Bob
I have both the sport and the global and use them side by side. The sports winter mode allows me to use it much earlier in the morning than the global. Standing it up reduces the cooking area but I can start cooking bread soon after sunrise.
I really don't see one as actually better, rather having both compliment each other.
The global can take a much larger pot or two pots stacked. The newer version, the American sun oven get considerably hotter than the sport. My global runs around the same temp. You tilt the global and a rack inside keeps the pot level.
The downsides are the depth of the cooking chamber means a difference between top and bottom. i really noticed it when I tried a double layer cake in it. The bottom cake took much longer to cook and needed to be lifted to finish. It also doesn't tilt as far as I would need it for early sun. Also the fins are not very stable in the wind and they don't come off.
My favorite pot is a 4 quart up right with a lid. I use it for stews, soups, a rolled up rack of ribs and even a whole chicken. It will do many other things too. It easily keep a pot of water hot all day long.
The sport is wide where the sun ovens are deep. They take two 3 quart pans side by side and each can hold a chicken. It is designed to be used with out the reflectors in the summer. i use them to help it heat up and to recover from putting cold food in it. They can cause it to exceed its 300* limit and possibly warp the lid. Instead of tilting for low sun, you put it on its back for a better angle and larger absorption surface.
Because it is shallower it heats up faster and more evenly. Two cakes side by side finish at the same time and while the chicken cooks, I add and remove other parts of the meal next to it. I use a larger variety of cookware as it does all of the baking too.
The downsides are that while you can tilt it some, it gives you a on even cooking surface. The winter mode has a smaller cooking area , It has a 300* limit and is more of a pain to open and close. It is however much more stable in the wind with it's fins on.
They both work very well and if you wanted hotter the American sun oven is worth the extra cost. i found my Global on ebay for $90 shipped. They are usually under $200. The sport is around $200 new with the pans. The American with the kit is over $300 and gets over 400 degrees.
Having both is great if you have the room. Where one has a weakness, the other has a strength. I can run a ot of food through them on a nice sunny summer day, only a few days worth in the winter.
