Looking at a Bemco Oven and wondering what experiences people have had with them? Are they worth what they cost, and is it worth it to bring the extra weight?

Any ideas on a reflector oven? Makes, models, etc. I see some pretty fancy ones on the net. Anyone ever make one, and where did you get a pattern? Satisfied with how they work? Does food burn or never get done?

Thanks.

No experience with a Bemco oven.

But I can recommend the Old Scout Reflector Oven. A few years ago I bought a Old Scout reflector Oven from Jackfish at Canoecopia.

It has served me well when I trip with a group. I leave it behind on solo trips to cut weight.

It is well made and should last a lifetime. Some some folks will add a hinged door at the rear to rotate pans and a thermometer to gauge oven temperature.

Old Scout Reflector Oven

A buddy of mine has a Svante Freden Reflector Oven and he likes it a lot.

Svante Freden Reflector Oven

Kiporby brought a Bemco (or very simmilar) oven last Aug and we cooked personal sized pizzas in it. Over a Windpro it has a temp guage and worked well but can take a lot of fuel. It folds small and had 2 racks. Reached 350 degrees quickly but do not open it as all heat dissipates.
Have used reflectors many times all home built. I made one in the 80's out of SS cookie sheets and strapped it under the canoe seat. If your going to use the fire pit it is a very good choice, bit mor learning curve to get used to them. Old Scout's is one of the best I have looked at, but a rear opening can be great. Baking temps of 325+ easily reached with a flame reaching to the top height of the oven.

My most common method of baking on a trip involves just a SS pot and lid used as a Dutch Oven. My preferred pots are MSR Alpine's where the lids can be inverted to contain the fire coals. Another cooking method I use is a pot in a pot, which does a good god easily reaching 350 degrees for baking.


Bemco and reflector oven photos by Dan.

butthead

Make yer own. I combined all of the best ideas found in the multiple designs to be found on this site and came up with ours. Sort of heavy since it was made with 'scrap' materials that one of our guys found at work, but worth hauling along for basecamp trips. Maybe just for the novelty, but we enjoy it.

The hinged access door is a big plus:

If you need some plans let me know or recipes for them.

Butthead,

Awesome looking pizzas.

+1 on the Old Scout oven. Great craftmanship and well-designed. Lightweight and takes up almost no room. As soon as I received it I found that I had to file the tips of the "keys" to a small taper to get them to fit in the rods easily. A 10 minute job, but I'm glad I did it before I packed the oven for a trip.

I constructed a reflector oven several years ago when I could not find a light weight model that I like that would be sufficient for a solo or 2 person trip. So I started with plans and downsized to a suitable product. I wanted the unit to be just slightly wider than an anodized aluminum skillet I was already using. It is just about the size and shape of a typical cake pan, except it has a non-stick surface.

My reflector oven weighs in at one pound, was built with sheet aluminum (that I could cut with sheers) and employs no fasteners. The design uses tabs and slots that hold the pieces in place via friction (the slots are a bit wavy to provide friction on the tabs). The cooking rack is composed of a half-dozen metal skewers that are run side-to-side through a series of holes in each side panel. A very light weight thermometer hangs from one of the skewers to assist in judging heat.

After my first field use (solo trip to Quetico), I crafted a new back panel with a door to check cooking progress and to turn the pan.

Brownies, bread and pizza turn out perfectly.

The complete oven and accessories easily fit into a small bag I used to use to carry pen and tablet paper to office meetings ... it's coated material (so any soot I might pick up is contained) and has a zipper closure.

Footnote: Since this project was done years ago, the photos and plans are now in archive storage. I can retrieve them if you want ... just let me know.

dd

Add me to the list of "build your own" folks. I built 2 reflector ovens one will hold a 16 inch pizza pan and a much smaller one . I take one or the other depending on how many in the party, I don't bother taking one when I solo. I've made some great pizzas in the woods, and always bake some biscuits for biscuits and gravy, when I'm solo I just cook fry bread. You really need a standing fire to cook with a reflector oven, don't try to cook on coals, takes forever and the top portion of your food does'nt get done. FRED

FOG51: "Add me to the list of "build your own" folks. I built 2 reflector ovens one will hold a 16 inch pizza pan and a much smaller one . I take one or the other depending on how many in the party, I don't bother taking one when I solo. I've made some great pizzas in the woods, and always bake some biscuits for biscuits and gravy, when I'm solo I just cook fry bread. You really need a standing fire to cook with a reflector oven, don't try to cook on coals, takes forever and the top portion of your food does'nt get done. FRED"

Reflector ovens are designed for a standing fire not using coals like a dutch oven does. You need the fire up at least as high as the top of the stove and fire down low too to get the bottom of it baked.

FOG51: "Add me to the list of "build your own" folks. I built 2 reflector ovens one will hold a 16 inch pizza pan and a much smaller one . I take one or the other depending on how many in the party, I don't bother taking one when I solo. I've made some great pizzas in the woods, and always bake some biscuits for biscuits and gravy, when I'm solo I just cook fry bread. You really need a standing fire to cook with a reflector oven, don't try to cook on coals, takes forever and the top portion of your food does'nt get done. FRED"

Second the statement "you really need a standing fire to cook with a reflector oven". We rarely have a big fire in camp with just my son and I so we gave up on the reflector oven. We both agree its too much work when we can bake in a pan. For 2018 I am considering the frybake pan as a backcountry dutch oven to bake in. I have a lot of dutch oven experience and this would certainly be an easier way to bake plus it doubles as our frying pan. Of course theres always the JMO oven but those don't pack worth a hoot and I like my pizza, brownies, biscuits, etc.... flat. That's just me.

I have both, a Bemco and a reflector oven. They both work well but I think the Bemco is easier to use. Use a remote fuel stove to provide the heat, watch the temp gauge and adjust your flame as needed to maintain a consistent temp and enjoy when it's done. The Bemco does however as pointed out earlier in this thread use addition fuel that will need to be figured into what you bring with. I also enjoy my reflector oven but it requires a bit more work in gathering wood and starting and maintaining a fire to cook with. It's a fun challenge and a skill to learn and perfect. It is not as easy to "dial" is the Bemco. I have enjoyed using them both and have no preferences on which one I use. I guess the trip I plan more so directs my preference of what I use, if that makes sense. When we have had a large group we have taken both or neither when it was just my wife and I.