How to make a solar cooker

Introduction:

Cooking is a solar cooker in easy, convenient, and a great way to save on your electric bill or gas bill. But you can't cook on a solar oven if you do not have one. So, how do you make a solar cooker? The following are step by step instructions to teach you how to make a solar cooker, which is a great idea because you can cook just about anything in a solar cooker.

Difficulty:
Moderate

Steps

Step one:

To build your solar cooker start out with a couple of cardboard boxes, like moving boxes. You need one that is larger than the other, but they need to be the same shape.

Step two:

Take the larger box and line the inside bottom with newspaper. You will want to crumple the newspaper first, and it should be about 2 inches high.

Step three:

Put the smaller box inside of the larger box. There should be about 2-3 inches of space on every side. If the boxes do not allow that much space find different size boxes.

Step four:

Now you are going to crumple up more newspaper, and fill the space between the sides of the two boxes. You do not want to pack it in too tight, but make sure it is full.
 
Step five:

Now you are going to take aluminum foil and line the insides of the smaller box. You need to secure the foil with something, but remember you are cooking in this solar cooker, so if you choose to use tape, try a non-toxic variety. If you want you can use  nothing and just fold the foil over the sides of the box and secure it that way

Step six:

You now need to make it so that the inside box will absorb heat. Your newspaper is going to act as an insulator, but it needs something to draw in the heat for it to insulate. So, at this point put some black construction paper on the bottom of the smaller box.

Step seven:

Using a piece of cardboard, lay it on top of the large box and trace the shape of the box onto the cardboard. This piece of cardboard will be cut out and used as a reflector, but you will want to add a couple of inches around the traced line before cutting as you want your reflector slightly larger than the box.

Step eight:

To make it into a reflector get some more aluminum foil and cover the cardboard piece you just cut out. You want it to be as smooth as possible so that it all reflects at the same angle. So, take a minute to smooth out any wrinkles in the aluminum foil. Then secure the foil.

Step nine:

You will be using something to secure the reflector to the outside back of the large box. You can use glue, tape, staples, etc.

Step ten:

You will want to move the solar cooker into a place where it will get maximum heat, so have the box opening facing up, and the reflector facing the direction the sun is shining. So, in other words, the sun should be shining on the reflector. This will mean maximum heat.

Step eleven:

Cook in the solar over by putting the food you want to cook in it, and by stretching clear plastic wrap over the top of the whole box. This traps heat.

Tips and warnings:

Undercooked food is bad for you, so plan on at least twice as long as it would take to cook it at home in your electric or gas oven.

Just like in a conventional oven, you will want to preheat, this takes a while, about half an hour.

Do not use duct tape to secure your foil, it is toxic when heated.

Do not use a solar oven for foods that must reach a high temperature or cook rapidly or you will probably get food poisoning.

What you need:

• Two boxes
• Crumpled newspaper
• Aluminum foil
• Non-toxic tape
• Plastic wrap
• Cardboard
• Black construction paper