The article discusses the importance of efficient solar-to-fuel conversion for competitive solar fuel production and the role of solar thermochemical cycling (STC) in achieving this goal. The study focuses on evaluating the performance of benchmark nonstoichiometric oxides such as ceria, Zr-doped ceria, and perovskite oxides in STC to understand their efficiency under practical operating conditions. Results indicate that neat ceria exhibits the highest solar-to-fuel efficiency, while perovskite oxides have lower efficiency due to factors like reduction enthalpy, specific heat, and water consumption. The research also delves into ideal hypothetical oxides with enhanced thermodynamic properties, showing the potential for significantly improved solar-to-fuel efficiency. The findings emphasize the intricate interplay between redox oxides, reactors, thermodynamic properties, and operating conditions in determining hydrogen productivity and energy consumption. By optimizing solar-to-fuel efficiency at specific reduction temperatures, the study contributes new insights into material design and screening for efficient STC reactors and systems.