What is a jam funnel?
A jam funnel is a handy tool that allows you to easily and quickly fill jars with preserves, jams, and other thick liquids. It is also useful for filling bottles with oil or vinegar. It has a wide outward neck flow area that can fit onto or over most jars.
Why do you need a Jam Funnel?
It can help you fill your jars cleanly and with a minimum mess. This also means that you can fill jars quickly and without too much waste. It also makes ladling jam into jars a lot safer to do, which is a strong argumnet in its favour.
I started out making jams without one. After having to clean sticky jam from kitchen surfaces and from the glass jars due to spillage, this funnel suddenly took on new meaning. So, now I would not want to do without it.
How do you use it?
To use, simply place the funnel into or over the neck of the jar and pour or ladle the preserve into the funnel. The jam will flow through the funnel and into the jar.
What are the limitations of this funnel?
The only real limitation of a jam funnel is that it can only be used with jars or bottles that have a neck of a certain size. This may mean that it is sometimes too big or small for some jars. So try and chekc the sizes ahead of buying one so that you can get the best use from it for your needs.
It does not replace the standard kitchen funnel.
Where can I buy it?
These funnels are readily available from most kitchenware stores. You often find it included in preserving kits. You can also find them online from many retailers.
As a piece of kitchen equipment it tends to be inexpensive, so is well worth considering as an addition to your preserving kit.