The BS-M1 is a mid size parabolic designed for most efficient cooking results.(If a parabolic is too small in size it will not produce sufficient heat for the most effective cooking results and the opposite is true if it is too large; the heat therefore would be too intense.) The solar burner has a diameter of almost five feet, which produces a high output of energy (heat) for very efficient cooking, yet is not too large in diameter that one would have much trouble reaching the cooking plate.