One Hundred Dollar a Month reader, Sandra, recently asked me:
I do a lot of canning and was wanting to know where is the best place to buy canning jars that I want break the bank over. Thank you – Sandra
With canning season right around the corner, I thought the question was pretty timely. So, I figured I’d throw in my two cents, and then open it up to you peeps. Between all of us, I am sure Sandra will have more information than she bargained for.
First up, garage sales. You have to be willing to come up empty handed, but every once in awhile, you’ll hit the jackpot. Make sure to check the jars carefully for nicks/scratches/cracks. They really aren’t worth your time if they aren’t in good condition. I’ll admit, though, if I find an amazing imperfect antique jar, sometimes I’ll buy it to use as a vase, or something like that.
Next, thrift stores. For me, thrift stores are probably the biggest crap shoot. The jars are usually not in the best condition–I guess that’s why people get rid of them? BUT, sometimes, you’ll pop in and find a ton–like someone has given up on the canning game altogether. Again, you’ll want to check for cracks, nicks, etc.
Craigslist can be a great place to score some canning jars. The thing about craigslist is that you HAVE to be brave enough to haggle with prices. A lot of times, people price those puppies for waaaay more than you can buy them at the grocery store per jar–I’ve seen them listed for as much as $1 a jar. Ultimately, that’s the beauty of cragislist, though: you get to name your price, and either they want to sell them or they don’t for that price. It’s kind of exciting in a used car salesman kind of way.
Word of mouth is probably one of the most under-utilized ways to score jars. Mention that you are looking for jars to everyone you know. You never know who might have a grandma with stacks of jars in her basement. That’s how my friend Lola got all of her jars…she mentioned it at a family reunion, and then next thing you know, her great-aunt was loading up HUNDREDS of jars into the back of her car. {Don’t be afraid to use Facebook as a larger word of mouth tool.}
WinCo is spectacular for jars, if you have one in your area. They usually beat out all other grocery store prices, and they have a great selection. Because they sell them all year round, you can pick up one case each time you go grocery shopping. It will add anywhere form $5-$8 to your shopping trip, but it’s like a jar layaway program. By the time it is canning season, you’ll have acquired quite a few jars–and the cost will be spread out over a manageable amount of time.
Leading up to and during canning season, Amazon will run some pretty decent specials on jars. If you are in an area that you don’t have access to jars, this is the way to go. They will show up at your door, and if you watch the prices, it can be really cost effective. If you plan on investing in higher end specialty jars, like Weck, Amazon has some of the best prices I’ve found.
Finally, while Hardware stores can be really pricey the majority of the year, at canning time, you can get some great deals.
Those are basically all of the ways I score jars–I try to keep my eye open anytime I hit one of those spots. Jars are kind of a lifelong investment, so coming out with just a couple from an estate sale is okay by me. Scoring a HUGE amount all at once is a little more rare. It’s slow and steady wins the race.
How do all of YOU get your canning jars?
~Mavis
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KIm says
Canning jars are way overpriced at my local thrft (Goodwill) stores. Cheaper to buy new.
chrism says
I know. Most of the thrift stores here charge more than new.
PattyB says
WalMart usually has them cheaper than my grocery store, King Soopers (Kroger). I bought some on Craigs list and the guy had fewer jars than he posted AND they were like $1.50 per jar. I declined to buy them and said I’d get them new at the grocery store for less.
Pam says
I agree with PattyB – Walmart has always been the best I’ve found for having jars in stock and well priced.
Anita Burns says
I’ve found that Walmart has the best prices on all canning supplies.
Deborah says
I have been very fortunate the last 9 years. I live less then 2 miles from an older Safeway with limited space. So each late fall they take their limited stock of canning jars and mark them down by 50%. Like your suggestions, it can be a bust. But I have scored 10 packages boxed lids for $1.50 each. A case of pints $3.50. A case of quarts $5. All in all I have just about tripled my stash of jars. Last year my mother in-law gave up canning and gave me her jam jars and small fruit jars. I plan on hitting the Ace hardware store this year as well. (every time I walk into any store, I head for the discounted section. You would be amazed at how often I find just what I need for 75% off.)
