All-American Sun Oven
The Sun Oven has been selling solar ovens since 1986! They are made in the USA and take quality very seriously. These ovens are truly built to last. You can take this oven anywhere. From boating to camping, or to keep on hand in case of emergency where you have no electricity.
GoSun Solar Oven
GoSun is was founded in 2013. All of their products are mostly made in other countries such as China and many people use this type of stove for sport rather than emergency preparedness. A vacuum tube type of solar oven is a newer invention and is good for one person, as the meals come in smaller portion.
Sun Oven vs. GoSun Fusion – A Comparison
Cooking with the power of the sun is an exciting (and free) way to enjoy a hot meal on a sunny day. With the right reflectors, you can cook many different recipes for picnics, camping, emergency planning, and more. But which is the best solar cooker for your plans?
Two of the top base-camp sized solar cookers on the market are the All-American Sun Oven vs the GoSun Fusion. These are very different models, so a comparison is quite useful when looking to understand both the different ways to cook with the sun and which model best suits your needs.
We chose the Sun Oven and the Fusion due to the similar capacities. Both are designed for supporting larger groups than a typical backpack solar unit.
All-American Sun Oven vs. GoSun Fusion
Two top selling solar ovens compared.
| Models | All-American Sun Oven | GoSun Fusion |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Made in Pulaski, WI USA | Made in China |
| Warranty | 15 years | Limited 2 years |
| Capacity | 12 liter capacity / 4-12 meals | 3.01 liter capacity / 4-6 meals |
| Cookware | Use everyday pots and pans | Mix food in the cooking tube |
| Heating | Quick to heat | Quick to heat |
| Fuel | Sunlight only | Sunlight or electricity |
| Cooking | Bake meals like a regular oven or use like a slow cooker. Use it as a food dehydrator and herb dryer. | Cooks in a glass cylinder - difficult to make soups, chili, or stews. |
| Size | 19"D x 19"W x 14"H | 27"D x 11"W x 12"H |
| Weight | 24lbs | 14lbs |
| Durability | Lasts up to 30 years | Glass cylinder and electronics may shorten life compared to Sun Oven |
| Portability | Easy enough to move and carry, but not easily transported due to size. Like a suitcase. | Not as large as the Sun Oven, so a little easier to transport. |
| Cleaning | Easy to clean because food does not touch the oven. Just wipe with damp towel. | Food cooks directly on the glass cylinder. Must clean between each use. |
| Cost | MSRP $449 | MSRP $599 |
Box Cooker vs. Evacuated Tube Cooker
The All-American Sun Oven is a classic box cooker. This includes an engineered cooking box that heats up to cooking temperatures and four paneled reflectors that concentrate the heating power of the sun into the box. You might be surprised how quickly pre-cooked food will warm to delicious temperatures and how effectively you can slow-cook whole meals to tender perfection using normal pots and pans inside the box chamber.
The GoSun Fusion, however, is an evacuated tube cooker. This is a special vacuum-sealed tube placed in a curved reflector chamber which heats composite recipes to steamy completion in a short amount of time. It looks like a space-age device and cooks like one, too.
All-American Sun Oven Overview
The All-American Sun Oven is a great choice for camping, picnics, survival planning, and all-day outdoor events. As a box cooker, you can cook just about anything that is steamed or slow-cooked in the chamber.
Pros
- Large chamber for large dishes, including whole chickens and roasts
- Includes a rack that uses normal pots and pans
- Fast heat for warming up
- Slow cooker for tender simmer recipes
Cons
- Reaches medium heat (generally in the 300-375 range) – cannot fry, bake, or crisp
- Large and requires some cargo space
GoSun Fusion Overview
The GoSun Fusion is a trendy model of the evacuated tube model, which is a recent addition to the solar cooker design. The tube is much smaller and more compact, but it can also be plugged in at night.
Pros
- Small and easy to transport
- Plugs in when there is no sun
- Heats hot and fast
- Can use electricity on cloudy days
Cons
- Smaller chamber, 4-6 servings max
- Tube cooking, cannot use normal pots and pans
- Must be cleaned after every use
Comparison Winner
Both solar cookers are effective for making lunch at your campsite. However, if you had to choose just one solar cooker, the All-American Sun Oven is the clear winner in our opinion. Large, versatile, and accepting of normal pots and pans, this cooker is ideal for family reunions, backyard gatherings, and is also a useful addition to your survival kit. You also don’t need to clean the chamber quite as often.
Primary reasons we choose the Sun Oven over the Fusion:
- Can use normal cookware. You can use the same pots and pans that you use in your kitchen.
- Can use it as a food dehydrator, water pasteurizer, equipment dryer, and more.
- No circuit boards, electronics, mechanical parts make this unit likely to outlast other solar ovens.
- Large cooking chamber. You can cook for a base camp. Can cook a whole turkey, whole chicken, or a ceramic insert from a Crock Pot.
- Proceeds go to support a worldwide cooking initiative.
- Made in the USA – factory is in Pulaski, WI.
While the GoSun Fusion is trendy and has some bonus features like a plug-in heating mode and the coolness of tube technology, it cooks less food and needs constant cleaning.
The All-American Solar Oven prevails because it is useful in a far wider range locations and situations, including more recipes and the capacity to feed more people, and it requires far less maintenance in comparison.
Solar Cooking At Home and On the Go
The important thing is to choose a solar cooker that fits your needs and plans. If you are cooking for the whole family or planning to survive without a stove for a while, a box style solar cooker is the practical choice. If you’re looking to impress a date by the poolside near a power outlet, the GoSun Fusion is a cool way to add solar cooking to your gadget collection.