Oct52009
My Sun Oven Experience
UPDATE: For more information, check out the Sun Oven FAQ.
With a husband in the construction industry, I have been hearing a lot about the new surge in solar energy. Technology has vastly improved, costs are coming down, and great rebates are available from electric companies and federal and state governments. What I didn’t know is that I could be using solar energy every single day, saving money on my electric bill, and keeping my kitchen cool at the same time!
Last week I had the opportunity to sample homemade bread and a fabulous peach cobbler, both baked in a solar Sun Oven. I was thoroughly impressed and ran home to tell the Paranoid Dad that we simply must own one of these contraptions! Here’s what appealed to me the most.
First, seasonal electric bills can be sky high. With new government regulations looming on the horizon, they will likely only get higher. According to my resident expert, the Paranoid Dad, the typical home would recoup the price of the oven via savings in their electric bill in eight to nine months. With the Sun Oven, my baking is virtually free and I won’t use even an ounce of fossil fuel!
I love saving money, but I love the idea of self-sufficiency even more. I have been a little nervous about my food storage because a lot of it requires a heating source, either gas or electricity, to prepare. Should our city experience black-outs or if there was a failure of our vulnerable electrical grid, I’ll still be able to keep my family well fed using a solar oven. I like the idea of having that extra “safety net”.
There’s virtually nothing that can’t be baked in a solar oven. I can even use it to hard boil eggs! Cookies, casseroles, steamed veggies, and roasted chicken are just a few examples of its’ versatility. Add a solar cookbook or two, and we’ll never miss our traditional oven. Heck, I might even be inspired to cook more often!
I’ve spent a lot of time on the official Sun Oven website, scoured their list of recipes, and am pretty impressed with the product. In fact, I used one recently to bake a loaf of bread. Have you used a solar oven? What are your own hits and misses?
Stay tuned to my blog because my friend, Chrystalyn, sells the Sun Oven at the lowest price I’ve seen anywhere. I’ll let you know how to order directly from her with the oven shipped to your front door.
© 2009 – 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.
(23) Readers Comments
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Sondra
I've looked at solar ovens and have been very interested in them UNTIL I found out how much they cost. There was NO WAY I was going to spend that amount of money when I live in Idaho and not near the equator. I figured I could use my dutch oven, fire pit or grill if there was a power outage… I can't even imagine paying nearly $300 for a solar oven – that is almost the price of an electric oven… Yikes! I'll be interested in seeing your friend's price. Do you really think it's work the cost?
Liz
Okay, keep us posted on this. I was just looking at books on Amazon tonight about making these, but I've seen mixed reviews of the cardboard box variety. Others who have made their own out of first class materials say you can spend almost as much on parts as you do just buying the thing outright. Anxious to hear more.
Do you have to keep running outside to check on it, or can it mind it's own business pretty well? Think it would be cool to have it mounted on an equatorial mount, solar powered, to follow the sun! Liz
matthiasj
Glad the solar oven worked out for you. They're good on or off the grid!
TheSurvivalMom
Maybe I'm easily impressed, but to me, a solar oven is like magic! LOL You set out uncooked food in this box and before you know it, it's cooked!
Lisa
TheSurvivalMom
Liz,
Did you check out the Sun Oven website? They have a video on how to properly place the oven in the sun, and there's also a link to a gal's blog who is using the oven every day. They also show pictures of the oven sitting outside in the snow, so apparently, you can use it year round as long as the sun is out.
Lisa
TheSurvivalMom
Sondra,
I think a solar oven will pay off IF you use it, just like anything else. In Phoenix it will be nice to not turn the oven on AT ALL in the hot months. A lot of families here just stop using their oven completely in the summer because it heats up the house too much. I see it having value as helping to save money on electric/gas bills and as a hedge against situations where it might be the only way to cook food. I wish I were as proficient as you with a dutch oven! That's one thing I would like to learn this year. For people like me, though, a solar oven will be easier and cleaner to use. Once your food is cooked, you only have to wipe out any moisture in the box.
Is it worth it? I guess each person or family will have to weigh that out for themselves. I hope to have Chrystalyn's ordering information up in a few days.
