Of Friends and Solar Cookers

by BC
(St. Louis, MO)

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about my solar oven. She was very curious and asked me lots of questions. I’m no expert, but I tried to give her a bit of idea as to types, cost, etc. I think cost is the most prohibitive factor for most people. I'm guessing that most don’t want to lay out a fortune on a solar oven when they have a full oven/range in their kitchens…not to mention possibly a microwave, toaster oven, and slow cooker! In my (short) experience, cooking with the sun is an exhilarating idea, and when it actually works the first few times, one feels as though it’s a huge accomplishment because it so far out of our realm of normalcy! However, it can be extremely frustrating when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

If money is no object, it can be difficult to choose a solar oven. I am very happy with my All-American Sun Oven. It is well-built and thoughtfully engineered. It works! But I also think some of the less expensive “zippered bag” type models like the Sunflair could be excellent, too, especially if one is a frequent hiker or camper, as my friend is. The Sun Oven is portable, but takes up a lot more room in a camper than the Sunflair. These are by no means the only 2 options, I just bring them up because they are different in style and price, and they are also the 2 that I considered.

I would call myself “Solar Curious with Prepper Tendencies”!