Customer Reviews

Sun BD Corp. Tulsi-Hybrid Solar Cooking Oven

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is my third solar oven and I thought it would be a nice size to take on camping trips. When it got here I noticed it was made in India which I guess explained the shoddy workmanship. I got the impression someone was making these in their garage rather than a factory. First thing I had to do was buy some silicon adhesive and glue down the rubber seals around the edges. They were just hanging there. When I washed the pots that came with it the black paint started falling off so I bought some Rustoleum to re paint them. The hinge that holds the lid open is rickety to open and close but does work with patience. Also the clips that hold it closed don't line up and it's hard to lock down. Eventually I will replace the locking clips with something better made, again very flimsy cheap clips. It is a nice size if you want to travel with it but the price is too high for the quality. My other solar ovens are deeper and it is easier to cook foods in larger pots but this will work with a few changes to how I cook. A more realistic price to me would be around $150. If your handy I think for a lot less $$ you could take a old suitcase and make one, maybe without the power back up.

Perhaps we were seeking a challenge...we went ahead and bought this solar cooker after reading the reviews that stated the workmanship was shoddy, so we were not all that surprised to find that the side clips are useless and falling off and that the unit requires repainting and resealing. We went ahead with purchase because of its hybrid ability, which we have already used on more than one day out of the month we have used the Tulsi. We were glad to have the power backup as it enabled us to have dinner on the days the sky was filled with sun blocking smoke here in Northern California. Once we solve the sealing problem so that the glass doesn't steam up, I'm sure we'll be happier with the unit. I would not recommend this to anyone who doesn't want to fuss with improvements or those harboring unrealistic expectations of company pride and workmanship, you'll just be frustrated. If you don't mind some work, this is a nice size unit, the hybrid power option is useful and it is light enough to make tracking the sun no problem. We didn't find another hybrid available in the same size/price range but you might be more lucky.

The included "pots" are a bit of a joke. They are simply tin cookie cans painted black. The size is right, however. We aren't using them as they seem to be on the verge of rusting. I'm slightly jealous of the reviewer who had "good quality pans". Ours look as if they were pilfered from someone's aging aunt's button drawer.

The unit does make the best toasted almonds we've ever had. Perfectly crunchy and no burn.

UPDATE AUGUST 2011:
Now we are at the third time of dismantling the unit for repair. The condensation between the glass is to the point that we are barely getting 200 degrees in full sun, 97 degree weather. I took it apart this morning thinking I could just reseal it AGAIN when I realized there is no way to ever get a good seal since the screws to attach the frame and hold the gasket on go into the space between the glass panes, thus always leaving an airspace for moisture to enter. Very, very poor engineering design! I'm trying to figure out a way to completely seal the panes and yet still allow for the glass to be lifted by the unit in its frame. I don't want to use an adhesive because that will poison us. Perhaps I will just have to build a frame to encase the glass that will have to be lifted on and off the unit...which hopefully won't screw up the position of the mirror and will provide enough of an overall seal to heat up to high temps.

Honestly, the idea of this unit is good but the sum of the parts is really bad. Solar cooking is extremely satisfying and produces some of the most delicious food I've ever tasted, so I hope my review doesn't discourage anyone from trying. Just get a unit that works. :)

I completely agree with the previous reviewer who complained of the fumes.
Since receiving this oven, I have been afraid of using it due to the toxic, noxious fume it gives off. The smell is so bad, it actually made me sick (headache and nausea)when I first opened it. Maybe the fact that the product is made in India without much quality control (based upon the shoddy workmanship of the product) explains the fumes.
I have set the oven out in the sun to air it out for several days, but the fumes remain. I just can't see how I could eat food that is cooked in this vapor of fume. The oven may cook well like it claims, but I wouldn't know. It doesn't seem safe so I'm not going to use it for cooking.

Update:
Sun DB Corporation has worked with me to completely resolve the issue I had with the fumes. They have replaced my old oven with a new one and baked it out to eliminate any odor. I can only commend them on their excellent service.

