Fan-tastic

The one object most homes in South Africa, during summer, have running is a fan. This is a prime example of a smarter one, combining a portable nature (thanks, battery), great build, and ease of setup and use into one great, if very Appliance White, device.

Value 7

Battery 8

Silence 8

Cooling 9

User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

Christmas in Joburg isn’t what it is in the movies – especially in the northern hemisphere where it really does snow.

I was thinking of this mismatch between the top half of the planet’s way of celebrating (what’s for them) a winter wonderland while watching that excellent film by the geniuses from Aardman Animation, the makers of Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep.

There we were, in 30-degree heat on a late Saturday afternoon, watching snow-capped (animated) splendour whizzing below Santa’s sleigh. Just in front of the TV – ironically – was a gently turning fan. Fans have become an essential item for Joburg summers in the last three or four years as heatwaves have persisted from November to February.

Opening windows for a cross-draft is a handy solution. I’m always amazed at how few people know this simple trick. Admittedly, I learned this from my architect mother, who always explained why things were done as if to get ahead of our curiosity. More than anything she imbued us kids with common sense and pragmatism, which is why I am such a fan of simple solutions using simple, reliable technology.