OK, I know right of the start that asking which way to go is opinion based, and the both still likely have their pros and cons, but still asking, more for what are the pros and cons for each method as it pertains to those of us at altitude. I personally am at about 4000 feet (1200 meters).
My personal goals are to remain safe in preserving foods while when appropriate to retain the freshest possible taste and character. My initial thoughts have been that needing to increase time to compensate for lower boiling point in a water bath will over process some items losing more of the fresh character than I would prefer. Pressure canning just needs pressure up a notch to get then same temp as sea level, but, as someone who has always water bath canned, does the higher temps used in pressure canning really keep items as crisp and fresh tasting as water bath?
Thoughts and experiences appreciated as my freezer space will be limited and nee to make the call before my hard work in the garden starts coming to harvest.
Best Answer
Nothing opinion-based about it. If you are canning anything that's "low-acid" you need a pressure canner, regardless of altitude.
That's "higher pressure than at sea level."
Boiling water bath does not kill botulism spores, so you either need an acidic environment or you need to process under pressure to get sufficient temperature to kill the spores.
For "acid" products you can go either way, but you'll definitely see an advantage at altitude with a pressure canner.
Example for an acid food: 30-40 minutes .vs. 10 minutes http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/general/selecting_correct_process_time.html
Temperature ranges:
http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/general/food_pres_temps.html