If you're looking to buy the Tulsi, you're probably doing so for environmental, survival or off-grid living reasons. Most people espousing these ideals believe that basic everyday tools should be of high quality, extremely durable and preferably locally and/or sustainably produced. Unfortunately the Tulsi fails miserably on all these counts (except for locally produced, if you live in India).

I don't know if Sun BD Corp. is lacking in technical skills, materials or production management, but somehow they succeeded in turning a great concept intro a wretched product. Right out of the box I was hit with a cloud of noxious vapors even before I opened the oven. Now, I run a chemistry research lab so I'm not exactly chemophobic, but the smell of solvent from the fiberglass and glue was overwhelming. The manual says that this "new furnace smell" will vanish after a short time in the sun. I left the oven in the sun for most of 4 days, opening the lid once in a while to vent the noxious smoke, but it never got any better. I decided to get scientific here and do a more controlled bake-out. I took the oven to my lab and noticed a layer of material had collected on the inside of the glass lid. A gasket scraper did little to remove the hard film, but I was able to dissolve it off with an acetone-soaked towel. (NOTE: do not use solvents unless you have the training and protective equipment to do so safely!) The film came off and I proceeded to set the oven out in the blazing May California sun from ~11 am to ~ 5 pm with the electric assist on full. Every 30-60 minutes I went outside and lifted the lid to clear the vapors and then re-aligned the oven. I'm currently on my 5th day of bake-out (9 if you count the solar-only days) and smoke and sickening fumes just keep coming! I'm not sure the oven will be usable because of this "feature" but I will try for a few more days.

Overall, the construction is very shoddy - cheap hinges, fasteners, clasps and seals that are little more than strips of rubber poorly attached to the case. Some areas have too few screws and others way too many. Makes me wonder if these people have ever built anything before. The case insulation seems insufficient since the back of the oven gets extremely hot. In a well-designed oven the major mode of heat loss is radiation through the glass, not conduction through the case. Perhaps the best use for this oven is as a set of parts for you to build your own. Strip off their smoky "furnace paint" or just wait for it to flake off by itself and apply your own. An omega gasket would do wonders for the seal. As other reviewers have noted the "pans" it comes with truly are a joke. Another annoying feature is that the light from the green LEDs in the power switches can't compete with the sun, so you can't tell whether they're on of off. Luckily they're rockers so you can easily label the "on" side with a marker. If you buy this oven be prepared to either re-engineer it, return it or curse a lot. Better yet, build your own! It's not rocket science and the skills you learn will help your goals of responsible living a lot more than having a disappointment in a box shipped to you, likely form halfway around the world.

I'd like to end on the only positive note I can muster regarding the Tulsi Solar Oven - I like the overall concept of a compact, brief-case style hybrid solar cooker. The mirror arrangement is uncomplicated and the cooking area is large, if shallow. The manual (on CD) is hilarious- a combination of instruction, philosophy and virtuous living guidelines sure to entertain most and possibly offend some. With the electric assist on full power a temperature of 325F can be attained in just a few minutes on a clear day around noon.

The best of the solar ovens available. We have 3 types of ovens and this one outperforms all. The Solar Box Cooker get about 20 degrees hotter but is limited to one pot. This oven uses the space available perfectly, allowing 4 different pans to cook at once. The pans are included and are very good quality stainless. Easy to carry around, focuses well and cooks even cakes perfectly. The electric backup is perfect to preheat or boost heat if necessary. Keep the kitchen cool-use solar.

I recommend the Tulsi oven for anyone who is serious about saving energy. I've used it a number of times since I bought it 3 weeks ago and have not been disappointed. Probably the highlight has been fresh cherry pie. The oven cooked the crust perfectly (I used the side booster panels but not the hybrid electricity). I'm going to try a pizza and meatloaf soon. The hybrid feature is a great back-up to have, although I wish I knew at which temperature it supposedly kicks on. The clips that hold the oven shut when not in use are extremely cheap-looking and flimsy. I know it is a matter of time before they break. Tulsi could have dropped a few extra cents and installed clips that will last. Finally, the oven instructions were obviously written by a non-native English speaker and are a bit hard to understand at times.
That aside, I'm thrilled to have the Tulsi solar oven. I think I'll use it more and more, especially as energy costs continue to spiral out of control.

