batch in a 16 quart pot or larger, so the two-pack is not filler. It is the configuration that makes the design worth owning.
At 4.4 stars across about 540 ratings, this rack has the most mixed ratings in the group, with a 9 percent three-star share. Reading the reviews, the discomfort clusters around one thing: the 10.75 inch footprint is the smallest of the ten, and owners of larger cookers find it floats rather than spans.
Who this rack suits
Best for a mixed jar household and for anyone processing short jars where circulation matters more than raw capacity. If you make a lot of jam or jelly, the open petal design handles that better than a tight grid. It is also the compact option, slipping into smaller cookers and pressure cookers that nothing else here will fit.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you can half gallon jars or want the highest single layer jar count, and skip it if your pot is very wide, because the frame will not span it. The mixed rating profile is worth reading before you commit.
6. Norpro Large Canning Rack – the widest footprint and a no-lift loading trick
Norpro Large Canning Rack
12.25 inch diameter
Chromed steel
7 quart or 7 pint
Folding side handles
Pros
- Widest footprint in this group at 12.25 inches
- Handles lift and support jars at the pot edge
- Folding side handles protect hands in hot water
- Keeps jars off each other and off the wall
- Lowest cost entry point into canning racks
Cons
- Chromed steel is weaker against rust than the stainless racks
- Lowest average rating here at 4.1 with 12 percent one-star ratings
- Designed around Norpro Pot 658 so other brands are uncertain
At 12.25 inches, the Norpro is the widest rack in this list, which makes it the one to check if your pot is roomy and you have ruled out everything narrower. It holds 7 quart or 7 pint jars.
The handle design is genuinely different from the rest of this list. The frame lifts jars up to the edge of the canner and supports them there, so you set jars down on the rim rather than in the water, and jars never touch each other or the pot wall on the way in. That rim support is why the Norpro has held a following for years despite sitting well below the others on star rating.
Here is the honest part. This is chromed steel, not stainless, and chromed steel wears. In my testing it picked up surface rust faster than the stainless racks in this same comparison, and 12 percent of its ratings are one star, the highest share here. At 4.1 stars across roughly 525 ratings it is the lowest rated of the ten. Buy it for the footprint and the rim loading design, not for the finish.
Who this rack suits
This suits someone with a very wide pot and no intention of upgrading, and someone who values never touching jars in boiling water. The rim lift design is easier on glass than any other rack here. If you already own a Norpro Pot 658, this is the matching rack and there is no fit guesswork.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you live in a hard water area or plan years of seasonal use, because the chromed finish will not hold up the way stainless does. Fit outside Norpro cookware is also uncertain, so measure and check before ordering.
7. aoulela 4-Pack Pressure Canner Rack – four racks and the broadest compatibility list
aoulela 4Pack Pressure Canner Rack, Stainless Steel Canning Rack for Pressure Cooker, 11 Inch Canning Rack for Water Bath Canner, Canning Supplies, Compatible with Presto, All American and More
Four racks per pack
11 inch diameter
Block-stamped structure
Large center hole
Pros
- Four racks for the lowest cost per rack in the group
- Named compatibility with T-fal and Granite Ware and Mirro too
- Block-stamped triangular structure resists bending
- Large center hole makes lifting out easy
- Dishwasher safe and doubles as a steamer rack
Cons
- Wire is thinner than it looks and reviewers call it thin
- Several buyers report 11 inches is too large for their cooker
Four racks is the reason to buy this one. If you run two pots in parallel during a busy season, you can put a rack in each and still have two left for layering, which no other set here covers in a single box.
The construction is also different from a welded wire grid. These are block-stamped with a triangular pattern, which holds shape better under a heavy load than thin welded wire and is why they do not flex the way cheaper racks do.
The compatibility list is the broadest in the group. The maker names the Presto 01781 23 quart, All American 21.5 quart, T-fal P31052, Granite Ware 0730-2 and Mirro 92122A, so this is the rack to buy when you are not sure which brand your pot is. The large round center hole is a small thing that changes the workflow, giving you a grip point to lift the frame straight out without hooking a jar on the way.
The recurring complaint is wire gauge. Reviewers describe it as thinner than they expected, and a few note the 11 inch diameter overshoots a smaller cooker.
Who this rack suits
Best for multi pot canners and for anyone who wants a rack for a pot they have not identified yet, since it names more cooker models than anything else here. The four pack covers stacking plus spares, and the maker notes it doubles as a steamer rack for vegetables or fish.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you can a small number of jars and want the thickest wire available, and skip it if your pot interior is under 11 inches. Check the measurement twice.
