How to Build a Solar Cooker (For Cheap) 

Items you'll need: * 2 Boxes: I bought 2 of these from U-Haul: cityprepping.tv/3s15jpN * 2 Magnifying lens: www.amazon.com/dp/B07MFYT4ZR?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details * 1 order of 8 mirrors: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QC14R64/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 * Black construction paper * Knife/scissors * Tape * Glue * Aluminum foil

when I was a kid, sometime I. the 80's, we went on a field trip and had to bring a shoebox. the foil was provided. we made solar cookers and we cooked our own hotdogs using them. still remember to this day how fun it was.

I was a camp counselor back in the 70s, and we made a simpler model with the kids. We had them cook hotdogs, and tried other recipes as well. The kids learned a lot, and really enjoyed the experience.

Suggestion: start with the pot that you're going to use to determine the SIZE of the boxes before you dive right in.

You don’t know how much I appreciate this. This is one thing I’ve been putting off.

Oh thank you so much for this video - it’s not only affordable but also easy to make!

I have a manufactured solar oven and the key piece is to tilt the oven at the sun. My oven gets up to 350F in about 20 minutes. The panels are at a fixed angle and you point the whole oven at the sun.

Now that is a neat adult science project. Reminds me of building crystal radios when I was a kid. Really cool.

Thank you so much for this video. You can never have too many ways to cook!

These are my favorite types of videos of yours. Great job explaining everything. Looking forward to your next DIY video

Much appreciated Kris, thanks so much for this DIY with step by step instructions

Great scavenge approach. I got and used the Haines 2.0 Solar Cooker (with the pot). I've never seen a DIY version use the magnifying lenses like yours, not sure about that part, but glad it works for you. A followup video showing more examples of using this cooker would be welcome. Or maybe that's more Shorts material. Thanks again, stay safe.

I like this one! It’s small, and can be disassembled easily. Very nice, and easy-to-follow instructions that would be good to do with kids!

Kris, I'm sure you are busy, however if you can put in your list a DIY solar still, I think it would also be a great project that can deliver fresh, clean water cheaply. Thanks for considering 😊

An inspiration to think outside the box. The thought of making one to go around a cast iron dutch oven, I might try to make one but instead of cardboard box I may try a galvanized garbage can.

Good job Kris! It’s always a blessing when you share your skills @ making a practical tool. Love the commentary videos- but this is also a GIFT to the community! ☮️& 🌱

Great video Kris. Love the makeshift option. Cheers from Alberta!!

Very inspiring. It works.....a good scrounger could even find used metal baking pans or such to give stability. Nice project.

Great idea! I’d forgotten I did something similar in G.S. years ago. Many thanks for an idea everyone can try!

Cool system, Chris. I had seen another solar oven taking a dutch oven and a car windshield shade. Sometimes one has to work with the items on hand. Thank you and God bless.

Remember using two different size boxes ,newspaper that you put in between the two boxes for installation, then tin foil surrounding inside the smaller box and Saran Wrap covering the top to make an oven. I remember first thing I cooked was a microwavable lasagna thing and it actually worked😂

Absolutely remarkable results for cardboard boxes. It is turning my attention to the sky and it's possibilities.

I used to build these out of a pizza box and plastic wrap and foil!! Oh those were good memories!

These videos are the best learning how to do makeshift items from household items is awesome

I have a couple of different types of solar oven (Sun oven and another large type not made any longer) and we have used them for all types of cooking and baking over the years. Everyone should have one and even a homemade one. Well worth it.

I’m going to try to this! I really don’t understand about the lenses so I’m going to ask around people who are a little bit more knowledgeable in this area than I am. I’m going to try this! I dried all my greens in one day, because it was 107 from 10 o’clock in the morning until about 6 o’clock at night. I got all my drying done of my herbs and my greens. So I know how to dry in the sun now I just need to know how to cook in it

In girl scouts, the kids made a solar oven out of 2 cardboard boxes and tin foil. It took hours to cook something but it worked!

Good afternoon from Syracuse NY brother and thank you for sharing everything and information

Hm, I imagine it can be tweaked to get that temp up. I liked seeing this project step by step. Making cooking/baking options beyond a fire pit has been of high interest to me. Been mulling over getting an American Sun Oven, or maybe figure out how to make something of that caliber. Love all this sort of stuff. Thanks!

