perfect pickler

[shelah]

has anyone ever tried this appliance/gadget? it appears to be a jar with a special cover that promotes proper fermentation. here is a link to see and read about it:

http://www.simply-natural.biz/perfectpickler.php

(the grain and salt society also sells it but their picture is cut off so you can't see the whole cover -- they are more expensive also, but i mention them bc they usually carry quality stuff).
anyway, if anyone has any thoughts or experience with this, i'd love to hear about it, especially: is this method any better than a plain old canning jar?
many blessings to all!

[greeninlosangeles]

I do not like that it is plastic, they always say it is safe, but I do not think it is true.

[Shivananda]

I remember seeing jars like this in old-fashioned country stores and hardware stores as a kid in the midwest, when many people still made their own sauerkraut... and beer. It's simply a jar or bottle with a fermentation lock or air lock on top. In this case it's just a $7 Snapware jar, with a (maybe) $5 gas lock added, probably from the local home brewing store. Then they doubled the price for the convenience of buying them together.

Do they work? Yes, for what they are intended to do. They allow gas from fermentation (kraut, pickles, kimchee, beer, wine, whatever) to escape, without letting outside air (and possible contamination) in. I don't think it speeds anything up, but it does give more consistent results and less spoilage than just covering with cheesecloth or a lid with an open vent.

[Shivananda]

I do not like that it is plastic, they always say it is safe, but I do not think it is true.

I do get your skepticism, yes, but I'm a bit more inclined to look for actual evidence. In this particular case, I've found that the specific plastic that Snapware is made of is actually superior to glass in several ways. I use that brand to keep all my bulk foods in. You can buy them at Wild Oats Markets and Target.