Baking with a Solar Oven Indoors—Is It Possible?

So one of my prepping friends raised this question a few months back.  I found the idea intriguing.  It would be so much easier, right?  The oven would be conveniently indoors.  It would be easier to adjust it to follow the sun.  There would be no hassle with wind blowing the reflecting panels over or with dirt or dust getting on the glass or reflecting panels.  Well, at least not as much as when outside. 

But would it really work?  We’re each in a unique situation with regards to latitude, shade over the house, orientation relative to the sun, etc.

For example, I couldn’t even test in summer because during those months the sun only goes over my house.  No direct light comes in.  In addition, a sun oven won’t work for me indoors or out in winter due to mountain shadow—we get about two hours less direct sun per day than everyone else on our road.  So right out the gate we’re limited to spring and fall. 

Everyone, regardless of where you live, is affected by energy efficient windows if you’ve got them in your house.  Newer windows reduce solar heat gain (read, amount of sun coming in to house) by up to 70%.  Those would definitely exert a negative effect on the ability to use a sun oven indoors.  Older windows that have no energy coatings at all will still reduce the amount of sun that gets through by about 10%. 

If you live in humid area, all that moisture in the air reduces the ability of the sun’s rays to penetrate through and cook your food.    

So far, the best I’ve been able to achieve with perfectly clean glass and reflecting panels is 300°F.  The temperature usually hovers around 200°F, so the sun oven is working more like a slow cooker.  And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, after all, free energy is free energy.  But it is something to keep in mind. 

Bottom line?  It’s a highly individual answer due to the various factors.  While it isn’t a great option for me here, I recall one house we looked at when we moved back to Reno in 2012.  It had a full two-story wall of south-facing windows in the living area.  That place would have been a beast to cool during the summer, but I bet I could have easily used a sun oven there to bake our bread and meals at least nine months out of the year. 

Ultimately, you have to try this out yourself in your own home and situation.  In a really good situation, you might be able to meet most of your baking needs.  Or you might not be able to use a sun oven indoors at all. 

If you decide to try using your sun oven indoors, be flexible.  Allow way more time than you think you’ll need and be prepared to finish up in your regular kitchen oven if need be.