A sun oven is a type of cooking device that uses sunlight to generate heat. Some of these devices, also known as solar ovens, can reach temperatures of around 400 degrees Fahrenheit for cooking (204 degrees Celsius). For most cooking situations, a temperature of around 200 or 350 degrees Fahrenheit is more typical (93 to 176 degrees Celsius). Many people who are environmentally conscious prize these ovens because they don’t use any electricity or consume any perishable resources like wood. Food cooked in a sun oven cooks slowly and evenly.
Sun ovens come in a variety of designs, each with its own method of harnessing solar energy. Some are constructed as boxes with glass lids and black-lined interior walls. On the outside, most of these have some kind of reflector to help focus the sun’s light into the glass lid. The basic concept is that light is captured by the black surface and converted into heat that is trapped inside the box. Another popular method is to use a curved reflective surface that reflects the sun back onto a cooking pot.
When cooking in a sun oven, most people use black pots with lids or lidded glass cookware. The black surfaces help to capture more heat, and a lid helps to trap any moisture inside the cooking area, making the oven hotter and the food more juicy. Sun ovens must frequently be repositioned so that the sun shines directly on them. Some people prefer to set them up early in the morning so that they can benefit from the warmest sunlight during the day. They’ll often put food in a sun oven before going to work and leave it to cook slowly for hours, with the temperature peaking around noon.
Sun ovens have long been used as a survival tool by people in less developed areas of the world. It can be difficult to get electricity in some of these areas, and fuel for building fires can be scarce. A sun oven is a good option because it is easy to use, versatile, and inexpensive.
Instead of buying a sun oven, many people prefer to build their own. Many of these ovens can be built with simple tools and low-cost components. There are also plans for simple sun oven designs available, and some organizations sell kits that include everything a person needs to construct their own sun oven.