To help you find the best mason jars for food storage, drinking or a variety of other purposes, we have tried out a multitude of top jars, testing them for durability, preferring jars made from high-quality components such as food-grade glass, and that excelled at many different uses, including the storage of jams, jellies and other preserved food items. We also liked different-sized mason jars, including wide mouth mason jars, which can suit a number of different consumer types. A mason jar is a great kitchen product that allows you to store various things.
The best mason jars we tried were easily the Ball Golden Harvest Mason Regular Mouth mason jars. These high-grade glass mason jars ship in a large multipack of 12 units, each featuring a unique vintage fruit design and an 8 oz size that makes them perfect for the storage and preservation of jams and jellies, among other food items. Keep reading to learn more about other high-grade mason jars available for purchase.
Top 7 Best Mason Jars
#1 Ball Golden Harvest Mason Regular Mouth Mason Jars
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: Offers an absolute airtight seal, thanks to a patented sealing compound, and an aesthetically pleasing design that allows for placement in the freezer.
- Airtight seal, thanks to patented sealing compound
- Design allows for placement in freezer
- Attractive design on the exterior
- 8 oz size not ideal for drinking
- Not quite durable enough for boiling
These Ball Mason Jars ship in a large multipack of 12 jars, making them a great way to purchase mason jars in bulk. These are some of the best mason jars for food storage, especially jams and jellies, thanks to the jar lids featuring a unique sealing compound that provides an airtight seal. We loved the unique retro design on the exterior and the fact that these mason jars are durable enough to be placed in the freezer, in addition to allowing for countertop storage. You can also get the best manual can opener with a cool design that enhances your countertop.
Though these are highly durable glass mason jelly jars, they aren’t quite strong enough to withstand boiling water or being placed into boiling water, as the exterior can crack. Additionally, the eight-ounce size is great for storing jams, jellies, and condiments, but isn’t quite large enough to make for an effective cup for drinking. If you want another form of storage for your kitchen, you should also read our guide to the best cookie jar.
#2 Verones 12 oz Mason Jars
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: Ships in a large multipack of 15 mason 12 oz mason jars, each featuring corrosion-resistant plastisol-lined silver lids, which make for a safe seal that will preserve kombucha and other perishables for long periods of time.
- Corrosion-resistant plastisol-lined tops
- Large multipack of 15 jars
- 12 oz size is perfect for drinking out of
- Regular mouth design may not fit all consumers
- Plain design
These Verones Mason Jars are the best mason jars for drinking that we tried, thanks to a generous 12 ounce capacity and food-safe components, such as BPA-free glass. We also loved the corrosion-resistant plastisol-lined silver whichs, which ensure an airtight seal, and the ultra-large multipack of 15 mason jars. These 16 oz pint jars are also freezer safe and dishwasher safe, making them easy to both store and clean.
Though these mason jars are great for both the preservation of foodstuffs and the drinking of beverages, the regular mouth design may not suit every consumer. Also, these mason jars are on the plainer side, aesthetically speaking. You can also use them for storing spices, like your best popcorn seasoning.
#3 Kamota Mason Jars
Award: BEST FOR ORGANIZATION
WHY WE LIKE IT: Ships with 20 waterproof whiteboard labels, making these jars perfect for the organization of spices and other ingredients, with a large 16 ounce size and components that are both BPA-free and food safe.
- Large size can fit plenty of ingredients
- BPA-free and food safe materials
- Silver screw lids are easy to both open and close
- Too wide for standard cup holders
- Freezer safe, but ingredients can expand so be careful
These Kamota Mason Jars are perfect for the organization and storage of a wide variety of food items, including spices, thanks to 20 included whiteboard labels that are both waterproof and rewritable. We also loved that the materials used in these mason jars are BPA-free and food safe and that the large 16 ounce size offers plenty of room for whatever you are making and storing, including jams, honey and more.
Though the silver screw lids that come with this 12 pack of mason jars are both easy to open and to close, we found that the seal wasn’t quite as airtight as some other models, which could lead to ingredients expanding while in the freezer. Additionally, these are fairly wide mason jars, at nearly three inches across, so they will not fit in standard cup holders. For another way to organize your kitchen, you have to read our guide to the best kitchen cart.
#4 Encheng Wide Mouth Mason Jars
Award: LARGEST MULTIPACK
WHY WE LIKE IT: Ships with a large number, 20, wide mouth mason jars, each being made from lead-free and BPA-free materials and each completely safe to be placed in the dishwasher.
- Ships with pen and stickers for labeling
- Lead-free and BPA-free
- Dishwasher safe for easy cleanup
- Can be tough to seal for canning
- Glass is on the thinner side, compared to similar models
These Encheng Wide Mouth Mason Jars come in an ultra-large multipack of 20 12 ounce mason jars, which is enough for even the biggest of families with large amounts of jams and jellies. We loved that each mason jars included in this multipack is lead-free, BPA-free and dishwasher safe, making cleanup a breeze. We also enjoyed that this kit ships with a pen and some stickers, for the purposes of labeling.
Though the included lids are convenient, we found that they didn’t offer enough of an airtight seal to make these mason jars functional for the purposes of canning, though they excelled in the freezer and for shelf-stable storage. Also, we found the glass on these jars to be on the thinner side, compared to similar models. You could also use the best onion storages and savers to make sure that your kitchen stays organized.
