Ball jars are harder to find these days. There’s been a nation-wide shortage. Lids are almost non-existent.
Inventories are staring to pick up, but the quantity, variety of sizes and styles may never be at pre-lockdown levels.
Beware of off-brand canning jars from China. The lids are flimsy and you probably won’t get a 100% seal rate.
“Ball jars are harder to find these days. There’s been a nation-wide shortage. Lids are almost non-existent.”
I know it’s not popular around here, but Amazon has all kinds of canning jar lids.
Our local Wal-mart has been having a small but steady supply of Ball canning jars and they are the best price going.
Runnings has pallets of them about a dollar a box more than WM.
Lids, however are scarce and very over priced.
The best option for lids, though are Tattler Reusable canning jar lids.
I tried some and they work great. When we moved I found a lost jar of applesauce that I have kept for experimental purposes. It has a Tattler lid on it and is going on 10 years and still good.
Tattler Reusable Canning Lids.
https://reusablecanninglids.com/
I’ve had decent luck with Golden Harvest but when I buy replacement lids, it’s Ball/Kerr. Wanting to try the reusable Tattler lids too. Went to a yard sale a few weeks ago and they had Ball canning jars for $7.00/case. Should have grabbed them but I didn’t have much cash on me. Been meaning to stop by and ask if they still have them. IIRC they were straight sided aka wide mouth jars too. New looking.
We just paid an arm and a leg for bell jars. The shipping was almost as much as the jars too, but we eneded them. We eat veggies fro the garden all year long, a d enjoy things like corn for soups well into the spring. Green beans get a little old by that time, but still edible
“There’s been a nation-wide shortage. Lids are almost non-existent.”
No issues procuring online via Amazon or Walmart.
Jars and lids in abundance.
But prices have gone up. Cheap still.
12 wide mouth Ball jars with lids: $11.87 at Walmart, inclusive of tax.