For people who love camping out and hosting backyard picnics, the solar oven gives out most jaws dropped... and for good reason.
Solar ovens let you cook without gas or electricity. Instead, these awesome inventions (that has been around since the 18th century) use non-polluting, free energy from the sun.
In many parts of the world, solar ovens are the norm and are life-saving devices. They cook meat, vegetables, breads, soups and everything else in solar ovens.
If you want your own solar oven for camping, outdoor cooking, or even for emergencies when gas or electricity isn't available, you have a couple of choices. Traditional box-types reach up to 300 degrees F (or hot enough for most meats), while the parabolic cooker can go up to 400 degrees F (ideally for baking bread and frying food). For something more portable, the smaller solar panel cooker and tube cooker does the job without the bulk of box or parabolic cookers.
Interested in checking out what kind of solar cookers are out there and which brand has the best solar oven for you? Here are solar ovens we’ve hand-picked from hundreds of brands.
1. HIOSUNSTOVE Solar Oven
- Safe and easy to use: Solar stoves are safe and easy to use,...
- Portable: Lightweight and compact design of solar stoves make is...
Recently we tested the HIOSUNSTOVE Solar Oven and were pleased to see it is rather easy to use. Unlike cooking food with flame and dangerous fuels, this roasting method is safe for families, especially with the kids. This also makes it convenient to transport to and from other places such as camp and backyard parties and the like.
From this perspective, this oven performs well where sunlight is plentiful. It has great internal storage and we can prepare several meals at once and that is rather helpful when everyone is out. Cooking food such as baked potatoes and chicken has been very easy, and one can even use it on a partly cloudy day due to the vacuum tube cook technology.
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2. GOSUN Sport Solar Oven
- Ultimate package: Includes a portable stove, a durable padded...
- Easy and delicious: Just load food into the portable camping...
- Portable and durable: Reflectors and base fold into a sturdy...
- Resistance to Rust: With the outdoor oven and cooker, you can...
- Disclaimer for International Products: International products may...
Many people who first take a look at the GoSun Sport solar cooker were skeptical mainly because the design doesn't look anything like other solar ovens in the market. But once you try any of GoSun's solar cookers, you'll realize that the company has developed something special.
The biggest feature of GoSun's Sport solar cooker is its ability to cook food so quickly, even on cloudy days. This is made possible because of its award-winning design. It consists of parabolic reflectors outside the tube that helps bring up the temperature onto the cooker and the glass vacuum tube that converts up to 80% of the sun's rays to usable heat.
The combination of the glass vacuum and outside reflectors bring the temperature inside high up to 550 ⁰F, which is high enough for frying, boiling vegetables, stewing meat, grilling and even baking muffins and other small pastries.
In summer and humid locations, the GoSun Sport solar cooker can easily fry bacon and eggs in just several minutes. In fact, users of the Sport were so used to the slow-paced cooking of solar ovens that they’ve burnt some of their first recipes done on this cooker.
Aside from the durable, Borosilicate-evacuated Glass Tube cooking chamber and the industrial-grade anodized aluminum parabolic reflectors, the GoSun Sport solar cooker also comes with a stainless steel cooking tray, scrubbing/cleaning tool, cookbook and user's manual.
The major downside of GoSun Sport is its limited cooking space because of its tube-like shape.
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3. SolCook's All Season Solar Cooker Camper (ASSC)
- COLOR MAY VARY due to supply line issues. Cook any time of day,...
- Best for solar cooking. The ASSC Camper, by SolCook is large and...
- The cooker is constructed using food grade virgin polypropylene...
- The cooker arrives in a box that measures 18 in by 14 in by 4 in....
- Although shipped compactly, the assembled cooker has a maximum...
SolCook's ASSC Camper looks very like the original model, except that this newer Camper can cook an entire turkey or fit two pots inside. The cooking space allotted is definitely bigger with a capacity of two one-gallon pots. And since The Camper is designed with a cooking bag, it can hold varying shapes and sizes of pots without any restriction.
