Could the problem be that I used the Golden Harvest canning jars and their lids from Big Lots? Just cheap crap?

Nope - many of us use them all the time with no problems. The most likely cause is the bands were screwed on too tightly or the jars were over filled.

If you just did these, then you can reprocess them: empty the contents together in a pan to reheat, re-wash the jars, refill, new lids, and reprocess for the full time.

What space was called for and if you are sure you left that much then the bands were screwed down too tightly - finger tight only so they can loosen as needed during processing.

Dave

Either you put the rings on too tight, they are just to be fingertip tight, or you let the pressure out of the canner manually after processing to speed things up. Never let the pressure out, let it reduce naturally. That is also part of the safe processing time, the time it takes for a canner to get up to pressure after venting and also the time after processing when the canner drops the pressure. That, and you also need to let the jars sit in the canner with the lid on for an additional 10 min. before you ever open the canner and remove the jars.
The rings are put on the jars only to hold them in place, but they need to be lose enough so they can vent out to allow all the air to be expelled. That is how you get a vacuum seal.

Thanks! I didn't overfill or let the pressure out of the canner too soon. I am pretty sure the culprit is I screwed the bands too tight. I'll know better next time. One of those bulgy lids sealed the other didn't. I'll reprocess that one. The other one still has a slight bent in the crease on the flat part. Know what I mean? But the seal is as tight as the others that sealed from what I can tell. Do you think it's safe?

Most likely but just to be on the safe side, I would reprocess them both with new heat, lid, and seal as described above. The bend in the one may hold for awhile but it will weaken the seal over time. Either reprocess (must be done within 24 hours and the sooner-the-better) or just refrigerate those 2 and use ASAP.

You can check off on the "Too-Tight-Bands" lesson as learned. ;)

Dave

Way back that hapend to me with a couple of 8 ounce jelly jars, that I had filled only 1/8 inch from the top of the rims. They warped so much that the lids had creases in them. As mentioned, a little more headspace and also just a light snug on the the jar rings. You SHOULD USE only a single thumb and the index finger to snug the ring down. The ring is meant just to help hold the lid in place and not intended to seal them before going into the canner. Any grabbing and cranking on a lid will cause them to not vent properly. Ever see in physics class whey they add water to ma seal meal can and bring it to a boil?
As to Golden Harvest, these are made by the same company that makes Ball jars and is their 'generic' line. Its glass and lids are the same materials as used in Ball and has been, since they started up the GH line about 10 years ago.

I have been canning for over 40 years and have used many different brands of lid. This year I had many “new” lids buckle after water bath processing. This has NEVER happened to me before. NEVER! I say the lids are being made very inferior to previous products.

HU-235352947, do you mind sharing what brand(s) buckled this year? It would be a public service.

I just had lids buckle while canning quarts of tomatoes. I’ve never seen this before. Lids are Ball brand from Walmart purchased as jars with lids and bands this month. I’m so disappointed as lids are super hard to find and the lids were the only supplies I need yet I had to purchase the whole setup. Ugh :(

Oh, no, not Ball! Was it whole tomatoes that might have had a lot of air inside them to expand when heated? And the pressurized air was stronger than the lids?

I've just never heard of Ball brand lids buckling. This is getting very concerning, what with several of the non-Ball brand lids already having a reputation for failing.

I've long heard that companies sometimes cut corners to meet the price demands of Walmart. Please, Ball, do not drop your standards!

And please Ball , do not have your lids made in China.

HU

We ordered 120lids from Ball and they cam from China. Our lids have been buckling ugh.... 5 out of 28.

That's not good at all, HU-455514705. From where did you order those lids that came from China? From a website? (Which?) To my knowledge all real Ball lids are made in USA. Is "Ball" printed on the lids? Did they come in the bright green boxes that Ball currently uses?

My lid just buckled. I just bought these 1 quart jars (ball) from Walmart today. Not happy

9 jar Kerr lids (newly purchased through Amazon) buckled while canning clams today. Never had buckled lids in our 50 years of canning

just canned 7 quarts of potatoes, did not over tighten, did not overfill but 3 out of 7 buckled.

Can you change the lid on buckled jars that were pressure canned and redo them using same method?

I just canned tomatoes juice with the trueliving jars with bands and lids. 2/7 buckled. This is the second batch with these jars and lids/band that this has happened. They are not over filled, not over tightened, pressure goes down naturally and canner is not opened up for a while. i am in my 65 years old and have been canning since a teen. I have never had this happen before. will not buy this product again. I thought i would check the net to see if any one else is having this problem. I wish I had checked after the first batch.

I had to look that up, Trueliving jars. They are from Dollar General, and yet another brand made in China. The first thing online I found about them was a youtube video in which someone used them in canning jam, and not a single one sealed. I'll add this to my do-not-use list.

I have to guess from all the responses that we have some real lid issues, I found out of every new batch of lids at least 1-3 buckled, found some old ones that were still in packages NOT ONE OF THOSE DID ANY BUCKLING, we are getting cheaper quality lids, and I had some that said Ball that said made in China too...think we all better keep an eye on our canned goods fir lids combining undone, this is disheartening 😔

Me n my mom canned tomatoes n most of them buckled. Did them 4 or 5 days ago. My question is are they all bad n can they still be stored safely or do I have to throw all 30 bottles out ?

I had same thing, I had to keep switching lid types all summer, not just one brand but many, I have had to reprocess with clean jars and new lids, its infuriating, but only way I could save product, wasn't that rings were too tight, wasn't shock, its the daggone lids...cheap worthless metals in them, frustrated but I'm nearly done with most of thr canning, these flimsy crappy lids are okay for dehydrating, not for pressure or hot water bath canning😠

Stay away from lids sold on amazon. I read the reviews and they aren't American made Ball or kerr lids but Chinese clones and junk, and even the no name lids sold on some canning supply websites made in china.

I've never had a lid buckle, and the reasons stated for this happening comes from the canning industry and lists a host of improper canning practices, or lack of proper practice. It's not the lids, it's how you are canning, I won't go into detail as to the reasons listed but all these buckled lids are basically your fault.