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Last edited: 4 October 2023      
Copenhagen Solar Cooker Light 016

The Copenhagen Solar Cooker

Copenhagen showing reflector positions

This photo shows the positions of the reflectors when cooking at low sun angles. Note that plate of food is there just to illustrate the cooking power.

Copenhaugen Light low sun mode, 9-22-21

Alternative cooking position when the sun is low in the sky, by creating a 'tunnel' with the reflectors to capture the sunlight

The Copenhagen Solar Cooker is a small, compact, inexpensive solar panel cooker made from durable, reflective vinyl covered panels . The cooker is also available as an easily assembled kit containing four flexible vinyl panels, four clips and two base plates and a sturdy bootlace from Sharon Clausson. The panels are held between the base plates with the bootlace threaded through holes in corners, and clip to each other to create the panel cooker shape. Because the cooker is held only with clips and a sturdy bootlace, disassembly is easy. The panels then stack neatly, making this cooker quite portable.

The designer states that the curved shape of the cooker is more stable than typical panel cookers in windy conditions. For best results, the cooker is meant to be used with a dark pot with a glass cover, to reach temperatures of 150 - 190 °C (302 - 374 °F). An oven bag can be used around pan in cold weather.

The panels can also be laid flat for use as place mats. Sit a lantern inside to reflect more light at night.

To purchase a kit for USD 49.99, contact Sharon Clausson.

  • Weight: 21 oz.
  • Dimensions (unassembled): 15" x 15" x 1"

News

  • October 2023: Adjusting the Copenhagen Solar Cooker reflectors for high and low sun angles - Sharon Clausson has shared photos showing how the new reflector snap arrangement on the Copenhagen Solar Cooker provides the best solar orientation at different times of the day.
Copenhagen refletor postions, 10-4-23

The first snap arrangement is used mid-AM and mid-PM, the second one is for early-AM and late-PM, on the right is for 11AM to 1PM. The focus is always on the center of the pan, Photo credit: Sharon Clausson

Copenhagen made from Reflectix - September 2020

Sharon Clausson is experimenting with Reflectix reflective material. She found out she needed some wire reinforcement to maintain the proper curvature because the panels flattened when she wanted them to curve.

  • March 2020: 
Copenhagen Modified by Mary Buchenic of The Solar Education Project

The Copenhagen modified by the Solar Education Project. These directions are a modified version of the Copenhagen. It makes a very large and easily foldable panel oven that I call “The Beast”. The size was chosen because of standard poster board size. See also Solar Education Project.

  • September 2019: Improvements to the Copenhagen Solar Cooker Light - Sharon Clausson has added snaps to the border of the reflective panels for easy and precise positioning. The colored snaps locate positions for optimal mid-day and early/late day cooking performance. New cookers receive this modification.
Asymetric base , Copenhagen light cooker, 6-12-17

The two-plate base of the cooker has a larger lower plate to increase stability in the wind. Photo credit: Michael Götz

  • June 2017: a wider base option - Michael Götz has offered a suggestion to construct the cooker base with different size pieces. The lower plate is made larger, and offers more stability for the cooker in the wind.
  • December 2014: Sharon has provided an instructional video and separate assembly instructions for individuals and groups wishing to make their own Copenhagen Solar Cooker panel cookers. See The Copenhagen Solar Oven assembly instructions.

Construction

Cardboard base variation

Copenhagen Teong Tan Variation1

The Copenhagen Solar Cooker can also be built with a cardboard base

Teong Tan writes:

"I consider the Copenhagen Solar Cooker Light as one of the best simple solar cooker designs that I have come across. I admire its simplicity, compactness, adjustability as well as its amazing cooking power despite its small size. The inventor, Sharon Clausson, did a wonderful job with the cooker design. In this writeup, I would like to introduce an alternate base plate, which will result in an improvement to the cooker’s assembly time from 15 minutes to a minute and disassembly to less than 10 seconds. With this alternate base plate, there is no more worry of the bolt or nut getting lost when you bring your Copenhagen Solar Cooker Light with you on your next hiking or camping trip."

Audio and video

  • June 2012:
How_to_Make_Copenhagen_Solar_Cooker-0

How to Make Copenhagen Solar Cooker-0

Step-by-step instructions for how to make a Copenhagen solar cooker. This is a neat solar cooker where the cooking pot stays flat on the ground and the flexible reflectors (or panels) are adjusted around it. I make it using poster board, cardboard, aluminum foil and a shoelace. At the end I show it solar cooking a hard boiled egg.

Images

Copenhagen Light reflector photo collage, 11-13-22

Sharon created a photo collage of various reflector configurations of the Copenhagen Solar Cooker - Photo credit: Sharon Clausson

The Purple Fig variation

Purple Fig Solar Cooker

Purple Fig Solar Cooker.

Sharon Clausson has made available instructions for making this inexpensive (less than $5 USD) version of the Copenhagen Solar Cooker Light. It can be found at Purple Fig Solar Cooker

Documents

See also

External links

Contact

See Sharon Clausson.