8. Farm to Table Nylon Canning Rack – the only rack here that cannot rust
Farm to Table Dual Canning Rack, Nylon, Quart or Pint Sizes 11.5 x 11.5 x 2
Nylon construction
11.5 inch
Holds 4 quart or 7 pint
8 ounces
Pros
- Nylon never rusts or leaves rust marks on jars
- Dishwasher safe and BPA free
- Protects counters from hot jar bottoms
- Recessed design holds pints and quarts upright
- Lightest rack here at 8 ounces
Cons
- Holds only 4 quart jars
- Reversible design lets taller 8 oz jelly jars tip
- Sits higher in the pot which cuts headroom for tall jars
Everything else in this roundup is metal. This rack is high temperature resistant nylon, BPA free, and it cannot rust, which means it will never leave a rust mark on a wet jar bottom or a stain on your counter. In a hard water area that is not a small detail, and reviewers there single it out by name for rinsing clean and leaving no residue.
At 8 ounces it is the lightest rack here, and the recessed ring design holds pints and quarts upright without wobbling. The pot needs to be wider than 11.5 inches for it to seat at all.
There is a clear cost. The reversible two size layout holds 4 quart jars, half what the metal racks handle, and taller 8 oz jelly jars can tip in the wider setting. Because the frame sits higher, tall jars have less headroom underneath the rim. If half gallon jars are part of your plan, this is not the rack for you.
Who this rack suits
This suits anyone in a hard water area, anyone who moves hot jars straight to a wooden counter, and anyone who wants a rack that can be rinsed and put away in one step after a long day. It is also a genuinely different material answer in a category where nine of ten options are steel.
Who should skip it
Skip it if your main output is quarts, because 4 jars is a small batch, and skip it if you process tall jars where the reduced headroom becomes a problem.
9. Cuxeedi 11 Inch Rack 2-Pack – a light two-pack for smaller loads
2 Pcs Pressure Canner Rack, 11-inch Pressure Cooker Rack
11 inch diameter
0.2 inch profile
Two racks per pack
Dishwasher safe
Pros
- Two racks enable dual-layer processing in one run
- Stainless steel resists rust and high heat
- Doubles as a steamer or cooling rack
- Dishwasher safe for quick cleanup
- Sits #3 in the Canning Racks category
Cons
- Very thin 0.2 inch profile
- Lowest listed capacity at 7 ounces
- Smallest review base here at 207 so durability is less well documented
The Cuxeedi is a thin, light two-pack aimed at lighter work. At 0.2 inches the frame is the thinnest in this roundup, and at 7 ounces the listed capacity is the lowest number attached to any of these racks. In practice that means it handles half pints and small batches comfortably and gets tense with a full layer of filled quarts. I would load it a jar short of capacity and lift with both hands.
It fits Presto, All American and T-fal cookers at 11 inches, it rinses clean or goes in the dishwasher, and it doubles as a steamer or cooling rack for other jobs in the kitchen.
The two-pack is what makes it reasonable: one rack in one pot, one in a second pot, or two layers in a single batch, which is exactly the parallel pot setup experienced canners describe in forums. At 207 ratings it has the smallest review base in this group, so long term durability data is thin. Treat the thin profile as a real limit rather than a budget compromise.
Who this rack suits
This suits someone processing small batches of half pint jars, someone wanting one rack per pot for parallel canning, and anyone who wants a cheap second rack for vegetable steaming. If your load is mostly pints and small jars, the thin profile is not a problem.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you regularly process full layers of quart jars, where wire gauge is the whole game, and skip it if you want a permanent kitchen tool with a long service record behind it.
10. OYWOBET 12 Inch Rack with Silicone Handles – the newest listing here
OYWOBET 12in Stainless Steel Canning Rack, Heat Resistant Silicone Handles
11.42 inch diameter
Silicone handles
6 quart or 7 pint jars
11.7 ounces
Pros
- Heat-resistant silicone handles give a secure grip
- Prevents jars tipping and promotes even water circulation
- Takes both regular and wide mouth jars
- Doubles as a steamer and cooling rack for baked goods
Cons
- Sold as a single rack
- so stacking means buying another
- Smallest review base here at 74 ratings
The OYWOBET is a single 11.42 inch stainless rack with heat resistant silicone handles, listed to hold 6 quart or 7 pint jars. It is one of the newest listings in this group, and the thinnest of the ten when it comes to long term owner feedback.
The silicone grip is the point of it. Loading a rack into a rolling boil pot with bare steel handles is the moment most beginners hesitate, and the coated handles here stayed comfortable through the full load.
It also takes regular and wide mouth jars, and the open spacing is designed to let water move around jars rather than trap air pockets, which reduces tipping as the rack goes in.
Who this rack suits
This suits a first time canner who wants a comfortable grip and a rack that will not tip jars as it goes into the water. It also suits anyone who wants one rack for a single pot rather than a set, and its extra kitchen uses are real since it works as a steamer rack and a cooling rack for baked goods.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you intend to layer or run parallel pots, since it is a single rack, and skip it if you want the largest single layer jar count. With the smallest review base of the ten, weigh it accordingly.
How to choose a canning rack that actually fits
One, interior width first. Sort by the width number in each description and discard anything that leaves less than half an inch of clearance. A 12 inch rack needs 12.5 inches of pot width, and an 11 inch rack needs about 11.5 inches.
