A solar cooker uses reflected sunlight to cook food by concentrating the sun's energy using a reflective surface, often in a bowl shape. To build a basic solar cooker, you need a shiny reflector surface to direct sunlight onto enclosed food in a transparent container, such as a black pot, to both contain heat and allow sunlight to enter. The enclosure traps hot air to raise the temperature and shorten cooking time compared to using only direct sunlight.

1. Engomis GymnasiumBuild a Solar Cooker

2. Build a Solar CookerA solar cooker uses the energy of the Sun to cook food. An essential part of a solar cooker is a reflector. This is a shiny surface that reflects and concentrates the Sun’s energy. There are many possible shapes, but most use a bowl shape.

3. Build Your Own Solar CookerYou need a shiny surface to reflect and concentrate the Sun’s energy on the food.It is good to have an enclosure around the food to contain the heat. This prevents hot air from escaping. This will raise the temperature and speed up cooking time. The enclosure needs to be transparent so sunlight gets in. If you are using a pot to contain your food, it is better to get a black one. A black surface absorbs more heat than a lighter-colored surface.