I’ve cooked and reheated so much food on the dashboard of my vehicles from chicken and burgers to frozen pizza and soups.

Was just looking up DIY solar ovens yesterday! Thanks for the vid!

I love the DIY segments hope you do more especially with scavenged pieces. dollar store good for some of the items as well :)

Awesome idea. I have two boxes that will work great. Thank you

Awesome! Right to the point with the mirrors and magnifiers.

Looks like a fun project, Kris! I may just try this. Then I have to have a long talk with the Sun, and convince it to come OUT once in a while! LOL

Always informative and your the only one I trust. With projects SEMPER FI

Wow, that’s pretty good! Thanks Kris. Perfectly doable.

Exactly the kind of video I needed. Thank you.

Thanks for the video. I’m sure it’ll be handy in the future.

I'll have to give this a try. Unfortunately we're missing one item here in update, NY, and that's the sun. I'd like to give it a try though and see how much heat I can create. Thanks for the video.

This presentation is great. Thank you!

Nice oven, but the two Fresnel lenses add absolutely nothing to the project except fire hazard 😄 Use normal glass instead, same size glass will let the same amount of sun energy through as the lenses. Trust me, I've been making my own solar ovens and Fresnel lens cookers for some time now :)

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Love this!!!!! Thank you for sharing ❤

Nice video. Made one about a year ago using two boxes and a mylar emergency blanket instead of mirrors. Cut the mylar and glued to the cardboard. Added newspaper as insulation between both boxes. Scrap piece of glass instead of your lens's. Front panel is cut 2" shorter to let more light into the solar cooker. Used velcro strips to hold reflective panels in place when in use. Painted a ceramic tile flat black for the bottom of inside box. Helps keep solar oven in place in mild-moderate wind. Adjust your solar cooker every hr and slightly ahead of sun's path while cooking. Works pretty good. Made plenty of meals and baking biscuits and bread with it. And yes, be patient.

As I sit here in a 117 degree heat index, I’d love to see a video on making a solar ice maker. I have a document somewhere. It uses anhydrous ammonia and a bunch of hardware store parts. No electricity, no moving parts.

That worked out very nice. I believe I’ll try and build one.

Great video. Thank you for this

The only problems with solar cookers is the weather. If it is raining or snowing out it will not work, but if it is just cloudy out it will work but you will need to wait longer for your food to cook.

Great DIY. The hubby and I will be trying this one.

Here where I live in Arizona, you can just set that pan in your dash with the windows up and it would cook

Great helpful information.

What would be fun would be to see how much of this diy build could be accomplished using dollar store supplies? 🤔 Sacramento, California USA 🇺🇸

I love your how-to videos! Thanks!

I love these types of videos!

Oh my gosh! Thank you for this video.

Thanks Kris!

Awesome video!

Me and my boy are trying this thanks hugs from uk

Thank you Kris!

God bless you for sharing this. I did it in Scouting, but cant get the grandkids off the electronics long enough to share it with them.

Thank you for all your hard work and information. God bless you

Pretty sweet. Thanks for the knowledge!

Great info, thanks 😊

Simple but practical thank you very much

Awesome! Thank you!

Hey Kris!!! While I am not the best put together kind of person, (still draw stick people!) I think I can manage this with your good instructions.! Thanks !!!

great video thanks 🙂

I love it thank you

wow great job Bro

Thank you. Good to know

Thanks for posting a How To Do It.

noise less small easy and other than smell and see from a above good quiet way to eat dinner it slow. also use a vehicle moter with foil drive to area of operations and cook at same time I love burritos

I really appreciate the efforts you guys go through to do this stuff (which you would be doing for yourselves I'm sure... let's be honest!) but in sharing the information you are learning through your experiences, you add SOOOO much work to the process. It takes a lot to teach as well as you are. I also was thinking as I was watching the video that I like how basic it is in addition to being shared on a platform such as this, because human beings are intelligent and creative, and when we work together we come up with ideas to address various things that wouldn't work for ourselves. Then!... we can all customize our own with the features we like among the ideas shared! It's such a beautiful thing and it is because you took the time to figure it out.... thank you so much for all you do!

