#4 - Sun Bread? You bet!

How does this sound? It's hella hot out, you want to make that delectable eggplant parmesan or bake a loaf of whole wheat bread but the last thing you want to do is turn the stove on in the house. What to do? Whip out your solar oven and cook outside to your heart's content, without spending a nickel on electricity, and without making your sanctuary a sweltering sweathouse. It even works when it's overcast or raining, but we don't have to worry about that, do we? (There are certain things I do love about living in Las Vegas!)

The Tulsi-Hybrid Solar Oven heats up to 500 degrees, has back up electrical power for crappy weather, and even then uses significantly less power than your conventional oven (presumably because you are heating a smaller space).

And how is this better than grilling? Well, I'm not going to pit them against each other, I love our little Weber, and nothing beats grilled salmon. But - you can cook anything in one of these little guys that you would cook in an conventional oven using NO FUEL. Is it affordable? Grills cost more, and imagine the savings in your a/c and gas bills in the summer. $245.