We’ve seen solar-powered cookers before. And they’re awesome, allowing you to cook a whole lot of meals using nothing but the heat of the sun. The Silver Balloon Solar Cooker, however, does previous efforts one better, as it’s able to collapse into a size that fits inside a bag pouch.
An inflatable balloon, you simply blow it up, point it towards direct sunlight, and place whatever food you’re cooking underneath. It will amplify heat from the sun into temperatures up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing you to boil water, make soups, and cook stews. Granted, that heat won’t be high enough to cook a versatile range of dishes, but it’s still pretty impressive for something that you can keep inside a bag pouch.
The Silver Balloon Solar Cooker consists of a balloon that measures 2 x 2 x 4 feet when blown up, along with a mylar sleeve to help trap heat when cooking, an anchor balloon, and a black cooking pot. To set up, simply inflate the balloon, connect the mylar sleeve to the bottom of the balloon, and use the anchor to hold the assembly in place (alternatively, you can tie it down to a bag or a rock). To use, simply put your food on the pot and slip it inside the sleeve so that it sits in a direct line from the top of the balloon.
Do note, they recommend either using the included pot or a similar non-reflective pot (like ceramic) for cooking. We’re not sure what will happen if you use a reflective material (we’re guessing fire), but it’s probably safer not to bother finding out.
Available now, the Silver Balloon Solar Cooker is priced at $129.