Solar Brother offers plans for a box-type solar cooker

The box-type solar cooker is made from wooden boards and S-Reflect® mirror. This tutorial will enable you to build your own solar cooker for less than 200 EUR, up to 170°C! Our warmest thanks to David Mercereau for sharing his creation with us, with video and plans to download. These plans are also available on the Low Tech Lab and served as a source for this publication.

How does the box-type solar cooker work?

The solar cooker is a well-insulated box with a transparent lid and reflective inner surfaces: the sun’s rays enter through the glass and reflect off the edges of the box until they hit the dark surface of the pot. The energy of these rays is then transformed into heat, which is trapped in the box. To increase the solar flux captured, two aluminum-covered earpieces are attached to either side of the box to reflect light onto the glass, which must be as perpendicular as possible to the sun’s rays. The solar cooker only works with direct sunlight: clouds, fog and dust reduce radiation and prolong cooking time.

For your safety – Wear glasses to protect your eyes from mirror reflections when handling the oven in the sun. – Wear protective gloves when removing hot food after cooking.