I considered buying just the canner but decided to purchase the whole set. I am very pleased that I did. All of the elements are of high quality and all are part of making canning easier and safer. Both my mother and my grandmother canned with one of these and now it it my turn. When I retired last year I promised myself I would put food up this summer. It has been 50 years since I canned with my mother and grandmother but with this great black pot it all came back. I cannot promise everyone will remember canning if you get this pot but if you remember someone else canning or if you canned yourself in the past, take it up again. The cost of the pot is easily amortized across the savings on food. I thought perhaps I would just make do with what I had, and I considered buying just the pot but I am very glad I got the whole set. I have used all of the utensils and am very pleased with how sturdy they are. I had worried that they would not hold up to hard use but mine are 60 quarts in and going strong. I have also used the blanching pot to cook beets and for blanching peaches and tomatoes for easy pealing. I also use the blanching pot to keep hot water available to ladle into the big canner when I am processing a long time and the water level is going down. That way I can put hot water into the pot and not stop its boil. I have to give a gold star to the blanching pot. I was weary canning and put my pot on high to start the water boiling and did not put any water in it. When I realized it I thought for sure the pot was a goner. The paint changed color a bit but the pot survived and I turned off everything on the stove and went to take a nap! I have not used the colander but I already had a number of them.This one is nice since it does not have any handles it will fit in a smaller sink which helps with washing and the cold water bath when blanching.