Before You Start Canning
Want to start canning? STOP! Before you spend any money. I have been canning for many years and I suggest to you not to put any money into boiling bath canning equipment until after you read this. You can do boiling bath in any pot large enough to hold your jars and cover them with water by one inch or more. The jars can not set on the bottom of the pot but you can use something as simple as a towel folded on the bottom. Or, place jar rings on the bottom and put the jars on top. It is that simple to do a boiling bath.
If you insist that you want equipment to do boiling bath then I suggest one of the following ideas. Rather then the large boiling bath pot that is extremely heavy when filled with boiling water let me suggest you purchase a steam canner. You can purchase one at Walmart (on line) for about $40. 
They use a much smaller amount of water and if you have a glass top stove they are much less likely to brake your top. They are much easier to use and easier to store then the much larger boiling bath.
But if you are really interested in canning let me suggest you start right off with a pressure canner. You can use your pressure canner for boiling bath or for pressure. Do not use an electric pressure cooker. The pressure and temp. are not reliable for canning.
You can can anything in a pressure canner, from jams to beef. You can start with a Presto pressure canner at Walmart for as little as $70. 
A Presto pressure canner will last you a life time and you can pass it on to your children. There is only one drawback to the Presto and that is that it used a silicon or rubber gasket and they must be replaced. 
But if you plan to can long term let me suggest the American Pressure Canner. The All American starts at about $200 at Walmart. They are extremely well made and do not require a gasket. Made to last, just about forever, you can pass your All American down to your grandchildren. 
If you are low on money you might try advertising for a used canner. Unless the canner is warped from being run without water. All the parts for most any canner can be purchased on line.
There are a few small pieces of equipment that you need for canning. A jar lifter, funnel etc. You can buy them at Walmart for about $25.
Canning is very rewarding and can save you a lot of money. Later I will talk about canning meat. It is my opinion the best way to store meat is to can it.
Have fun and enjoy the fruits of your labor. If you have any questions please ask.
I use a large pressure cooker to can apple sauce (it's called bottling in the UK). Although I'd be very wary about canning meat in it, I might get more ambitious and try some soups and beans. It's great for apple sauce though as I get to use all the apples from my tree, which then gets used up in porridge mostly.
You have to treat high acid foods like apple sauce very different then low acid foods like meat. For low acid foods you need a pressure canner. That means any food with meat in it, like a soup. You need to maintain the pressure for your altitude. For example, 1001 to 2000 feet, use a 15 lb weight and cook 1 qt of meat for 90 minutes. Low acid foods, not canned correctly will not keep and are not safe to eat. Always try to store all your canned foods in the coolest place possible, below 70F if you can. Your pressure cooker if fine for high acid foods. Please, do not preserve meat or beans in your pressure cooker, it is not safe. I am glad to help if you have more questions.
Really timely post. My wife and I have just started researching how we can start canning more of our garden produce. Great information. Thank you
Glad to help, if you need any.
Love your idea of starting small for $40. I can save up for a APC once I get into canning.
If you have any questions I would be glad to help.