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Backpack Cooker Parabolic Cooker
Order Information
DESCRIPTION:
The
backpack cooker can serve many purposes, such as family
camping, fishing, climbing expeditions, melting snow/ice, or
as a survival kit. It can server as a tool for homeless
people. It can be used in earthquake or other disaster
relief, in situations where gas/electricity is not available
to pasteurize water and cook food.
A CONICAL
REFLECTOR ASSEMBLY(1) includes roll-up reflector, clips,
pin, two aluminum funnels and a plastic sheet to provide
structurally sound, easily set up, light-weight reflector
with the proper conical focus angle.
A GLASS
CONTAINER (2) retains the heat of the cooking pot.
A nice glass light fixture with miscellaneous hardware will
balance the cooking container when cooking. It will hold a
cut-off 12 ounce beverage can. A glass jam or peanut
butter jar will also work.
The COOKING POT
(3) can be a beer can, soda pop can, or small
glass jar, painted black. You can make this at home
using paint that is water-based (not oil-based), lead-free,
non-toxic and not water soluble. The lid for the cooking
pots can be metal can tops cut to the right size, or lids
from small jars. Painting them black gives better
performance. I have also found a suitable aluminum pot
and am still looking for suitable stainless steel cooking
pots. You can use your own black painted backpack pots with
a High temperature plastic roasting oven bag to retain the
heat.
You can COOK
WITHOUT A POT! Prepare soup for 2 people in 20
minutes. Just use the soup can itself (after punching
2 holes on top to avoid an explosion) in a plastic roasting
oven bag.
MY PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE:
I have used the
Backpack Cooker since 1993 while backpacking in the
mountains of California and Europe, trekking and promoting
solar cooking in Nepal, Mongolia and Peru, and at home in
California. On the trail I store all the cooker components
in a pouch with the rolled-up reflector sticking out. I
protect the glass container with the two funnels and a
woolen hiking sock stretched over the glass.
 | Cooking rice
in a cut-off 12 ounce beverage typically takes 45
minutes. Alternately, you can heat water in the
can and add it to a pouch of freeze-dried backpack
food. This makes two 1-cup servings in less time. Soup
for 2 people is done in 20 minutes. I have
prepared solar rice, lentils, potatoes, tea, hot lemon,
soup, beans, and all kinds of freeze-dried backpack
foods. |
| 16 ounce and
25 ounce cans (Fosters beer) and glass jars that fit
inside larger glass containers or oven roasting bags
work very well. As expected, this extends the cooking
time. Oven bags are less durable than glass, but you
cannot beat the light weight. |
| This cooker
requires less water than regular cooking. For rice,
only add 1 1/2 times as much water as rice, instead of
twice the amount. For "boiled" eggs, potatoes and
vegetable, you do not need water; just put the food in
the pot. |
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Parabolic cooker in use |
COOKER DESCRIPTION
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Designed as a collapsible cooker,
water purifier, or survival unit
for larger groups. |
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Optimized for high performance
cooking speed, portability, weight,
and carrying size (reflector and
frame disassemble for easy
carrying). |
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Excellent for expeditions,
trekking, camping, backpacking,
ECO-tourism, dissemination of solar
technology in remote areas of
developing countries, and disaster
relief. |
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Preparation of any food, including
deep fried food, stews, breads,
meats, eggs. |
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Adjustable wire frame accommodates
pot sizes from 1 to 4 liters. |
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SPECIFICATIONS
| Maximum
temperatures: - 200 ºC - 235 ºC (390 ºF - 455 ºF ) with
empty pot |
| Reflector
Dimension in transport position: - 55 x 48 cm
(22" x 19") |
| Reflector
Dimension in cooking position: - 100 cm (39")
diameter parabola |
| Weight
(including pot) - 4.5 kg (9 pounds) |
| Assembly
Time: 4 minutes |
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