# Sun Oven



## Green Lilly (Nov 8, 2018)

I recently read a book that in passing discussed the use of a sun oven during a power outage. The book didn't really explain what it was. I did some quick interwebz browsing and I see you can buy a sun oven from preparedness websites but they are priced at 300-400 bucks a pop. 

I guess my first question is, has anyone used a sun oven and does it really work?

Second question would be, if it does work, are there any good step by step instructions for making one of your own?

It sounds like a really nice prep to have on hand but I feel like it could be made rather than bought for much cheaper.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Lots of boondocking RVers use them with good results. I've been able to pasteurize water with a gutted shoebox streetlight and some sheet metal.


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## Marica (May 5, 2019)

I have plans somewhere for a cardboard box within a box sun oven. Search for it. Basically the outer box is painted black. The inner one is lined with foil, I think. There are videos, too.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

You can make a reflector oven with reflective material.

If you want real heat get a frensel lens from an old TV. Boil water quick, cook.......some make enough heat to melt metals.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

Green Lilly said:


> I recently read a book that in passing discussed the use of a sun oven during a power outage. The book didn't really explain what it was. I did some quick interwebz browsing and I see you can buy a sun oven from preparedness websites but they are priced at 300-400 bucks a pop.
> 
> I guess my first question is, has anyone used a sun oven and does it really work?
> 
> ...


I thought about making one, . . . compared the idea with a mud oven, . . . opted for the mud oven, . . . as I can use it 24/7/365, . . . sun ovens are only good when the sun is out.

Forget to bake them biscuits in the afternoon, . . . you're out of luck that night for dinner.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

We have this one:

https://www.amazon.com/American-Ultimate-Appliance-EasyStack-Interchangeable/dp/B01M0VYNWP/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=solar+oven&qid=1573000448&sr=8-3

I am NOT impressed with it at all. It works if you just want to heat up a pot of canned beans. But it absolutely takes forever to bake with it. And baking something like bread where you would like the crust to get a little brown on it, forget about it. I figured, living at about 5000 feet in Arizona, you could not get a much better place for a sun oven. But it does not work very well at all even in this location.

For off-grid baking, I just use a ceramic BBQ grill. I have even baked brownies in it. It works perfectly.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Inor said:


> We have this one:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/American-Ultimate-Appliance-EasyStack-Interchangeable/dp/B01M0VYNWP/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=solar+oven&qid=1573000448&sr=8-3
> 
> ...


That's too bad. In Arizona, it should've done better. What directions were you following?


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Annie said:


> That's too bad. In Arizona, it should've done better. What directions were you following?


The ones that came with it.

I cannot say that it does not work at all. It does. But the performance is far slower and less impressive than I would have expected given our elevation and the amount of sun we get. I do not want to get too down on it, but... If you are trusting the lives of yourself and your loved ones, this is NOT the foolproof plan that it seems at first blush.

But fire still works beautifully, as advertised...


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

I'm still dump diving looking for a good frensel lens from a junk TV.

https://graywolfsurvival.com/84068/solar-diy-building-fresnel-solar-cooker/


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

some time ago I read and article, with pictures, about using an old satellite dish, wrapped in foil, to focus the sun on a bowl or pan for cooking. It was quite a while ago but I seem to remember that it worked.


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## Green Lilly (Nov 8, 2018)

dwight55 said:


> I thought about making one, . . . compared the idea with a mud oven, . . . opted for the mud oven, . . . as I can use it 24/7/365, . . . sun ovens are only good when the sun is out.
> 
> Forget to bake them biscuits in the afternoon, . . . you're out of luck that night for dinner.
> 
> ...


A mud oven? I haven't heard of that one. Will have to research it.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

Green Lilly said:


> A mud oven? I haven't heard of that one. Will have to research it.


And of course, . . . if you plan far enough ahead, . . . and grab a couple of larger cast iron dutch ovens, . . .

Not much you cannot do in a dutch oven, . . . that can be done in your electric oven at home, . . . as far as basic baking goes: breads, cookies, pies, cakes, . . . etc.

