What I've seen in ads for canners is that some say not to use on ceramic cooktops because the bottom of the pot is somewhat concave. I understand that the cooktop manufacturers recommend pots that are perfectly flat.

Not sure if all canners are concave on the bottom.

Perhaps someone over in the kitchen forums may be able to give you a definitive answer.

Wayne in the Adks.

My sis-in-law, with her smooth topped range, cans her peaches, salsa, and pears over a propane burner (crab cooker) in her garage....and she sold appliances for many years.

Check the Harvest Forum, lots of savvy canners there...some of the newest ranges may allow it...

I have a friend that cans on his...even tho he was instructed not to. Still, he's been doing it for years.

Makers of ceramic stove tops recommend smooth, flat-bottomed pots for efficiency and to prevent pans from warping.

Remember that the point of a waterbath is to have jars covered with at least 1" water + enough room for the water to come to a rolling boil without spilling over the top. That usually means the jar height plus 4". Any sturdy pot will do, if it's deep enough.

Check with this link for more info. You will note that there is a lot of info re pressure canning -- it is very difficult to properly process many foods in a waterbath, and if you are planning to do much food preserving, I highly recommend a pressure cooker - just take a tape measure when you buy to be sure it is deep enough to hold your jars plus have headroom. I personally prefer using a waterbath to seal jams, jellies, and pickles (but notice that those are very sweet or very acidic foods). It's safer to pressure-can almost all other foods.

Here is a link that might be useful: preserving foods