Solar Powered Oven
Cook for free using sun power.
Solar powered ovens use the energy of the sun to cook almost any type of food. |
It's environmentally friendly, it's inexpensive, its fun, it's...
A Solar Powered Oven makes use of some simple passive solar principles and the concentrated power of the sun to cook complete meals or simple snacks.
Using a highly reflective surface inside an insulated box or enclosure, a solar oven concentrates the heat of the sun and directs it toward the food. The food is placed in dark pots for cooking. The dark pots absorb the amplified heat in the reflective box, cooking the contents inside.
Advantages of Solar Powered Ovens
- They're inexpensive to make or to buy.
- You can cook pretty much anything you'd cook in a conventional oven.
- Using the solar oven means that you pay zero for power and the earth doesn't pay either.
- Put your food in and go have fun for a few hours. when you come back it'll be ready.
- Solar powered ovens can be used anywhere where the sun shines. Even at a remote cottage or wilderness getaway where there's no power you can oven cook your meals.
- This is a great way to get the kids or grandkids involved in cooking and the environment.
- Boil water in remote areas to ensure it's safe to drink.
Here are some answers to questions that are commonly asked about solar powered ovens.
Q ~ How long does it take for a solar powered oven to cook a meal?
A ~ Cooking times vary more with solar powered ovens than with conventional ovens. If the conditions are perfect a solar oven can cook a meal in the same amount of time as conventional cooking means. When the sun has less strength cooking times are generally longer.
Q ~ Can you burn a meal in a solar oven?
A ~ Generally, No. Unless you leave it for days. Also, food doesn't overcook.
Q ~ Can children use a solar cooker?
A ~ As with any oven the contents get very hot. Children should be supervised when removing the cooked food from the oven.
Q ~ Can I make my own solar cooker?
A ~ Absolutely, and it makes a great family project. There are plans available to make anything from a meal sized oven to a hot dog cooker. The materials are easy to acquire - you probably already have most of them on hand.
Q ~ Can I buy a solar oven?
A ~ You can and they usually cost less than $200.00. They're available online.
Q ~ Is there a downside to solar powered ovens?
A ~ Well, they are kind of fickle about working only when the sun shines. And then there's the part about them being a bit cumbersome, needing at least as much room as a BBQ. Oh yeah, they're not really pretty either. That's all, and it doesn't come close to outweighing the advantages.
Whether you buy or make your solar cooker they are a benefit to you and to the environment. Able to recover costs in less than a year, if you're looking for cheap solar power options, look no further.
