The best solar ovens can successfully cook your food in a short amount of time. These eco-friendly cookers don’t use any electricity or gas and can reach a temperatures up to 550 °F. Since these awesome devices are becoming so popular in the backpacking communities we had to write an article on the topic.
Down below we have tested and reviewed the best solar cookers on the market. They all have their own positives and negatives which make them are better for certain situations. We recommend looking at each one until you find the one best suited for your cooking needs.
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Solar Oven Comparison Guide
| Picture | Name: | Technical Details: | Max Temperature: | Price: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Sunflair Solar Oven Kit | - 4.2 Pounds - 19 x 15.5 x 2 Inches | 285°F | $$ |
  | GoSun Sport Solar Oven | - 8 Pounds - 24 x 5 x 8 Inches | 550°F | $$$ |
  | Sun Oven Solar Oven | - 22 Pounds - 24 x 15.5 x 20.5 Inches | 400°F | $$$ |
  | All Season Solar Oven | - 2.3 Pounds - 24 x 24 x 24 Inches | Unknown | $$ |
  | Solavore Sport Solar Oven | - 19.9 Pounds - 27 x 19 x 12 Inches | 300°F | $$$ |
The Best Solar Ovens
1. Sunflair Solar Oven Kit
First on the review is the Sunflair Solar Oven Kit. This is one of the most portable cookers on the market. Making it ideal for backpackers and campers. It’s also very cheap and comes with lots of features.
As we mentioned above this is the most portable cooker on the market. The oven itself only weighs a little over 1 pound and folds down to the size of a seat cushion.
The cooker also uses state of the art closed cell insulation. This allows the oven to be extremely durable while reaching temperatures up to 285°F.
The Sunflair comes with a complete kit for all your cooking needs. This kit includes then 1 solar oven, 2 collapsible silicone pots, 1 3-lb round roaster, 2 baking/dehydrating racks, 2 heat conducting/baking trays, 1 solar oven thermometer, and 1 carrying bag. In combination they allow you to have a full portable kitchen even when out in nature.
When actually testing the Sunflair we found it to be extremely convenient. It’s portability is amazing and something you want when going backpacking. The many extra items it comes with allow you to cook almost anything you want while on the go. It also allowed us to cook enough food to feed 4 people.
Overall the Sunflair Solar Oven Kit is a great option. It’s main positive is its portability. You simply can’t find a more portable oven to take with you. It’s also very convenient as it comes with all the supplies you need. The only negative aspect is that it doesn’t reach as high temperatures as other solar cookers on the market. With that being said it’s a great option and something you should check out!
- Extremely light and portable.
- Comes with a complete kit.
- Can feed up to 4 people.
- Doesn’t reach high temperatures like other cookers.
Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 19 x 15.5 x 2 Inches
Weight: 4.2 Pounds
Max Temperature: 285°F
2. GoSun Sport Solar Oven
Second on the review is the GoSun Sport Solar oven. This is another extremely portable cooker. It’s unique design also allows it to reach higher temperatures than all other cookers on the review.
Portability is one of the GoSun’s best attributes. It weighs only 8 pounds which is relatively light compared to other cookers. While this isn’t the most backpacking friendly cooker, its design allows it to folded up and carried easily.
This high-efficiency cooker utilizes a vacuum tube oven and two parabolic reflectors to create its heat. In the right conditions it can reach a whopping 550°F. This is by far the highest maximum temperature out of all the solar cookers on the market.
The GoSun also uses a stainless steel cooking tray with integrated silicon seal. This helps with maximizing heating efficiency. There is also a wooden handle to safely put food in and out of the oven itself.
When testing the GoSun we found to cook our food quickly and efficiently. It took around 20 minutes to cook enough food for 2 people. This short amount of time was due to the high temperatures of the day. We found using the device was extremely easy and convenient. We can most definitely see us taking it on camping or even small backpacking trips.
Overall the GoSun is an awesome option for portable cooking. It’s extremely efficient and can reach higher temperatures than other solar cookers. It’s also relatively portable which is a definite positive when looking into purchasing a solar oven.
- Reaches extremely high temperatures.
- Quick cooking times.
- Utilizes durable and quality materials.
- Can only feed up to 2 people.
Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 24 x 5 x 8 Inches
Weight: 8 Pounds
Max Temperature: 550°F
3. Sun Oven Solar Oven
Next on the review is the Sun Oven Solar Oven. This one of the largest ovens on the market. Allowing it to cook a lot of food at a very high temperature. It’s quality design makes it a top contender in the solar oven market.
As we mentioned above this is a large solar oven. So don’t look into purchasing this oven for its portability. It weighs at a total of 22 pounds. With that being said there is a carry handle to make transportation easier.
The Sun Oven uses its size to its advantage though. You can cook a lot of food this in cooker at a very high temperature. In fact it can reach a maximum temperature of 400°F.