PattyB says
Ahhhh Safeway. The store near me underwent a major revamp a couple of years ago and the net result was fewer shelves, fewer brands, less selection AND they got rid of their mark down section. The NERVE! One day I needed canning jars and looked all around because the did have them a month before. I asked an employee and he said that they only carry jars during canning season. Canning season? What’s that? I can all year long. Also, I always ended up going to King Soopers because Safeway doesn’t have everything I want. Hence, now I just go to King Soopers and they have canning supplies all year. [Except I still go to WalMart most of the time for jars because they are a couple of dollars per case cheaper.]
Anita Burns says
In my area — Southern California, there are no more Safeways. They all closed a few decades ago. Too bad, I always liked their stores. BTW, thanks for using “fewer” and “less” correctly. So few people do any more. Even retail stores have signs saying “Ten items or less.” Always grates on me. Again, thanks.
Victor says
Vons is exactly the same as Safeway, by the way. You will find the same products there. I know because I lived in Sacramento for 10 years and I now live in San Diego. Same company same exact store, just a different name.
Madam Chow says
If you need to buy a bunch of jars, sometimes buying them in bulk on line can be cost effective, but not always. It depends and you have to shop around. Some companies to try are uline, koyalwholesale, canningpantry, thejarstore, freundcontainer, and fillmorecontainer.
Rosaleen says
Look into Freecycle in nearby communities. You may not score any jars, but it is worth a try.
Tra says
If you watch the sales, Target has some great seasonal sale prices. The jars are expensive most of the time but for about 3 weeks in the spring, the prices drop to as low as $0.50 per jar.
My local grocery stores sell them and usually twice a year they have great deals and I stock up.
Jaynie says
If you have a farm supply store in the area, that is a good place. They are much like the hardware store, come canning season they will have a few good sales. Also if you live in the Mid-west, Meijers grocery chain has some great sales during the season. Last year they had a buy 1 get one free sale.
Katie says
This is a great question! I was wondering the same thing. I did some price analysis at the end of the fall last year and it seemed like anywhere that was selling them used it was more expensive than to buy new, especially when you added in the cost of new rims and lids. Around here (Cleveland area) you can’t seem to get them lower than $10 per case although I’m looking forward to canning season to come around and for me to look at pricing again. I will definitely have to keep Target in mind. Make sure to check Bed Bath and Beyond using your 20% off coupons. At the end of last season they were very competitive with pricing.
Cheryl @ Living Design says
Bed Bath and Beyond can have the best prices IF you have your coupon! Don’t buy them without a coupon there, but with the 20% off they typically come out less than at Target, Ace Hardware or any grocery store. And with how often they mail out those coupons, you can get quite a few cases in the season.
Susan says
Also, Bed Bath and Beyond coupons don’t really expire. And you can use several in one transaction (but only one per item). I’ve always had very helpful check-out people who are used to customers doing that, and have even offered suggestions on how best to combine them.
Nancy D says
Winco does have lowest price for new jars AND lids year round. Word of mouth works awesome too! People downsizing after raising their family. Where I live a good price to pay is 3/$1 or 2/$1 for regular or wide mouth quarts. I’ve bartered yard work and garage cleaning and had a blast chatting with them about their canning days.
Nancy D says
2/$1 or 3/$1 for USED qts. Sorry! Also, Walmart has an off brand regular mouth quart that sold for less than $7 a dozen regular price two years ago.
Katie says
Be careful with off brand at Walmart and Dollar store knock offs. They break more easily and don’t seal as well.
janet says
My local goodwill sells canning jars for 20 cents, when they have them. The new jars I have purchased seem thinner than my old ones. Anyone else notice that?
Mrs. Mac says
I order from Azure Standard and/or buy at Walmart. Don’t bother with the economy ones that Walmart sells (made in China) .. they may not hold up to pressure canning. A friend used this type for waterbath canning of jam and the metal lids warped and twisted. Garage sales .. once our local farm stand had oodles of used for sale. We stocked up by buying a case once a month.
https://www.azurestandard.com/
Nancy D says
The Walmart brand of canning jar lids failed about 25% of the time for me also. They warped after processing. 🙁
chrism says
Yes, the Walmart lids get bad reviews.
Anita Burns says
I agree about Walmart brand. I tried them and was disappointed, too. Kerr and Ball are still less expensive at Walmart than anywhere else were I live. I’m not a fan of Walmart’s politics nor how they treat their employees but, alas, I sometimes shop there when no one else has what I’m looking for at a decent price.
