Jar comparison
Le Parfait vs Kilner: French and British Glass Jars, Compared
Kilner is the jar most British kitchens grew up with, the way Mason is in America. So how does it compare to a French Le Parfait jar? The closures are close cousins, but the two brands part ways on where the jars are made and how far the range goes. Here is an honest, spec-by-spec look at both.
One closure, or in Kilner's case, two systems
The Le Parfait Super Jar uses a single closure: a glass lid hinged to the jar with a wire bail and one orange rubber gasket. There is nothing to assemble and nothing to lose, and no metal touches the food.
Kilner splits its range across two systems. The Clip Top jar is a close cousin of the Le Parfait design: a glass lid, a rubber seal, and a stainless steel clip, with no metal touching the food. The Screw Top preserve jar is different, using a flat metal disc and a metal screw band, where the disc sits against the food and is treated as single-use for canning. So a Kilner buyer is really choosing between two closures, while Le Parfait offers one that does it all.
Product by product
| Le Parfait Super Jar | Kilner | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | France, since 1930 | United Kingdom, brand since 1842; jars now made in China |
| Closure | Hinged wire-bail glass lid + replaceable rubber gasket | Clip Top (glass lid + rubber seal + steel clip), or two-piece metal screw-top |
| Reusable / replaceable parts | Jar and lid reusable indefinitely; gasket replaced each canning batch, reused for years in storage | Clip Top fully reusable; screw-top uses a single-use metal disc plus a reusable band |
| Pieces to handle | Jar with attached lid, plus gasket | Clip Top: jar, glass lid, seal, and clip; screw-top: jar, disc, and band |
| Metal touching food | None | None on the Clip Top; the metal disc contacts food on the screw-top |
| Shape | Cylindrical, straight-sided | Cylindrical and square; round and faceted styles |
| Sizes | 8oz to 96oz (250ml to 3L) | Small spice jars up to 3L |
| Color options | Clear glass; color-lid options across the wider range | Mostly clear glass |
| Best known for | Fermentation, storage, French design | The classic British preserving jar |
| Pricing | $50 to $84 per set (sets of 3 to 6) | Value pricing, widely available |
Where each jar is made
This is the clearest difference between the two. Le Parfait has been made in France by the same company since 1930. Kilner is a genuinely historic British name, founded in Yorkshire in 1842, but the brand is now owned by a UK housewares group and the jars are manufactured in China. Both are designed with real heritage behind them; only one is still made in its country of origin. If buying a jar made in France matters to you, that point goes to Le Parfait. If the classic British preserving-jar name is what you are after, Kilner carries it.
Range and fermentation
Kilner is a serious fermentation competitor, not an also-ran. It sells complete fermentation sets with submersion weights, airlocks, and recipe guides, so credit where it is due. Le Parfait's advantage is breadth and identity. Alongside the Super Jar, the line spans Super Terrines, Familia Wiss terrines, the color-lid Screw Top jars, faceted Jam Jars, Bottles, and the Bistrot range, plus a dedicated fermentation ecosystem including the ChouAmi kits. If you want one French jar system for fermenting, storing, serving, and gifting, with color options across the range, that is where Le Parfait pulls ahead.
Where Kilner is the better choice
Kilner has real advantages. It is widely available and priced for everyday use, it is the preserving jar most British kitchens already trust, and its Screw Top line gives you a two-piece metal lid for tested canning recipes if that is how you preserve. Its fermentation sets arrive complete with weights and airlocks, which is genuinely convenient for a first-time fermenter. Le Parfait shines when you want a jar made in France, one integrated closure with no parts to manage, color-lid options, and a single brand that covers fermenting, storage, serving, and gifting.
Which should you choose?
Choose Le Parfait if
You want a jar made in France by the original maker, one integrated closure with nothing to assemble, and color-lid options across the range.
Shop Super JarsChoose Kilner if
You want the classic British preserving jar at a value price, or a two-piece screw-top option for tested canning recipes.
Both make excellent clip-top jars. The real differences are where each is made and how wide the range goes.
Common questions
Where are Kilner jars made?
Kilner is a British brand dating to 1842, but its jars are now manufactured in China. Le Parfait has been made in France by the same company since 1930.
Is Le Parfait the same as a Kilner jar?
They are close in spirit. Kilner's Clip Top and the Le Parfait Super Jar both use a glass lid, a rubber seal, and a metal bail, with no metal touching the food. The main differences are where each is made and Le Parfait's wider range and color-lid options.
Can you can in Le Parfait or Kilner jars?
Both brands' bail jars are best suited to fermentation, dry goods, and refrigerated storage. For tested water-bath recipes, use a jar made for two-piece canning lids and follow current guidance.
Are the rubber seals replaceable?
Yes on both. Le Parfait's orange gasket drops in by hand and costs only a few cents.