This SolCook Camper is a panel-type solar cooker, which means you have the freedom to use any kind of cookware from baking pans to 12-inch fry pans.
Although this solar cooker looks like most solar ovens with the reflector bags, there are three distinct features that separate SolCook's All-Season Solar Cooker Camper with the rest:
- Unique design - This SolCook's origami-like design was made so you could take advantage of 12 hours of sunshine for solar cooking. Position it upward to capture the sun overhead, while position it slowly downward to accommodate the sun's position as it begins to set. This unique design means you can set the oven to any angle and absorb as much solar heat as possible.
- Sunsight - Attached to the solar oven, this small wooden device called a sunsight guides you in positioning the oven at the most beneficial spot. When the pin has no shadow, it means the cooker is perfectly focused on the sun.
- Large capacity - The ASSC Camper measures 12" deep and 17" wide. It offers a pretty big cooking space not seen on traditional solar ovens.
The SolCook's All Season Solar Cooker Camper may not look like it at first, but this solar oven is virtually indestructible and highly efficient in cooking big batches of food.
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4. GOSUN Go Ultra-Portable Solar Cooker
- ☀️ULTRA PORTABLE - The GoSun Go is the most portable model in...
- ☀️FAST AND RELIABLE - Cooks a meal in as little as 20...
- ☀️JUST ADD SUN - If you have a sunny day, you will have a hot...
- ☀️INCLUDED - A durable evacuated glass tube oven, 2 parabolic...
As with most GoSun solar cookers, the GoSun Go is designed with an impressively-made glass tube placed at the center of the cooker, embraced by parabolic reflectors on top and bottom. It features a vacuum tube as 'cooking pan' that works as an insulator converting up to 80% of the sun's rays to heat.
The entire thing may look pretty small, but GoSun’s Go solar oven has the ability to steam, roast or bake a meal. It can even boil liquids - something many solar cookers cannot do. In favorable weather conditions where you can get direct sunlight for up to 8 hours, the GoSun Go solar cooker could reach temperatures as high as 550°F.
If you're buying this for disaster preparedness or for camping with a family or group of friends, this won't fit the bill because of its size.
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5. MrMapMax Solar Oven Portable Oven
- 【The Latest Solar Oven】The solar cooker is designed to work...
- 【Fast & Delicious】It takes only 20 minutes to cook a meal...
- 【Easy to Use】The solar stove can be set up and stored in...
- 【Portable & Durable】The external shape of the solar oven is...
- 【Widely Application】You will use this anywhere there is...
The MrMapMax Solar Oven Portable Oven is a remarkable innovation that transforms how we cook outdoors. Designed for convenience, sustainability, and versatility, this solar oven delivers outstanding performance in diverse environments, making it an excellent choice for camping, hiking, or backyard cooking enthusiasts.
This compact solar oven boasts a lightweight and foldable design, making it easy to transport and store. It utilizes advanced solar panels with reflective technology to achieve temperatures up to 285°F, enabling the cooking of various dishes like stews, bread, and even baked goods.
The oven is constructed with durable, weather-resistant materials and features an insulated chamber that retains heat efficiently, ensuring consistent cooking. Additionally, it comes with adjustable cooking racks and a user-friendly thermometer for precise temperature control.
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Factors To Consider When Buying the Best Solar Oven in the Market
Aside from the types of solar ovens (box, tube, or parabolic cookers), you also have to consider different things, such as:
Price wouldn't be much of an issue because most solar ovens are inexpensive. However, durability would be a better weighing factor since higher-priced solar cookers are made with better (and sometimes more expensive) materials.
Wrap Up: Which Brand is the Best Solar Oven for Me?
The best solar oven for you will depend on your location, preferred cooking method, and whether you need it portable for camping, tailgating or other outdoor activities, or just for your backyard and backup oven for emergencies.