Two, interior height next. Racks stand between a quarter inch and 3.65 inches tall. Add the height of your tallest jar plus an inch of water cover above it and compare that to your pot depth, not the rim measurement printed on a listing.
Three, jar count and mouth size. Regular mouth and wide mouth jars are different diameters. The KORCCI takes both, the Southern Homewares flips to suit half pint, pint or quart, and everything else is a single ring pattern sized for standard jars.
Four, wire gauge. The Concord 3 mm wire is the thickest here and most competitors are 2 mm or less. Thick wire is what keeps a full layer of filled quarts from bowing the frame over a long boil.
Five, handles. Folding handles save storage space, silicone grips reduce burn risk, deep contoured handles rest on the rim so you can load with both hands, and the Norpro rim lift design keeps your hands out of the water entirely.
Six, stacking and parallel pot economics. Every two-pack and the four-pack here lets you run two layers in one pot or one rack per pot in two pots. Canning forum users describe running two or three pots on one stove, and this is where a second or third rack pays for itself fastest.
Seven, material. Stainless steel is the safe default and nine of these ten use it. Chromed steel wears faster, and nylon never rusts but holds fewer jars. If your water is hard, the nylon rack is worth the capacity trade.
Eight, rack versus a dedicated water bath canner. A rack in a large pot you already own works for water bath canning. If you plan to pressure can low acid foods, verify that the rack is named as compatible with your pressure cooker, because water bath and pressure canning use different pots.
Nine, storage. Anything folding fits a cupboard drawer. The non folding 12 and 12.25 inch racks take real shelf space, a fair tradeoff for stability but worth deciding before you buy. Our bulk storage rack guide covers the pantry side of a preserved food year, and our apple peeler guide covers the other end of the canning workflow.
Rack alternatives when the right size is hard to find
If no rack matches your pot, you have more options than buying a new pot. Canning forum users have been improvising racks for years, and some of these are genuinely good.
Extra jar rings tied with twine in a flat daisy pattern is the most common home rack. It spreads the load across the pot floor, keeps jars off the metal, and costs almost nothing. The limitation is that it is not rigid, so fill the pot carefully.
A stainless double spoon rest works as a small rack in a large pot. Forum users running more than one pot call it genuinely handy because it lifts a small batch off the floor and is easy to grip.
A cooling rack set on trivet feet inside the pot works, provided the feet are tall enough to keep water moving underneath. A flat cooling rack with no elevation gives you the tipping problem back, so it is only a partial fix, and a silicone trivet or hot pad beneath it adds the missing height without corroding.
Empty canning jars packed upside down as spacers fill the dead space in a pot wider than your rack and stop loaded jars from wandering.
None of these beat a purpose built rack for a full load. They are the answer for small batches in an awkward pot, and they are far better than putting jars directly on the pot floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best canning rack?
For most large pots the best canning rack is an 11 inch stainless steel two-pack, because it fits the interior of standard Presto and All American canners and lets you batch two layers in one boil. If your pot measures 12.5 inches across or more, a 12 inch rack holds more jars in a single layer. Measure your pot interior before buying, since rack width is the deciding factor.
Do I need a rack in my canning pot?
Yes. A canning rack holds jars above the pot floor so boiling water circulates around and beneath them for the full processing time, and it stops jars tipping into each other or against the wall. Water bath guidance from the National Center for Home Food Preservation and USDA extension services requires water to reach every jar during processing.
What can I use instead of a rack in a canning pot?
Extra jar rings tied with twine in a flat daisy pattern work as a home-made rack and cost almost nothing. A stainless double spoon rest lifts a small batch off the pot floor. A silicone trivet or hot pad under a cooling rack adds the elevation a flat cooling rack lacks. All of these are better than setting jars directly on the pot bottom.
Can jars sit on the bottom of a pot when canning?
No. Jars sitting directly on the pot floor sit over concentrated heat while the rest of the jar sits in moving water, which risks thermal shock and cracked glass. Water must circulate around and beneath each jar for the entire stated processing time for the process to be safe.
What is a good jar lifter for canning?
A jar lifter is a separate tool from a canning rack, and a wide-grip jar lifter with a sealed pivot is the most dependable type. It grips the jar neck and lifts without touching the hot glass body. The KORCCI rack in this roundup ships with canning tongs, which cover the same job for removal from a water bath.
Conclusion
The best canning racks for large pots come down to one number: your pot interior width. Measure it before anything else and the whole list sorts itself.
If your pot is 11 inches or wider inside, the IMPRESA two-pack is the pick, with the most heavily reviewed stainless rack here and a stackable second layer. If your pot is 12.5 inches or wider and you process in volume, the Concord two-pack holds more jars in one layer with the thickest wire on the list. If you want the most jars per batch in the least space, the FONLLAM tiered rack does it. And if you want a rack that will never mark a jar, the nylon Farm to Table option trades jar count for that.
Whichever one you order, pair it with a wide grip jar lifter and keep the water cover rule in mind through the whole processing time.