I ordered the Tulsi-Hybrid before I read the reviews, I should have waited. It was shipped fast and nothing was broken but as other people have said, the quality is very poor. I already have the "Global Sun Oven" and there is no comparison to them. I wish they had not included the thin cheap pots and put that value in better hinges, I hope they last the year, but I doubt it. They remind me of a child's toy suit case that is made of plastic. I will use it but will have to be careful. I did not have a problem with the smell, I followed instructions and turned it on and lifted the lid to let out fumes. On high I was only able to get it to 275 degrees. I plan on using it only in the sun, so this was not a concern. It is such a great idea if only they would improve the quality and not use such cheap parts! Like I said before, it's my fault, I should have read the reviews first.

We use the Hybrid solar oven all summer on our south facing porch. I have used others and build several box cookers. see "solar cooker international"( find with a search) for "how to". It is a convenient, as portable as a suitcase unit though as several review state the construction is not 1st class and quality control is low, however it is the only double glazed cooker I have seen on the market. The pans are cheap but very functional. A major down-side is how shallow the cooking area, necessitating the small pans, but also making the unit easy to store. The shallow design with the double glazing (2 glass )also has the up-side that food cooks and stays warm after to sun is down. We often have put rice in one pan, black beans ( not soaked) in another, veggie dish in the third and a cake in the forth third pan and have it all warm when we come home. We have also done some meats and fish on days when we sure there was good sun. While it take a little planning, it is better than cooking inside in a hot kitchen in the summer.
While there may be some moisture that gets between the glass, we have not noticed it to be a problem, and would not recommend sealing with a sealant that could, itself outgas.
Regarding the comments about "Smelly": this highlights lack of product users to read instructions ( as an American I often do not read and plow ahead). The instruction say to plug in the unit so as to "out-gas" and bake dry the paint and finishes. Do this outside! ( or at least near an exhaust vent or window fan removing fumes). Even when you buy a home gas or electric oven it is recommended that you do the same. Bring the oven up to the highest temperature it will run at so as to "out-gas" any materials which will discharge unpleasant/unhealthy substances. For the solar cooker, this is the only time we have used the cord.
Fins(reflectors) a little tedious, but add something.
We have been quite happy with it and plan to use it next summer, and possibly into the fall. As we are shaded in winter months( we are at 42 degree north lat) by adjacent buildings, we may put it away until spring.
While currently best on the market, I am hopeful to see better designs coming along. Spring is the best time to start using one, so search away through the winter.

I'm very satisfied with my Tulsi-Hybrid solar oven. I have used mine just as a solar oven, on hybrid mode and just as an electric oven. Each and every time the food cooked was awesome tasting. Worth its price to me.

Hi-I bought my oven over a yr ago-Everything ya'll say is true but i want to add----Shoddy workmanship yes but overall idea is fabulous-the food is to die for.One of my favorites was a flavorful rice and i put beef tips in there--They were so so tender-Flavor was unbelievable!I hate aluminum cookware but they work gr8t-they cook your food with steam basically-So-recently i purchased ORKA steamers from ebay-Awesome silicone containers with lids and cook in the same manner and easy clean up.The only complaint i really have is --its not deep enough sometimes.i want to put bigger/taller pans in there but found the steamers to work gr8t and r good to 450 *.I also put one of the cookie silicone mats down -if anything spills its easy clean up.As someone said-just repaint-easy fixes!Alittle tweeking n its awesome.I nreally loved the fact of being able to plug it in-Gr8t idea as well--It cooked just as well and fast.ive gotten on average 375* which is really perfect.I have it in a hotel for the week this week so cant wait to play.Lots of experimenting.Have FUN with it.Hope this helps someone a bit.I do believe its worth it-Of course i wish it was cheaper but didnt stop me from purchasing it and love the versatility.No regrets!