Side-by-Side Comparison
Pantry & Food Storage
Commercial Can Sizes vs. Mason Jars
Comparing 2 standards across 19 specifications. 19 key differences identified.
Comparing:
Commercial Can Sizes
Mason Jars
Standard canned food containers are designated by trade size numbers (#10, #5, #2½, #2, #303) and 3-digit industry dimensional codes, where the first digit represents whole inches and the next two represent sixteenths of an inch (e.g. 603 × 700 = 6-3/16" dia × 7" height).
Mason canning jars are standardized by opening diameter into Regular Mouth (70 mm / 2.75") and Wide Mouth (86 mm / 3.38"), with capacities ranging from 4 oz jelly jars to 64 oz half-gallons adhering to strict USDA headspace specifications.
Specification Comparison Table
19 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Governing Industry Body
|
Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) / USDA | — |
|
#10 Can (Institutional)
|
603 × 700 (6-3/16 × 7.0 in / 157 × 178 mm) | 106.0 fl oz (3.13 L / 12-13 cups) | — |
|
#5 Can (Squat / Juice)
|
603 × 504 (6-3/16 × 5-4/16 in / 157 × 133 mm) | 56.0 fl oz (1.66 L / 7 cups) | — |
|
#3 Cylinder (Juice)
|
404 × 700 (4-4/16 × 7.0 in / 108 × 178 mm) | 46.0 fl oz (1.36 L / 5-3/4 cups) | — |
|
#2½ Can
|
401 × 411 (4-1/16 × 4-11/16 in / 103 × 119 mm) | 29.0 fl oz (858 mL / 3-1/2 cups) | — |
|
#2 Can
|
307 × 409 (3-7/16 × 4-9/16 in / 87 × 116 mm) | 20.0 fl oz (591 mL / 2-1/2 cups) | — |
|
#303 Can (Standard Veg)
|
303 × 406 (3-3/16 × 4-6/16 in / 81 × 111 mm) | 15.5 fl oz (458 mL / 2 cups) | — |
|
#300 Can
|
300 × 407 (3.0 × 4-7/16 in / 76 × 113 mm) | 14.5 fl oz (429 mL / 1-3/4 cups) | — |
|
#1 Picnic Can
|
211 × 400 (2-11/16 × 4.0 in / 68 × 102 mm) | 10.5 fl oz (310 mL / 1-1/4 cups) | — |
|
Dimensional Code Format
|
DFF × HFF (Diameter in Inches & 1/16ths × Height in Inches & 1/16ths) | — |
|
Governing Standards
|
— | USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning / Ball-Kerr Specifications |
|
Regular Mouth Diameter
|
— | 70 mm (2.75 inches) outer thread diameter | Classic shoulder profile |
|
Wide Mouth Diameter
|
— | 86 mm (3.38 inches) outer thread diameter | Straight sides for freezing |
|
Quarter-Pint (4 oz)
|
— | 118 ml | Regular Mouth | Jellies, jams, baby food, spices |
|
Half-Pint (8 oz)
|
— | 237 ml | Regular & Wide Mouth | Preserves, sauces, dressings |
|
Pint (16 oz)
|
— | 473 ml | Regular & Wide Mouth | Salsas, pickles, pie fillings |
|
Pint & Half (24 oz)
|
— | 710 ml | Wide Mouth | Asparagus, long vegetables, drinks |
|
Quart (32 oz)
|
— | 946 ml | Regular & Wide Mouth | Tomatoes, broths, whole fruits |
|
Half-Gallon (64 oz)
|
— | 1,892 ml | Wide Mouth only | Juices, dry storage (not for boiling water bath) |