1. A solar cooker is that kind of a cooking utensil by which absolutely no fuel is used for cooking. In just a small box you can cook food for up to five people. If you are thinking that if you use a solar cooker then it will reduce your chances of spreading up a varied platter on the dining table, then you will really be surprised to know that not only food items can be boiled in the cooker but also you can roast and bake! The cooking time that it takes is the only limitation with the solar cooker. However, it uses the free source of energy; which is a great option for cutting down those sky-rocketing bills and also for saving some power.<br />Solar cooking<br />Solar cooking is a technology which has been given a lot of attention in recent years in developing countries. The basic design is that of a box with a glass cover (see Figure 2). The box is lined with insulation and a reflective surface is applied to concentrate the heat onto the pots. The pots can be painted black to help with heat absorption. The solar radiation raises the temperature sufficiently to boil the contents in the pots. Cooking time is often a lot slower than conventional cooking stoves but there is no fuel cost. <br />Figure 2: Principles of operation of the solar cooker <br />Many variations have been developed on this theme but the main restriction has been one of reducing costs sufficiently to permit widespread dissemination. The cooker also has limitations in terms of only being effective during hours of strong sunlight. Another cooking stove is usually required for the periods when there is cloud or during the morning and evening hours. There have been large, subsidised solar cooking stove dissemination programmes in India, Pakistan and China. <br />