Debate: my homemade solar oven vs a regular toaster oven for camping

I built a solar oven out of a cardboard box and foil last summer, and it actually cooked a whole chicken in 4 hours flat at Joshua Tree. Has anyone else found that jury-rigged junk beats store-bought gear in the field?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_kim22d ago

Came here totally skeptical, thinking solar ovens were just a gimmick. I've always been a propane camp stove guy, figured anything that takes 4 hours to cook a bird is a waste of time. But last fall I was out at a dry camp in the desert and my stove ran out of fuel, so I gave the old cardboard box method a shot with some burritos. They came out perfectly steamed and hot, no burnt spots, and I didn't have to babysit a flame. Definitely made me reconsider how much we rely on fancy gear when the sun does the work for free. What's the trick to getting the temp steady on a cloudy day?

joelthomas22d ago

Huh, yeah that's a solid point @the_kim. Cloudy days are tricky. I've found the trick is to use a dark pot with a tight lid and angle the reflector so it catches whatever diffuse light there is. Also, if you can, put the oven on a rock or something black to absorb more heat. It's never going to be as hot as full sun, but you can still cook stuff like rice or beans, just takes patience. The cardboard box method is surprisingly good for stuff like burritos or steamed veggies where you don't need super high heat.