There are plenty of alternative methods to harness the power of the sun beyond RV solar panels, rechargeable batteries and mobile devices. More and more campers are discovering the convenience of solar cooking which can be a real game-changer in meal preparation when camping. That’s why a majority of them can’t live without a good solar oven anymore.

To prepare food, these gadgets collect solar power. Although they do come in a variety of designs, they usually use glass, reflecting surfaces, and other heat-absorbing materials to create temperatures high enough to cook nearly any kind of food. For steady cooking, solar ovens must be able to hold heat well. This is often achieved by keeping the air inside the cooker and surrounding cooking equipment separate from the outside air. Because of this, most solar cooking ovens aren’t functional at night or in overcast weather.

What to Look for in a Solar Cooker

With this in mind, take your camping cooking aspirations to the next level and prepare delicious home-cooked meals on the go with a versatile and lightweight solar cooker designed with energy efficiency and quality in mind. But solar cooking has been here for decades now, and solar cookers have gone a long way since they were first introduced on the market. With so many different types, materials and purposes, finding the ideal model for all your needs is not always an easy thing to do. To help you out we have come up with a list of some of the most important factors to keep in mind when buying.

Types

The type of cooking that will take place is one of the most important aspects when choosing the ideal solar cooker. For all types, it is best to have a thermometer if one is not included in the design. However, some designs are substantially lighter and more portable than others if you plan to take them with you. These solar devices are the most popular ones available, though.

Even though they are relatively new on the market, evacuated tube cookers are quickly becoming the preferred choice of many people. Made of a large, evacuated glass tube surrounded by bright reflector panels, the glass tube can reach temperatures of up to 550°F (290°C). Enough heat is generated in the pot to cook meat, bread, vegetables, and dessert. Even though they are still solar cookers and need sunlight to function, these designs work even in cloudy conditions.

Box ovens are made from reflective boxes with a clear lid surface. They often have the largest cooking area and can usually support the simultaneous preparation of several pots of food. Nevertheless, they are usually not very portable because they cannot collapse. These solar ovens are great, though, for baking, cooking beans, and other dishes that require more time to cook.

Parabolic solar cookers, on the other hand, are the most efficient because of their geometric shape, which concentrates sun energy in a single spot. Parabolic models are heavy to carry and can only cook one vessel at a time. Nevertheless, with a 400 F temperature capability, these are the strongest solar devices for cooking available today.

Where and How Often Will You Cook

Are you planning to simply remain at home and put up the oven in the backyard? Or are you going to travel with the cooker? A parabolic solar camping cooker and large box one requires a lot of storage space. If you have the storage space, these are excellent for a backyard setup.

The portable, foldable panel cookers are made for cooking while travelling or on location. They take up less room in the truck, RV, or garage due to their reduced size. The trade-off between portability and temperature exists, though. Box ovens typically reach greater temperatures and cook food faster because of their increased insulation. Tube cookers, on the other hand, are made for portability, yet they still take up a sizable amount of storage space.

Since a panel cooker can cook nearly anything, it’s a great option for versatility. It does not reach the high temperatures of a box oven, therefore cooking time will be longer. The heavy-duty box ovens produce consistent and adaptable cooking outcomes for regular and emergency use. They cook more quickly than panel cookers because they frequently achieve greater cooking temperatures.

Parabolic devices are eye-catching exhibit pieces. While parabolic cookers do not have the same overall cooking adaptability as box ones, they are nevertheless capable of reaching the very high temperatures required for frying and grilling. These are ideal for backyard gatherings, emergencies, and regular cooking.

Similar to a box oven, the tube cooker quickly reaches high cooking temperatures and is capable of preparing a wide range of meals. The unique shape of the tube necessitates careful attention when figuring out what kind and amount of food will fit in the cooking tray.

Type of Food

What type of food you can prepare with a portable solar oven may cross your mind after selecting the appropriate model. The good news is that practically any kind of cuisine you can think of. It’s easy to make staple foods like meat and vegetables, fruits, eggs, and fish. However, a cooker can also be used to bake a wide range of different foods, including cakes, bread, and souffles.

With boiling water, camp cooks can make pasta, rice, beans, soups, and stews. You can even bake pastries such as cookies and brownies. In other words, you can probably cook anything that you can cook in a regular oven or stove.