There’s nothing like prying open a jar of gleaming, homemade strawberry jam in January. This kit is a classic and contains everything you need to get started. It’s worth it for the magnetic lid lifter alone! (How many times have I burned myself fishing around the pot for lost lids?) For smaller batches, I like steam canners to cut down on all that boiling water, but when you’re up to your elbows in tomatoes, you’ll definitely reach for this capacious pot.

You may need an additional book, like Ashley English’s Canning and Preserving (her cherry marmalade recipe is worth pitting cherries for). And if you prefer your jam on the tart side, I recommend Pomona’s Pectin, which uses calcium instead of sugar to give you more sweetness control.

Best of all with this kit: everything fits back in the pot, so it doesn’t take up tons of space in your cabinet.