Presto Precise Digital Pressure Canner 02144 vs MegaChef 12-Quart Digital Pressure Cooker

Buy the Presto 02144 if you want to pressure can low-acid foods like meat, vegetables and fish. It is the only one of the two built and certified to USDA home canning guidelines, with a sensor that holds the exact processing temperature and no altitude adjustment. The MegaChef is a general-purpose 12-quart multi-cooker with 15 presets, a nonstick pot and a glass lid, but its own listing caps it at 175°F, far below the 240°F-plus canning needs, so treat it as a large cooker, not a canner. Owners rate the Presto well across hundreds of reviews; the MegaChef has too few ratings to judge.

• Choose the Presto 02144 if you plan to can meat, poultry, fish or vegetables and want a unit that follows USDA processing times automatically.
• Choose the MegaChef 12-Quart if you want a big programmable pot for batch pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming and sauteing, and you do not need to can.