Best Reusable Fermentation Lids for Wide Mouth Mason Jars

How the Five Compare on the Numbers

The five picks differ most clearly on published weight and jar fit. Mfacoy publishes 0.24 lb, Fermentaholics publishes 0.26 lb, JILLMO publishes 0.6 lb, and Easy Fermenter publishes 0.64 lb. Masontops does not publish a weight. On jar fit, four picks are made for wide mouth mason jars, while Fermentaholics is made for standard 110mm gallon jars.

Published dimensions are sparse. Masontops publishes a width of 0.5 in, a depth of 3.3 in, and a height of 3.3 in. Mfacoy publishes a width of 3.31 in, a depth of 3.31 in, and a height of 0.1 in. Easy Fermenter, JILLMO, and Fermentaholics do not publish width, depth, or height, so storage space cannot be compared for those three from the fact sheet alone.

The table does not tell you how any lid performs in use, because no one at Lush has used these machines and the manufacturers publish capability, not results. It also does not tell you the exact diameter of the Masontops, Mfacoy, or Easy Fermenter lids, because those figures are not published. The table only compares what the makers state.

How Jar Fit Narrows the Field

Wide mouth mason jars

Masontops, Mfacoy, Easy Fermenter, and JILLMO all publish a fit for wide mouth mason jars. JILLMO adds a range from 8 oz to 64 oz and a 3.38 inch 86 mm diameter. That range is the most specific jar fit published among the five picks. If you own several jar sizes, the JILLMO range is the only one that states a lower and upper limit.

Masontops, Mfacoy, and Easy Fermenter do not publish a jar size range. They state wide mouth only. A wide mouth mason jar is a common size, but the fact sheet does not give a diameter for these three, so you cannot confirm a fit from published figures alone. Check the jar thread before ordering.

Gallon jars

Fermentaholics publishes a fit for standard 110mm gallon jars and Fermentaholics gallon jars. That is a different jar class from the wide mouth mason jars the other four picks target. If your fermenting vessel is a gallon jar, this is the only pick on the sheet that states a fit for it.

The Fermentaholics pack includes a lid, a silicone gasket, a grommet, and an s airlock. The gasket is described as adhering to the lid and jar to create an airtight seal. The pack size is two lids and two airlocks, so it covers two jars. It will not fit a wide mouth mason jar.

How Valve Design and Materials Differ

Waterless valves and airlocks

Masontops and Mfacoy publish a one way waterless valve. Masontops describes it as a one piece airlock that requires no water, burping, or maintenance. Mfacoy describes a patented one way valve that vents carbon dioxide without manual burping or a water airlock. Both are self contained, with no separate airlock part to fit.

JILLMO and Fermentaholics publish a separate airlock. JILLMO includes BPA free airlocks and silicone grommets, and states that the airlock releases fermentation gas while limiting outside air exposure. Fermentaholics includes an s airlock and a rubber grommet. A separate airlock adds parts to assemble and clean, but the makers state it holds securely in the grommet.

Silicone, plastic, and stainless steel

Masontops, Mfacoy, and OAKDOLCHE publish silicone lids. Masontops states food safe silicone that is BPA free and free of phthalates. Mfacoy states 100 percent BPA free silicone that will not crack or warp. OAKDOLCHE states 100 percent food grade silicone. Silicone is flexible, which may matter if you want a lid that conforms to the jar rim.

Easy Fermenter publishes durable food safe plastic lids with a leak proof gasket. JILLMO publishes stainless steel lids with flexible silicone grommets and replaceable components. JILLMO also includes spare grommets and a 1 year replacement for damaged small parts. Stainless steel is rigid, while plastic and silicone are not. The makers do not publish a performance comparison between these materials.

Which One Fits Your Kitchen

Buyer who wants a date tracker. The Mfacoy lids are the only pick that publishes a date tracker. They weigh 0.24 lb and are made of BPA free silicone. If you run several batches and lose track of start dates, this is the pick that states the feature.

Buyer who wants a low profile silicone lid. Masontops publishes a width of 0.5 in and a height of 3.3 in, and the maker describes a low profile design for cupboard storage. The one piece waterless valve needs no water or burping. Weight is not published.

Buyer who prefers a plastic lid. Easy Fermenter publishes a four lid kit with a leak proof gasket and a plastic lid. It is the heaviest pick at 0.64 lb. Width, depth, and height are not published, so check your drawer space before ordering.

Buyer who wants stainless steel and spare parts. JILLMO publishes stainless steel lids, BPA free airlocks, silicone grommets, spare grommets, and a 1 year replacement for small parts. It fits wide mouth jars from 8 oz to 64 oz. The plastic airlocks should be washed with warm water only.

Buyer fermenting in a gallon jar. Fermentaholics publishes a two pack for standard 110mm gallon jars, with a lid, silicone gasket, grommet, and s airlock. It weighs 0.26 lb. It is not made for wide mouth mason jars, so buy it only if your vessel is a gallon jar.

What We Could Not Verify

Several figures are not published by the manufacturers, and we did not estimate them.

• Masontops does not publish a weight for the Pickle Pipes.
• Easy Fermenter does not publish width, depth, or height for its lid kit.
• JILLMO does not publish width, depth, or height for its stainless steel lids.
• Fermentaholics does not publish width, depth, or height for its gallon jar lid.
• Mfacoy does not publish a pack size in the features listed on the fact sheet.
• Easy Fermenter does not publish dishwasher instructions in the features listed.