Carrie says
I ask for canning supplies for Christmas. My aunt gave me the pretty “vintage” green and blue ones this year! When I give jams and other canned goods as gifts I always say “return the jar and I’ll fill it again for you!” to make an effort to get the jars back. 🙂 I also watch for when Target has them on sale.
Kathy Lempert says
I put on my labels ( that I print myself– Dollar Tree return address labels) “Return the jar and I’ll re- fill” it has helped get some back
Gail Raymond says
I too, always tell everyone I give jars of homemade goodness to please return my jar if they would like a refill. So far, I have only gotten two jars back. That’s all! A lot of my jars I buy are from one particular thrift store which every Wednesday gives a generous 30% military discount and I stock up then when I see them throughout the year. Some of these jars I can tell are vintage. However, most are not dated on the jar neck and dispose giving away these vintage ones knowing darn well I won’t be getting them returned to me. Can anyone recommend any reference books or websites etc. to find out the manufacturer dates so that you can keep your vintage oldies in your own private collection instead of giving them away?
Tammy says
I’ve gotten free jars from Freecycle and from putting out the word amongst my friends. Last summer I drove quite a distance to get used jars and while it was a good deal, it was a lot of time and a good number were not usable. I’ve gotten good prices from Craigslist, and picked up a few from yard sales (I rarely go to yard sales though). The thrift stores in my area overprice the jars ($1.99 for a quart jar? that’s crazy!). Meijer runs sales on their canning supplies, you just have to watch.
I am HOPING that this year I do not need to buy any more jars!!!
chrism says
For the last two years, Meijer has had a huge canning sale of buy one get one free for all their canning products, including Ball canning jars. I can’t remember when it was though! I thought I had posted about it on Facebook last year but I can’t find it. If I find it, I’ll post again.
chrism says
Also, in September, Lowe’s will clearance canning supplies, both in stores and online. I got a ton of Ball lids for .50 each last year.
lilton says
I have been lucky to receive many jars by word-of-mouth, too, but I have also found decent prices on sale at Kroger. K-Mart often runs specials in the summer months (maybe July-August?). As I recall, the K-Mart prices may have been buy 1, get 1 half-off; whatever the sale, they were some of the best prices I could find locally, and I was able to stock up on lids, rings, and a few of the fancier jars (the Ball square ones). Sometimes, K-Mart and Target put Ball canning jars on clearance in the fall, but you have to watch those prices as the Kroger sales prices are sometimes better. I have also found deals at Tractor Supply, I think in July. Jars received from downsizing canning folk are definitely the most economical, though, and I like that I’m reusing jars instead of buying new, but I have to confess I’m pretty selfish about keeping the more vintage-jars for myself (especially those I’ve received from relatives) so I often buy new for gifting my canned goods.
Susan says
I buy most of my jars at Winco, too.
Last August/September QFC had a large amount of all canning supplies for 1/2 off or better. I bought a few cases. Lids were .75 and I got my oldest GD the Ball Blue Book for around $3
E in Upstate NY says
When our kids were young, I canned all the time. Would go late to the farmers’ market to get the better deals. After getting to know me, some would give me their unsold produce instead of dumping on their compost heaps! There was a shortage of Ball and Kerr jars then, so the only ones I could purchase were Grandma’s. Can’t find that brand anymore. As my children got older and I worked full time, stopped canning. In one of our moves [for a while, we were moving states every 4 years] I gave all my half gallon and most of the quart jars away. Segue to today, our youngest son lives with us, and wants to learn how to can. A male friend of his also wants to learn, so for last year ran informal canning classes. And yes, we are buying more quart and half gallon jars!
My gripe is that the local county cooperative education people, the ones who used to do the teaching and did the pressure regulator checking, no longer do that. Someone didn’t return the tool, and they don’t seem concerned about replacing it. Have an old pressure canner, and have my mother’s older canner. Don’t want to use them without have the gauge checked. Ended up buying a new canner.
Once found an open box of new canning lids at Goodwill priced for 50 cents. Yes, I grabbed them! At the end canning season, always purchase lids at reduced price. Have quite a stock pile now. Using some with 99 cent prices stamped on them.
