The SUN OVEN  is often compared with box cookers that are made out
               of aluminum foil and cardboard.  While the energy conversion principles are the same,
               the materials utilized in manufacturing a SUN OVEN  have been carefully
               researched to include the most efficient materials available.  In order to capture the
               maximum amount of energy, achieve the highest possible temperature and retain the
               greatest amount of heat possible while minimizing the weight, the materials utilized have
               been selected based on efficiency and quality.

               For this reason the cost of a  SUN OVEN is higher than what many people
               expect.  When you compare a  SUN OVEN to a conventional oven that
               will reach the same temperatures, it is a real bargain.  When you add to it the savings
               achieved by not having to pay for fuel, and the fact that it will last with heavy use for 15 or
               more years, the total cost/ benefit ratio is unbelievable, not to mention the enhanced taste of
               food and environmental benefits that cooking with the sun provides.

               The reflectors are made with mirror-finished anodized aluminum.  They will not oxidize,
               rust, or corrode.  While this material is extremely efficient and aids in achieving superior
               performance, it adds a great deal to the price required to produce a  SUN OVEN.
               (Over 50% of the total material cost goes into producing the reflectors.)  The
               design of the reflectors allows for maximum energy capture while being able to fold up in
               a matter of seconds for easy storage.

               The black inner shell is formed from aluminum that has been coated with a non-toxic,
               high temperature powder coating.  This coating absorbs the sun’s energy and enhances
               your ability to clean the oven, while providing a durable non-rusting surface that will last
               for years.  This coating is baked on and does not emit any toxic fumes like other
               industrial paints or coatings do as the temperature increases.  Unfortunately, both the
               material and the powder coating process add cost.

               The interior  is completely surrounded by a thick batt of non-toxic
               fiberglass insulation (normally found in commercial ovens and furnaces).
               This insulation helps the oven store hot air and your food stays warm for hours.
               The insulation allows the oven to be used year round.

               The outer shell  is made of a highly durable ABS plastic, which makes it easy to clean
                while remaining lightweight and portable. (The total weight is only 21 pounds.)
               
               The gasket that seals the oven chamber is made from a patented material specifically
               designed to withstand UV radiation.  It forms an air-tight seal to hold heat in while
               preventing out-gassing from building up in the oven’s chamber. (This material is
               warranted for 15 years not to split or crack.) With proper care it should last a lifetime.
 
               The wooden bezel is made of a specially milled kiln dried hardwood, which has been
               stained for years of protection from the weather.  The stain has been specifically designed
               to protect the wood from the UV radiation of the sun.
 

                       The way the SUN OVEN works:
                       The black surfaces on the inside of the oven captures and
                       transforms the sun's energy into a form that cannot escape the oven chamber.
                       When a SUN OVEN is focused in the sun, the interior of the oven is heated by the
                       sun's energy. Direct and reflected sunlight enters the oven chamber through the
                       glass door. It then turns to heat energy when it is absorbed by the black
                       inner-shell and Levelator. This heat input causes the temperature inside the
                       oven to rise until the heat loss of the oven is equal to the solar heat gain. The
                       light energy absorbed by dark pots and the oven's dark interior is converted into
                       longer wavelength heat energy. Most of this longer-wavelength radiant energy
                       can not pass back out through the glass, ensuring more efficient cooking.

                       The SUN OVEN is helping conserve energy and helps prevent deforestation worldwide:
                       The SUN OVEN is used in 126 countries around the world. In many
                       of these countries, they purchase unassembled SUN OVENS and
                       complete the final assembly on location. This reduces the overall cost of the
                       ovens and shipping while creating jobs locally. The demands of massive
                       population growth, and inefficient conversion of wood to charcoal, have
                       outstripped the third world's forests ability to regenerate. The ecological effect
                       of wood fuel is burdensome and has a far-reaching negative global impact.
                       These global trends will lead to environmental destabilization leading to
                       deforestation and global warming. Science strongly supports the fact that
                       deforestation for agricultural and fuel use is changing weather patterns, causing
                       soil erosion, and depleting plant and animal life. SUN OVENS offer a powerful
                       solution to the effects of deforestation, and can have an enormous positive
                       impact on the everyday life of millions of people in underdeveloped countries by
                       improving their nutrition, health, and quality of life.