The importance of using good quality glass jars when preserving and how to know which one is best for the type of preserve you’re doing.

Cornersmith is very selective when it comes to their suppliers. When pickling, preserving and fermenting they use seasonal produce, their favourite Australian vinegar, local sea salt and quality preserving jars and equipment. We asked Cornersmith’s founder/owner Alex Elliott-Howery why she chooses Kilner® Jars and preserving accessories for their picklery workshops and to sell in stores and online.

Good quality jars are paramount to successful preserving. In our classes, on our retail shelves and in our online school, we use Kilner®.

Kilner® is a UK based company that has been producing the best quality jars and preserving equipment since 1842. Its long-lasting popularity is owed to its unique pressure seal, iconic design and overall quality. Put simply, households all over the world have trusted it to successfully preserve and pickle their fruit and vegetables for over 177 years!

Kilner® get our tick of approval because their products last a lifetime, meaning you buy them once and use them for the rest of your pickling days – unless you give them all away! Those lucky enough to have received one in our preserving classes know how handsome they look on your shelves. Made from ‘A’ Grade soda lime glass, the clarity of the jars is clearer and they have an even thickness of glass to ensure there are no weak spots. This is essential when sterilising and heat processing and you can be confident your Kilner® Jars are up to the task.

This is what we look for when shopping for equipment. Don’t risk your precious preserves by using low quality storage with ill-fitting lids that can lead to breakages and food waste.

Kilner® has a wide section of jars for many different preserves. The Wide Mouth Preserve Jars for asparagus spears and rhubarb, the Twist Top Jars for chutney or mustard, the Tomato shaped jar for tomato jam and the Hexagonal Twist Top Bottles for our homemade ketchup. Regardless of their good looks and shape, we know they will withstand the heat levels required when sterilising and heat processing.

We also stock all the equipment that make preserving at home a breeze – a stainless steel jam pan perfect for thickening jam, chutneys and heat processing, preserving clamps for picking up hot jars, and funnels to make sure you get all your preserves in the jar without the mess.