Finding the Right Dehydrating Rack for the Sun Oven

The Sun Oven is an excellent solar dehydrator. The dehydrating ability is one of those unique things that separated the Sun Oven from other solar cookers. It was a really great value-add to the cost of the Oven.

Up until about late 2022, the Sun Oven company offered a dehydrating rack accessory. Those were discontinued, because "The production costs made it unrealistic to be able to continue producing these for exclusive use in the Sun Oven" (as per SOI leadership).

Once those got discontinued, I took it upon myself to find an acceptable aftermarket rack that would work in the Sun Oven.

I tried a number of different rack options that I bought from Amazon and tested in my own back yard. I provided my results and pictures to Sun Oven International and they had it posted on their website for a while. Now that my original article isn't online any longer, I thought I'd post that here. I hope it helps.

I came up with two usable options that work as a dehydrating rack set. Read on.

Recommended Dehydration Racks for the All-American Sun Oven

1. CHEFMADE Backing and Cooling Rack Set
2. Ninja Foodie / Instant Pot Rack Set

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1. CHEFMADE Baking and Cooling Rack Set

The manufacturer markets the CHEFMADE Baking and Cooling Rack set mostly as a cooling rack, but it’s the perfect dehydration rack for the Sun Oven. This is my top suggestion.

This 3-tier rack is manufactured with food-grade silicone coating, non-Teflon, no harmful substance release in high temperatures. According to CHEFMADE, excellent non-stick can be achieved with less natural cooking oil. It cleans easy too.

I tested this in the Sun Oven and it fits perfectly. A few things to know when using with the Sun Oven:

• Remove the Sun Oven’s leveling rack prior to using the dehydration racks.
• For the best fit, keep the bottom rack’s legs folded. This still provides ample air flow at the bottom of the oven.
• Put one rack at a time into the Sun Oven. Finish placing your food or drying items on the rack before you add the next rack layer. This is because you will slide the racks in at a slight angle.

Pictured below: The CHEFMADE rack inside of my Sun Oven

Pros:

• Largest surface area of racks tested.
• Nice space between rack tiers
• Fits perfectly in the Sun Oven, and maximizes space.
• Easy to clean

Cons:

• The rack tiers need to be angled in order to put them into the Sun Oven, to get around the leveling rack bolts. This means that a user should put one rack in, and then place the food or drying item on the rack. Once done, the next rack can be inserted into the oven and the same process done.
• Cannot use with the Sun Oven’s leveling rack. So make sure you won’t need to tilt the Sun Oven too steep. Probably not an issue during summer months, but may be a problem in the winter.

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2. Dehydrator Rack for Ninja Foodie or Instant Pot

Note: This might be a good option for those who use a Ninja Foodie or Instant Pot, which would allow this rack to perform double-duty. In the Sun Oven, this rack just feels small. It works, but there is a lot of wasted space in the cooking chamber. That is the only downside I found – the size. Otherwise, this is a perfectly acceptable solution.

Pros:

• Can be used with the Sun Oven’s leveling rack. This is a benefit if you should need to move or adjust your Sun Oven during cooking time.
• Can be used with a Ninja Foodie and/or an Instant Pot, which means you can use this for multiple appliances.
• Available from multiple sellers - many types to choose from on Amazon.
• You can set up your food or drying items on the tiers, lock it all together, and place it in the Sun Oven at one time (as one whole unit).
• Dishwasher safe

Cons:

• A little small - feels like wasted space inside the Sun Oven. However, there are 5 tiers compared to 3 tiers of the CHEFMADE rack, so this can make up for some of that.