Windshield Shade Solar Cooker

I would really like to see solar cooking become as common as using a slow cooker but I realize that the cost of a solar oven can be off-putting. Like I said in my previous post, I started with a low cost solar cooker, then upgraded to a Global Sun Oven after a year. By then I knew solar cooking was not just an experiment but something I'd be doing on a regular basis. I decided to go back to experimenting with an inexpensive option to encourage people to give solar cooking a try.

I must admit the Global Sun Oven has spoiled me a little. It is designed so well that it's almost foolproof. The windshield solar cooker is not as easy to use. The instructions said to set it on a bucket. I didn't think it made any difference what kind of surface you put it on and I didn't have a spare bucket so I used a small metal table. At first it blew around in the wind and the temperature barely made it past 200º. By mid afternoon I got the brilliant idea to anchor the back with some clothes pins. This made all the difference, stabilizing the windshield shade so it would be more exposed to the sun.

The split pea soup I made turned out fine in the end. It took a lot longer than it would have in the Sun Oven, that was mostly because of the wind. With my clothes pin modification the cooking time should be shorter. I'll keep experimenting with my homemade solar oven but I will use the Sun Oven for our main course.

Homemade Solar Oven

The sun came out too late for solar cooking today. Hopefully we'll have clear skies tomorrow since I have a new solar cooker to try out.

When I discovered solar cooking I considered building a solar oven. There are a lot of plans out there and it seemed simple enough. Then I remembered the curtain rod I put up. I got so frustrated that I knocked a hole in the drywall. That was over two years ago and the hole is still there. If you're the handy type then a solar oven may be a great project. If not there are some inexpensive options.

My first solar cooker was a simple one made of cardboard that I got from Solar Cookers International. I used it for a few months and then upgraded to a Global Sun Oven. A few days ago one of my readers sent me a link to a solar cooker that even I could build. All you need is a windshield shade and some velcro. Here's the link: Windshield Solar Cooker.

I think it will make a good back up to the Sun Oven. It will come in handy for cooking rice and side dishes.