#5 Kerr Regular Mouth Canning Mason Jars
Award: LARGEST CAPACITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: Pack of 12 extremely large 32 oz mason jars, making them perfect for meal-in-a-jar recipes or fermented items, such as kombucha.
- Withstands boiling, thanks to being made from tempered glass
- Ships in pack of 12
- Lids create an extraordinarily tight seal
- Do not excel in the freezer
- Does not include labels
These Kerr Mason Jars ship in a 12 pack jar set, with each mason jar coming in at an astounding 32 ounce capacity. These large quart jars make them a great choice to prepare meal-in-a-jar recipes, often featuring fruits and vegetables, or to ferment kombucha or to make a variety of pickled vegetables. We loved the airtight lids and thick food grade tempered glass, which can withstand the boiling temperatures of a water bath for the purposes of home canning.
Though the tempered glass included in the manufacture of these mason jars with lids is great for canning and long-term storage, they do not do so well in the freeze and can crack with prolonged exposure to sub-zero temperatures. Additionally, this multipack does not include labels for the purposes of the organization. If you’re trying to organize your cleaning supplies too, you can’t go wrong with the best spray bottle.
#6 Paksh Novelty Glass Mason Jars
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: These budget-friendly mason jars are made from high-grade crack-resistant soda lime glass and the lids offer an airtight seal, while being BPA-free.
- BPA-free and eco-friendly materials
- Wide mouth makes it easy to insert ingredients
- Made in the USA, from crack-resistant soda lime glass
- Only includes 6 jars
- 8 oz size on smaller side
These Paksh Novelty Glass Mason Jars come in at a budget-friendly price point while offering plenty of high end features, including manufacturing components that are booth eco-friendly and BPA-free. We also loved that these mason jars were made from crack-resistant soda lime glass and that they each include a wide mouth, for the purposes of filling them up with a variety of ingredients.
Though these budget-friendly mason jars are of high quality, this multipack only ships with six jars, which is on the lower end. Also, these mason jars are eight ounces each, which is not as large as some models available for purchase.
#7 BPFY Glass Mason Jars
We’re sorry, this product is temporarily out of stock
Award: BEST VINTAGE DESIGN
WHY WE LIKE IT: 12 pack of jars that feature a vintage diamond emboss design and ship with decorative chalk labels and a pen, with each jar being safe to be cleaned in the dishwasher.
- Dishwasher safe
- Package includes decorative labels and pen
- Can survive in freezer for up to a year
- 8 oz capacity
- Glass is not tempered, so not ideal for canning
These BPFY Glass Mason Jars come in a pack of 12 and boast a quaint vintage diamond embossed design, shipping with decorative chalk labels and a pen. This focus on design makes these great mason jars to give out as gifts or to use at baby showers and other celebrations. We also loved that each mason jar is dishwasher safe and that the design allows them to store food in the freezer for up to a year.
Though these mason jars excel in the freezer, they aren’t made from tempered glass, so they won’t do quite as well with hot or boiling water, as is typically used in the canning process. Additionally, these mason jars are eight ounces in size, which is on the smaller side compared to some models.
See Also: You may also want to get the best meat grinder for your kitchen if you enjoy processing your own meats.
How We Decided
To help narrow down to the above list, we focused primarily on food-grade glass mason jars that were appropriate for the storage of foodstuffs, in addition to being used as a primary drinking apparatus. When it comes to drinking, we admired regular mouth jars, and when it came to storing ingredients, we preferred wide mouth jars, as these wide mouths make it easier to fill.
We liked mason jars that came with high-grade lids that offered an airtight seal, allowing the jars to be placed in the freezer or to be used as shelf-stable storage. We also appreciated when these lids were made from BPA-free and lead-free components, for the purposes of safety, and those that were easy to both open and close.
We also enjoyed mason jars made from tempered glass, which made them exceptionally handy jars for canning and for the long-term storage of both pickled vegetables and fermented food items, such as kombucha. Finally, we liked jars that shipped with labels and pens, which makes organization a breeze, and those that arrived in large multipacks, with as many as 20 jars.
Best Mason Jars Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Multipack Size and Capacity
Mason jars come in a variety of sizes to suit different needs. Four-ounce jars, such as our top pick, excel with the storage of jams, jellies, and honey. Eight ounce jars are great for drinking out of and for storing larger amounts of food items. Mason jars go all the way up to 32 ounces, and occasionally larger, so the sky’s the limit here. As far as multipacks, most mason jars ship with more than just one jar. They can ship with as many as 20 mason jars in one kit, making them budget-friendly. - Materials
You are going to want to choose mason jars made from high-quality and food grade materials. To that end, look for mason jars that advertise being free from lead and BPA and those that are certified food grade. As for the glass container, make sure that it is dishwasher safe, for easy cleaning, and that it can last in a freezer for lengthy periods of time. Additionally, tempered glass can endure ultra-high temperatures, making them great for canning. - Labels and Pens
If you are going to be using mason jars to store bulk spices, pickled vegetables or other assorted food items, you are going to want to be able to know what is inside each jar at a glance. That is why many mason jars ship with stickers and pens, for the purposes of the organization. These stickers are often waterproof, surviving the wash, and reusable.
