Product test
The Highlander Fastboil III gas stove is good value for money
by Siri Schubert
When the sun starts cooking: we test the Sungood solar cooker
24.5.2018
Translation: machine translated
Concentrating the sun's rays to start a fire or cook food is a simple, age-old and simply brilliant method. According to legend, Archimedes used burning mirrors to set fire to enemy ships. Me, I just want to cook pasta. To each his own. Will this pretty little yellow cooker from France rise to the challenge?
They mean well, and it shows. Gatien, Guillaume and Gilles are the creators of the Paris-based start-up "Solar Brother", and their sustainable ideas attract sympathy. On their website, they provide us with recipes, instructions on how to make your own cooker and information on the workshops they support in Africa. I'm willing to forgive the not-so-professional translation of the user manual.
What's in the pack:
- one large yellow plastic piece
- 11 adhesive reflectors
- a metal plate rest
- two cotton cooking bags
- one cotton carry bag
- the user manual with three sample recipes
First DIY: the 11-piece jigsaw puzzle
Unfolded, the Solar Brother looks like an old telephone. The yellow base is made up of 11 plastic pieces to fold together. Before you can get started, you need to assemble the reflectors, glue them together and press them down so that they hold. It's not rocket science, but it does require a bit of dexterity. Fortunately, you only have to do this before the first use. Normal assembly should only take a few seconds.
An annoying assembly
On my first attempt at assembly, I have to fight the plastic, which doesn't want to stay in place when I fold the sides inwards and insert the flap into one of the three slots. The back remains very stable, but the reflector panels need to be able to be placed in three positions, depending on the available rays. I need the most upright position, because the sun is at its zenith. No way of getting there. I have to settle for the middle position first and wait for the plastic to soften. At least my cooker is assembled. As I position it, I can feel the heat as soon as a ray is reflected in it. Put on your sunglasses and give it a go!
80 to 150°C? Really?
Sungood's Solar Brother should be able to operate regardless of the outside temperature, summer or winter, as long as the sun is shining. The manufacturer advises using a dark pan - obviously - and promises cooking temperatures of 80-150°C. I'm sceptical. It's May, the clouds have just cleared and the thermometer is just 20°C. I poured 3 dl of water into a camping pan and placed it on the grid provided, in the middle of the cooker on the table on my balcony. Assembled, it measures 91 x 55 x 35 cm. The exterior is reminiscent of a yellow ship, the interior a disco ball. [[image:14273372 "Use a dark pan so that the temperature rises sufficiently."]]
Sympa, the solar effect!
After 15 minutes, the pan is hot, the water lukewarm. Nothing much has happened. I finally manage to get the plastic into the right position. I reposition the cooker and get on with other things. Half an hour later, I burn my fingers. The water doesn't boil, but I make myself an espresso with the steam produced. It's not the best, of course, but I think the solar effect is great. It's really great to be able to do this without electricity, gas or fire. I can't wait to continue! [[image:14273427 "Heated by the sun, percolated by hand - greener, you die."]] [[image:14273377 "The annoying part: the height is difficult to adjust. The cooker kept sagging at first."]]
Clouds put me on a diet
I set up the oven in the garden around 5pm. I don't dare try the suggested recipes (minestrone, grissini, muffins) yet. I want to know if the sun will still give me enough heat to cook a few thin pancakes. The cool thing is that you don't have to watch the cooker. Nothing burns, nothing smokes and nothing heats up except the inside. All you have to do is look at it from time to time and reposition it according to the sun. That's all there is to it. It's not so nice when clouds appear. There's a slight smell, but I can forget about my pancakes.
The cooking bag as a last resort
When the sun reappears a few days later, I'm ready to try again. Whit Monday, 24°C, not a cloud in sight. It's now or never. I choose quick-cooking pasta (5 to 7 minutes) and cut the courgettes and carrots into small pieces. The water still hasn't reached boiling point after 30 minutes. Never mind, I put the ingredients in anyway. I can always use the cooking bag as a back-up.
I take it out when I see that the pasta is still too hard and the vegetables almost raw after 45 minutes. With the thin cooking bag closed around the pan, the temperature should reach between 120 and 150 °C. 100°C would be enough for me. 25 minutes pass... nada. I'm a bit chilled. On today's menu: softened pasta and warm vegetables.
Summary
Do you need a solar cooker? No. For 89 francs, you get a pretty plastic gizmo that will no doubt test your patience. Did I have fun? Yes, I have no doubt that, given the right conditions and a bit more experience, you could cook with it, but it's not as simple as the manufacturer's pretty user manual promises. If you like the principle and aren't afraid to experiment, treat yourself. It's a bit like with your family members: it's not always easy, but you love them anyway. [[productlist:8300382,5824851]]
Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
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