I need to do more to "perfect" my skills with my dutch ovens, . . . hopefully, . . . will get some opportunities this winter time. I'll be out in my shop, . . . working on my forge anyway, . . . may as well be doing some baking while I'm out there.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

I have a sun oven, bought a cheaper one for just in case. But I'm learning simple is best. To heck with that. For the money--even regardless of the money---I go and have gone camping--with this over an open fire any day.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

I played with an All American Sun oven for a few years and was less than impressed with it's cooking speed. Ended up donating it for an auction.

Like Dwight I found a mud or dome oven to be a much better solution. https://www.bing.com/images/search?...39315DA6ABF0222BEAA5C84510B4B580B&FORM=IQFRBA
You can also purchase metal dome ovens with firebrick floors online. https://www.amazon.com/Maximus-Blac..._52?keywords=wood+oven&qid=1573262505&sr=8-52
We cook everything from bread to casseroles to steaks in our dome oven.

Add a rocket stove and you've got a lot of wood fired cooking options.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Piratesailor said:


> some time ago I read and article, with pictures, about using an old satellite dish, wrapped in foil, to focus the sun on a bowl or pan for cooking. It was quite a while ago but I seem to remember that it worked.


I was led to believe in a former hobby tin foil was not a very good reflector. White paint works better..accoring what I heard. When the foil gets wrinkled it reflects light ever whichaway. Kindly let know for sure if you do any experiements Thanks.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

Inor said:


> The ones that came with it.
> 
> I cannot say that it does not work at all. It does. But the performance is far slower and less impressive than I would have expected given our elevation and the amount of sun we get. I do not want to get too down on it, but... If you are trusting the lives of yourself and your loved ones, this is NOT the foolproof plan that it seems at first blush.
> 
> But fire still works beautifully, as advertised...


Do you remember what the ambient temperature was when you used it? I looked at the oven you bought and I couldn't tell if it had glass to cover the oven chamber? If not, I think you'd be happier with its performance if you added one.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

dwight55 said:


> And of course, . . . if you plan far enough ahead, . . . and grab a couple of larger cast iron dutch ovens, . . .
> 
> Not much you cannot do in a dutch oven, . . . that can be done in your electric oven at home, . . . as far as basic baking goes: breads, cookies, pies, cakes, . . . etc.
> 
> I need to do more to "perfect" my skills with my dutch ovens, . . . hopefully, . . . will get some opportunities this winter time. I'll be out in my shop, . . . working on my forge anyway, . . . may as well be doing some baking while I'm out there.


I need to do something to get any kind of skills with cast iron. It's very sad to watch me try to cook with it.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

paulag1955 said:


> I need to do something to get any kind of skills with cast iron. It's very sad to watch me try to cook with it.


Go to facebook, . . . ask to join this group, . . . Victorian Era Foods and Cooking . . .

Guaranteed, you can ask just about any question on there about cast iron cooking, . . . someone, if not the owner, will answer you, . . . and I've never seen a truly off the radar answer come from any of them.

Good place to get thos skills you want.

But remember, . . . when you get the idea, . . . the answer, . . . you then have to go out and practice it in order to be good enough to use it whenever you actually NEED IT.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

paulag1955 said:


> Do you remember what the ambient temperature was when you used it? I looked at the oven you bought and I couldn't tell if it had glass to cover the oven chamber? If not, I think you'd be happier with its performance if you added one.


I does have glass on the oven chamber. It is a well made thing; it just does not work very well.

I KNOW fire works 100% of the time. I will stick with it.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

dwight55 said:


> Go to facebook, . . . ask to join this group, . . . Victorian Era Foods and Cooking . . .


Thanks for that tip. I will check it out.


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## Joe (Nov 1, 2016)

Elvis said:


> I played with an All American Sun oven for a few years and was less than impressed with it's cooking speed. Ended up donating it for an auction.
> 
> Like Dwight I found a mud or dome oven to be a much better solution. https://www.bing.com/images/search?...39315DA6ABF0222BEAA5C84510B4B580B&FORM=IQFRBA
> You can also purchase metal dome ovens with firebrick floors online. https://www.amazon.com/Maximus-Blac..._52?keywords=wood+oven&qid=1573262505&sr=8-52
> ...


I love my rocket stove hot fire with very little fuel


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