Another positive about the Sun Oven is its durability. You can expect this oven to last for decades as it’s built with quality materials. The reflectors on the cooker are rust-proof, highly polished, and made from durable aluminum.
The cooker comes with a dehydrating & baking rack set, 2 easy stack pots w/ lids, and 2 loaf pans. This set allows you to cook almost anything within the Sun Oven.
When testing it ourselves we were amazed with how much food this solar oven can cook. It’s very large so it can cook enough food for 4-5 people. We were also impressed with its durability and design. There is a built-in thermometer to easily show you the temperature within the oven.
In the end the Sun Oven is a great solar cooker. It’s American made, built with durable materials, and can cook a large amount of food. We think this cooker is fantastic for those who need a large solar cooker to take camping. With that being said it isn’t backpacking friendly and shouldn’t be purchased with portability in mind.
- Quality cooker made with durable materials.
- Can feed up to 5 people.
- American made.
- Not very portable.
Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 24 x 15.5 x 20.5 Inches
Weight: 22 Pounds
Max Temperature: 400°F
4. All Season Solar Oven
Next on the list is the All Season Solar Oven. This particular unit is a hybrid panel/box cooker. It has a unique design that allows you to capture the most possible light from the sun.
While the All Season looks like a huge solar cooker, it’s actually very small and only weighs 2.3 pounds. This makes it super light and relatively easy to transport.
This cooker is made from durable metallic materials. This allows the cooker to get very hot, even when on cloudy days. All Season also claims their solar oven can be used to cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
One great thing about the All Season is that it’s built to last. It’s durable metallic materials allow it to be used day after day without damaging the device.
When testing this cooker ourselves we found it be very good all cooking all through out the day. It utilizes a lot of reflectors which makes the oven really hot. The only negative aspect is that it’s somewhat difficult to set up since there are so many different reflectors. It also gets really hot to the touch when left in the sun for hours.
Overall the All Season Solar Cooker is another great cooker. It has a lot of reflectors and can cook a decent amount of food. Just be aware that the design makes it somewhat difficult to set up. The cooker also gets really hot and doesn’t have many safe places to touch it when left in the sun.
- Extremely light.
- Uses durable metallic materials.
- The design makes it difficult to set up.
Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 24 x 24 x 24 Inches
Weight: 2.3 Pounds
Max Temperature: Unknown
5. Solavore Sport Solar Oven
Last on the review is the Solavore Sport Solar Oven. This is by far the biggest oven on the review. Making it ideal for cooking for large amounts of people.
As we mentioned above the Solarvore is a huge solar oven. It’s so big that you can cook 2 large pots of food inside the oven at the same time. It weighs a whopping 19.9 Pounds and can cook for a total of 8-10 people.
The oven itself is made with high quality materials. It utilizes large metallic reflectors that allow the oven to reach a maximum temperature of 300º F. While this isn’t the highest temperature from a solar cooker, its enough to get the job done.
The Solavore also comes 2 large black pots. These pots provide for the best heat transference possible which accelerates the cooking process. You can also use your own baking pans/sheets within the cooker.
For durability the housing is made from nylon resin injection-molded under 1,000 tons of pressure, making it lightweight and virtually indestructible. The reflectors are also made from durable metals which allow you to use the cooker for decades without any issue.
When testing the Solavore ourselves we were immediately amazing with how much food it can cook. It’s simply such a large cooker that you can literally have a feasts with all the food it can cook. We were also amazed that the bottom of the cooker didn’t burn us. There is an inch of insulation so the heat doesn’t escape like other solar cookers.
Overall the Solarvore is a premium solar cooker. We think it’s best for those who need to cook a large amount of food. It’s also very durable and can last the wear and tear of the outdoors. So we definitely recommend this solar oven and advise you to check it out!
- Can cook up to 10 people.
- Built-in insulation so you don’t get burnt.
- Housing is extremely durable and can withstand years of use.
- Not very portable.
Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 27 x 19 x 12 Inches
Weight: 19.9 Pounds
Max Temperature: 300°F
Solar Oven Benefits
As we mentioned above solar ovens are starting to become really popular in the backpacking and camping communities. Reason for is because these devices allow people to cook their raw food anywhere has sunlight. You don’t need gas or charcoal and can use them in the middle of no where.
Most often backpackers only eat dry food while on trips. The smaller solar ovens allow these people to eat fresh food without having to carry a ton of equipment. In result these backpackers have more energy during the day since they are able to get all their nutritional needs for their adventure.
Another benefit to these solar cookers is that you don’t have to purchase gas for cooking your food. This is often problematic as it adds extra weight that you have to carry while walking. It can also be dangerous at times since you have to deal with open flames. With solar cookers you simply fill it with your food, point it at the sun, and then in a short amount of time your fresh food is finished cooking.
The last benefit to these solar ovens is that they provide a ton of freedom. Freedom to go almost anywhere and have fresh cooked food readily available. You’re not confined to an outlet on a building and you don’t need extra gas containers. You simply just need the power of the sun, some food, and the great outdoors.