Solar Cooking with Suntaste SunOk Solar Oven - Temperatures and Time

When we were looking at purchasing a solar oven our big questions were " What temperatures do you get in solar ovens?" and "How long do solar ovens take to heat up?"
In this video I demonstrate temperatures reached with my Suntaste SunOk solar oven, running empty in Southern Australia. And the time taken to reach those temperatures.
Follow our journey solar cooking in Australia and check out what else we get up to at Bush Edge Homesteading Australia.

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

For those in the northern hemisphere, keep in mind E Charles Wright's observation in his comment below. We are tracking the movement of the sun in the Southern hemisphere.

[@curmudgeinnak]

I had a solar cooker on my boat for a few years. Worked great.

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

Aren't they just great. And I can see how it would be excellent on a boat where you have limited inputs.

[@ACheshireCat2001]

I am northern hemisphere and would be tracking Sun left to right behind a cooker, took me a bit to figure out southern hemisphere would track Sun right to left from behind a cooker... something I had not even considered before.

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

Such a great point to consider. And I must admit that I also hadn't until you noted and mentioned this. This is why I love video sharing. Thanks so much for making this comment.

[@marymueller3797]

What a nice site! It inspired me to also buy this cooker from Portugal...got the large. Here in Oregon in the USA I will only be able to use it for about half the year. Its a heavy cooker....just fyi...but beautifully made. I needed the focusing advice on the lid!

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

Hi Mary, we are very blessed to have this outlook from our home 💗 We are in very southern Australia (and in a valley), so similar to you, tend to get the most cooking out of solar across half the year. Thankfully we have our wood fire over the cooler months though. Happy solar cooking 😀

[@bobstar8773]

I’ve ordered mine and waiting for it to arrive , I’m so excited 👏👏

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

That's so exciting. It really is such an incredible way of cooking and so underutilised.

[@carolmaplesden916]

I am in the US can you help me find the link to purchase one

[@CeciliaL2011]

Lovely video, thank you. And I so admire your deck and the beautiful aspect.

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

Thankyou so much for your lovely comment. It is a very special spot up here in the Ranges 💕

[@CeciliaL2011]

I was inspired by your video to put out my own Suntaste and check what sort of temp it might reach in Spring sunshine on Mid North Coast, NSW. It is a replacement for my previous AASO box cooker, which on a really riproaring summer day *could* reach 200°C but more usually peaked around 180-190°C. I think the Suntaste is perhaps more likely to peak around 170-175° on a good summer day?

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

@@CeciliaL2011 The best I have had so far was on one of my lamb roast cooks. It got to 180°C that day, which I was really impressed with. So glad you have had a break in the weather to be able to gets yours out 😀 Im waiting for my next day down here. The cloud and rain has been relentless!

[@CeciliaL2011]

180° is very respectable! Hope your sunshine returns soon.

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

@@CeciliaL2011 me too 😀

[@iandale]

Lol, I thought you were turning it the wrong direction then realised you’re in the southern hemisphere and I’m northern. Our sun goes left to right… never thought about that before and I used to do astronomy 🤣🤣

[@iandale]

And now I’ve seen the other comments 🤓

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

You weren't alone 😁

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

I must admit that I also hadn't thought about the difference until people mentioned it.

[@Adnancorner]

Have you though of getting old light fixtures that you could modify as similar size mirror to reflect light back into mirror increasing the sun light into the over ? maybe couple of them kept closer to the cooker reflecting the sunlight into the cooker.

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

I haven't, but it all is about refracting as much light in as possible, so I expect it would up the temp. There are some really cool things people do like this, on the Solar Cookers Network (there is a great Facebook page they have). I do find the oven as is is great for how I use it though.

[@teamdivine5651]

Good Morning, new subscriber here. I have an oven like this, got it directly from the people who make it here in Portugal. Summer s coming in and I m cooking along. One observation, my cooker really steams up and theres quite a lot condensation on the glass. Also water drops made their way in between the double glas on top. Did you experience the same ? Do you think its normal or should I contact the seller because of malfunctioning ? I bought it last year, and cooked 3 or 4 times in it. The cooking and baking tho is flawless. Thank you. I found your channel because SunTasteOk just released this vid of yours on their channel.

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

Welcome Team Devine 👋 I definitely get the steam you describe too. You will see in the vids where we are cooking the buildup we get. I have an upcoming video on ribs we cooked, where you will see this can be a lot with a watery dish. Using a dish inside with a tight lid helps. It is very normal though, as the solar oven needs to be airtight whilst cooking, so any moisture is trapped in there too, along with the heat. When I finish the cook, I wipe it with towel then leave it still in the sun with the back off to dry out.

[@carolmaplesden916]

I really want one of these but having a difficult time finding how to order one

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

Are you in Australia Carol?

[@61cheezil]

Thanks for sharing. I guess these are not good for night time cooking lol

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

It does take a LOT longer 😉 🤣😂🤣 (great comment 👍)

[@61cheezil]

And cool climate here as well. Ok as a novelty or back up when no gas or power alternative or good for camping I guess. Not so much for main cooking method?

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

@@61cheezil sun really is the key as opposed to ambient temp. There are some really cool videos of people using solar cookers in the snow. I find the parabolic is better in the super cold conditions.

[@61cheezil]

@@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus thanks

[@smalltownhomesteadAC]

@@61cheezil I use these in Canada all the time, even in winter(the go sun is best for winter). So can even be used in the great white North! (originally from Australia)

[@helenabaier7823]

Hi ,coukd l ask where do you have your sunoven from? I am from South Australia ,Adelaide,just found your channel! I looked into sunoven a while ago but couldn't find anything substantial...

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

Welcome Helena 👋 My solar oven is a Suntaste Sunok, which I got from a lady called Wendy who runs her business called WONSO here in Aus. She is so helpful and has the most wonderful customer service.

[@mariedeloof3]

Quel moulin à paroles!

[@Bush_Edge_Homesteading_Aus]

Not sure google translate is translating that right!