Lisa
Sherry
This is very interesting! With all the recent conversations on tv about our fuel supply being in danger if the Mideast becomes even more unstable, it's good to know there might be a cooking alternative available!
I would sure be interested in learning more!
TheSurvivalMom
Hi Sherry,
I'm glad you found my blog, and I'm glad you're thinking ahead. Be sure to spend some time at the Sun Oven website. They have a short video demonstrating how to set it up, and it really is as easy as it looks.
Lisa
Kim
Just found these comments about the sun oven. I live in Rochester, NY and we are the second cloudiest (least amount of available sunshine per year) city in the US behind Seattle. I am wondering just how "sunny" it has to be to operate? We have grey cloud cover a lot, but it is 'bright' daylight.
How much does your friend sell them for anyway?
Kim
TheSurvivalMom
Kim,
I sent your question to the Sun Oven people, and this is what they said.
"Since the oven is solar powered some sun is required. The oven can be used as a slow cooker as long as there is enough sun to cast a shadow, but it will not get to high enough temperatures to bake bread."
I guess you'd have to be the judge whether or not your area gets enough sun on any given day to cast a shadow.
Chrystalyn sells the Sun Oven for $225, including shipping. I'm working on getting information on ordering here on my blog and hope to have it up by Monday.
Lisa
Jackie
when will you start selling the sun oven?
TheSurvivalMom
Honestly? Just as soon as I can figure out how to put up a secure order form. No kidding. LOL
Just Trying
Make one! There are many plans on the net on how to make them. Also dont think if you dont live in the south you cant use them! Check out YouTube and you will see people cooking ribs in Canada in the middle of the winter. As long as you got sun you should be able to cook just fine in these ovens!!!
TheSurvivalMom
My brother made his own solar oven some 25 years ago, or so. There are plenty of directions around the web for anyone with the desire, tools, and a few handyman genes!
Teejay
I've heard of solar tea from the tightwad gazette but I've never heard of a sun oven before. Too bad it isn't something that is available in the Philippines.
TheSurvivalMom
Try visiting the official sunoven.com site and see if they can ship internationally. With the terrible aftermath of that typhoon, this oven might help a lot of people cook and eat regular meals in spite of the devastation. We have friends there who lost everything they had and are staying in a church. Very sad for the Filipino people. Thanks for visiting my blog and for your comments.
Sheila
Love the info on this site. Just wanted to comment that we are building a solar oven. We also live in AZ so why not use all that sun we get. Apparently they are cheap and easy to make. I will report back our experience with it. Here is one way to make an oven.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/radabaugh30…
Sheila
Here is a site that has many types of cookers u can make. Wow!
http://www.solarcooking.org/plans/default.htm
cecilia manansala
last week my sister in the visayas region sent me a txt message that she saw on tv about solar oven that can cook a thousand bread. sad to say i am here in the middle east. but i am so interested to own one for a lot of good reasons. last week i sent a cargo to my family with some solar emergency lights, and solar panels to sell to anybody among our friends who'll be ineterested . i know it will be very useful there since this is the typhoon season in the Philippines. Cecille
TheSurvivalMom
Cecilia, did you check out the sunoven.com website? They sell their ovens all over the world. You can also make your own solar cooker. Check on the internet for directions. I've even seen one made out of a bucket and a windshield sun reflector!
LizLong
We're finally looking into buying one. My question is this: they sell sun-oven specific things like cookie sheets and enamel pots. Is there any benefit to buying these?
TheSurvivalMom
The key is to use dark baking dishes/pots that are made of thin metal. Shiny cookware will reflect the sun, which is the opposite of what you want to happen. You can find the right kind of cookware at second hand stores and garage sales or camping gear stores. There's no need to spend a lot of money on this. If you need a certain size of pan, and you don't have one that is made of dark material, go ahead and use the shiny dish. Just place a dark colored dish towel over the whole thing before you close the oven door.
Don
Yes the Sun Oven is a little pricey when everyone has power, but what will the oven be worth if there is no electricity and you can't get your hands on one at any price??? Just a thought.