A while back, I did a post detailing the unboxing of my Solar Oven Society Sportster solar oven. I’ve been meaning to do a post where I showed how easy it is to use, but haven’t been able to get around to it.
My wife and I have been using the oven pretty frequently and are very pleased with it. When we first got it, we did a side by side comparison of it and my neighbor’s Global Sun Oven which costs just a bit more. Without getting into too many details, I think that the build quality of the Global is better, which translates to faster heat up times. The Sportster oven on the other hand is a bit larger and can handle two small pots where the Global is restricted to just one. Since a meal often consists of more than one dish, cooked in a different pot, this can be a real concern.
My suggestion? Buy both! At least, that is what I plan on doing. When it comes to prepping, redundancy is often a good thing.
You’ll notice that the price for many solar ovens can be a bit steep. From $290 to over $340. I received an email from a friend that a dealer has agreed to provide these ovens AT COST + shipping for a total of $205.
If you are interested in purchasing a Global Sun Oven, contact Mike or Becky Sego at 801-616-8800 or email them at beckysego AT gmail. She will tell you where to mail your check and you’ll have your oven on your doorstep in about a week.
If you already own a sun oven, now is a great time to practice with it. Sun Oven International (the maker of the Global Sun Oven) has issued the “Solar Cooking Challenge” to harness the power of the Utah sun to cook 50,000 meals between June 25th and July 1st, 2009 .
To participate in the challenge, each time you cook in the sun, go to UtahSunOvens.com and register how many meals you cooked and what you cooked. Each time you register, your name will be entered into a drawing. The more often you cook in the sun, the better your chance to win. For each photo and video you submit you will receive another chance to win.
10 Prizes will be awarded:
2 grand prize will each receive a sun oven (it’s good to have several if you have a large family or several items you’ll be cooking for your meal)
3 second prize winners will receive a pot and pan package including a 3 qt Granite Ware Enamel Pot, a 4 qt granite ware stock post w/steamer insert, and two bread loaf pans.
5 third prize winners will receive a “Month of SUNdays” cookbook.
Some Solar Cooking Basics:
No energy costs, no pollution, just fresh, moist, luscious sun-cooked food. Sun oven cooking is easy, fun, natural, and nutritious, while helping the environment. Food can be baked, boiled, steamed at temps up to 400+ degrees with the power of the sun. Sun baked foods stay more moist and have less shrinkage than conventionally cooked foods and the food will not burn or scorch. Sun baked roasts are tastier and more succulent, and sun-baked bread has unparalleled taste and texture. The aroma of food sunning itself in a sun oven is sure to please your senses.
There are 2 ways to cook in a sun oven. If you refocus the oven to follow the sun about every 30 minutes, cooking times and methods will be very similar to cooking with a conventional stove or oven.
Or, a Sun Oven can be used for slow cooking, much like a crock-pot. You can prepare the meal and put it in the sun oven. Point the oven toward where the sun will be approximately halfway through the time you will be gone. If you’ll be gone 6 hours, point it to where the sun will be in 3 hours. You’ll come home to a tasty, slow cooked dinner. If you run late, there is not need to worry, the sun oven will keep your food warm, moist and fresh for hours.
Thanks, Mike. I am going to take advantage of this discount. What an excellent piece of equipment to have.
Thanks, Mike. I am going to take advantage of this discount. What an excellent piece of equipment to have.
Great post. A solar over sounds like a great thing to have!
Great post. A solar over sounds like a great thing to have!
How much sun do you need to have to get one of these working? (I’m not in Utah, so I’m doubtful it would work nicely in my area). Also, what types of backups have you prepared for cases where you don’t have the requisite sun (for example during a cold winter day, or a miserable rainy day)? In my experience, I need a warm meal *more* on a day when the sun’s not out…
How much sun do you need to have to get one of these working? (I’m not in Utah, so I’m doubtful it would work nicely in my area). Also, what types of backups have you prepared for cases where you don’t have the requisite sun (for example during a cold winter day, or a miserable rainy day)? In my experience, I need a warm meal *more* on a day when the sun’s not out…
One of the great things about these ovens is that it doesn’t have to be a hot, clear blue sky day. They even work then it’s overcast. My plan for when it’s really bad weather is a propane stove/oven. I am going to be burying a 500 gallon tank in my backyard. The third option will be wood and dutch ovens.
One of the great things about these ovens is that it doesn’t have to be a hot, clear blue sky day. They even work then it’s overcast. My plan for when it’s really bad weather is a propane stove/oven. I am going to be burying a 500 gallon tank in my backyard. The third option will be wood and dutch ovens.
Wonderful to find the Global sun oven at cost! Incredible deal! Im going to write for details. For cloudy days im going to make a couple of Rocket Stoves, really concentrates the flame so you use very little wood and these stoves can be made out of (basically) junk!
Wonderful to find the Global sun oven at cost! Incredible deal! Im going to write for details. For cloudy days im going to make a couple of Rocket Stoves, really concentrates the flame so you use very little wood and these stoves can be made out of (basically) junk!
Not to take away any of your sales, but you can make a solar oven yourself very cheaply. I made one out of scrap lumber and a piece of plexi glass. It can be configured as a dehydrator or a solar oven. The temp reaches about 250 and stays there for the whole afternoon. Just add about 30-60 min to your cook time.
Here’s a link to my creation. http://prepyourfamily.blogspot.com/2009/08/dehydrating-food.html
Enjoy
Not to take away any of your sales, but you can make a solar oven yourself very cheaply. I made one out of scrap lumber and a piece of plexi glass. It can be configured as a dehydrator or a solar oven. The temp reaches about 250 and stays there for the whole afternoon. Just add about 30-60 min to your cook time.
Here’s a link to my creation. http://prepyourfamily.blogspot.com/2009/08/dehydrating-food.html
Enjoy
It is proven that solar cooking is an energy-efficient, pollution-free way to help fight global warming and take advantage of nature's free, inexhaustible energy supply.