Cheryl says
I think it was in 2012 that I did a lot of canning for Christmas, I believe I gave away about 250 jars of something. My sister and her daughter then turned around and sold all the jars in a garage sale. Between them, they probably had 3 cases of jars….I wanted to shoot them!
coleen says
At my local Goodwill, canning jars can be priced from $1 to $3 a piece. I always find good deals at yard sales or just buy them new.
Michele says
At Goodwill in Oregon, all canning jars are $.29 – quite a bargain. I’m always stopping by there.
vickie says
I get most of mine at rummage sales. Cheapest way I’ve found.
Pam says
I notice a few comments about lids. Has anyone else tried Tattler lids? They’re reusable. I purchased 15 dozen regular and 12 dozen wide mouth lids about 3 years ago. I’ve reused all of them at least twice and will give most of them a 3rd use this season. They’re more expensive than regular lids (I got mine on a 50% off sale they run once a year) but so worth the money.
Madam Chow says
Yes – it’s best to follow directions exactly, otherwise you can get some failures, but Tattler lids are great. Also, I don’t use them on cans I’m going to give away because I may not get them back!
Charleen I says
I find great deals at Bi-Mart (in small Pacific Northwest Towns) and Winco. I would caution people that purchase used jars off Craigslist, in thrift stores and getting them from Freecycling sites. Many people craft with jars or use jars for home improvement projects (storing cleaners) and the products used in them could leave residue that could be potentially harmful. Some of these residues do not wash away with soap and water. I realize this is common sense to some but someone inexperienced, like myself, the thought of free jars or cheap jars might be far too appealing to think about this. It’s always better to err on the side of caution.
Cari says
I agree with this. If I am taking the time to grow safe organic food it is worth the cost (investment) in new jars. I am still way ahead financially that way because jars are still cheaper than one organic produce purchase sometimes.
Leslie says
I’ve found the best prices on new jars at Bi-Mart, and used at Goodwill (39 cents each). I find these to be more convenient than Craigslist.
Karin says
I live in BC Canada and have been very successful at my local Salvation Army Thrift store, I get a dozen jars for $2.00, I now have a stock pile of over 500 jars, I have 90% wide mouth then the rest small jelly jars:)
Gwen in L.A. says
I joined Freecycle to donate ‘stuff” and also received some canning jars…specifying no Mayonaisse jars. Have never seen them in the local thrift stores.
Cari says
Canning jars tend to be an “MSRP” type of item and are basically the same cost everywhere. We always keep an eye out at the end of the season. That is the best time to get a bargain on new jars. Some years are better for bargains than others, but we have a decades long stash built. (“We” is my MIL and myself – we share our stash which is another good tip – produce selection and garden success ebbs and flows. We each preserve differently and draw down our stores at different rates)
gail says
Big Lots in our area has the best prices on new jars and lids. Plus a couple times a year they have big 20% off sale so I stock up. Of course the best of all is FREE through word of mouth and very cheap through yard sales.
Janice says
When buying used you definitely need to take into consideration the cost of purchasing lids and rings, which are provided when you buy new. I’d rather pay a little more and get new jars and rings if the cost of used is only a small savings. Like everything else it’s good to know your prices ahead of time before buying second hand. I agree with Janet that some of the newer jars seem to be thinner glass than my old ones I’ve used for years. I once was canning salmon and had every single jar break…..They were all brand new and when I went back to the grocery store they told me the pints were thinner and only for vegetables – not fish and that I should have canned it in the small salmon jars. I treasure those old pint jars that are heavy glass and can take the heat for the length of time required for fish.
Janice says
Sorry – every jar broke…not break.
Alana Hoff says
You were correct: you had every jar break. Of course, that does mean every jar broke, which means every jar had broken. Grammar Can Be Fun, lol.
Deborah says
We have a local discount store (Fred’s), where we buy our canning jars. They are an off type brand, Harvest Gold, but are less than the high dollar name brand jars. I haven’t had any problems with them in any way. I also use canning jars for my water daily. I make up 6 jars at night, and put them in the fridge for the next day. A great way for me to get my water quota daily.
Michelle says
Costco has them right now for the best price ever!!
Christy says
Every so often I get a 50% one item (under $20) from Ace hardware. They carry canning jars year round. This makes them cheaper than I have found other places.