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You need a pressure gauge on a pressure canner for canning foods otherwise, you don’t know if you got the contents hot enough.

Looks for sales and coupons for jars as people who garage sale them often ask too much for used jars. At that point, I’d rather buy new ones.

If you get used ones, examine them carefully for nicks and chips in the rim or cracks in the jar.

Another resource you might try, is find some older grandmotherly type and ask them if they know anyone who has canning supplies. Often I’ve found that if they’re not canning themselves any more, they are more than happy to give it to someone who will use them. They would rather give them away to someone like you than throw them out. Asking around about canning supplies usually gets you somewhere.

You can also safely can fruits, applesauce, and jams and jellies using a hot water bath method, just like tomatoes.