Old overhead projectors have a giant Fresnel lens on them as well.

Thanks cp

Once again, the Macgyver theme song played through my head throughout the whole video…until the end…the trampoline in the background brought me back to my childhood.😂

So cool

Have you seen the diy food dehydrators . Some people have made some good ones

Always wanted to make one

Thank you SIR!

Thank you,

You may also want to keep some emergency water (not drinkable stuff) on hand, just in case this oven works a bit TOO well. 😂

Rose Red homestead built one too using basically just aluminum foil. Took awhile but it really works. She baked a loaf of bread in it. Ive really wanted to get a real one but they are rather expensive. Its good to know if it comes down to it, its relatively easy to make. Where did you get the magnifying leans? Thats something she did not use but i think thats a game changer!

I like it!

Interesting!

Love your channel...concise and informative commentary without "The sky is falling doomsday is imminent" content on other channels.

As long as the sun simulator keeps shining this works 👍

Dollar tree sells 8x11 fresnel lens in the school and stationary section.

TV Fresnel Lenses would ABSOLUTELY *WORK* 👍! _However_ - Fresnel lenses are available already pretty close to the size you'd WANT , at Office Depot , Staples , etc., for only a couple of bucks , and can be used far more conveniently to capture and concentrate more direct sunlight not being reflected-in by the side reflectors . If one is too small , buy a couple of them to cover in-board of a clear acrylic covering , or let _them_ become the clear top-covering 👍. Also , use a cast iron pot - find one with relatively thin walls , but seasoned cast iron works BEST . POLISHED stainless steel will reflect AWAY much of the light you're hoping to absorb and convert into heat . While the stainless has a GREAT ability to HOLD heat that it _does_ gain (👍) , so does cast iron , and the naturally blackened "seasoned" cast iron will absorb that light more readily in the first place . Another quick note - notice he's also covered the inside _sides_ of the box with reflective material . This is making EFFECTIVE use of the "Light Pipe" principle , directing downward all incidental light that would otherwise be absorbed by the sides of the cardboard box , and lost for any effective use . DON'T overlook that step . HOWEVER - the reflective lining of the box BOTTOM sends most of the "Light-Pipe" light back up out of the top , back into "space" ( *_;=)) !_* ) , so go ahead and put a cast-iron flat-surface pancake griddle or something similar on the bottom of your box . if its one with the tiny feet to keep it off the base surface of say , a counter top - after use , that's even better as that 1/4" of air space underneath is valuable , but if not - many don't have that , then find some kind of "feet" to keep it off of direct contact with the cardboard . A shiny foil lining will be good tho, to protect the cardboard from the radiant heat off of the bottom of the cast iron bottom-plate , but should be covered as much as is practical by that bottom plate . JUST a couple of thoughts , but sincerely - this IS a great concept , nicely done ! "

hot cars work too, mine can get to 140F with the windows up.

Good

Can you compare and contrast the DIY oven to the commercially built oven?

Could you do a review on the "Energy Wise Premium Solar Oven" as seen on Amazon. I have priced the more expensive ovens and they are out of my budget. Can this solar cooker perform as the more expensive ones???

Many Thxs Kris for this video and all you do! I hope this will not be the last of your solar cooking videos? Would love to see you cook some bread, beans/lentil soup, casseroles, chocolate cookies etc. …….. By the way several days ago I saw one of your surveys, I could not fill it out at the time and later when I did have the time, could not find it online nor had RU-vid saved it in my “library.” I still would like to fill out that survey? Please if possible, email it to me or at least leave the surveys up longer? As always stay safe! 😊👍🏽

Interesting

Good job, I wonder if adding insulation between the boxes might gain/hold heat better? Also are those magnifying lenses plastic? Is there a concern of them melting or warping? I come from a mechanical/industrial background and these were just a couple of thoughts. I've seen the "Sun Oven" on several channels but couldn't justify the price.

That is a cool idea but a bit risky because of fire hazard.

Reminds me of cooking ants as a kid lol. Great idea using those old TVs

The lens would be pointless... all of the light is already going into the box. You just need a transparent, heat resistant cover to keep it in.