It's not that unusual for us to be impressed with a gadget that does just a thing or two if it does it well. The MeacoFan 260c is one of these - it knows what it's supposed to do (keep you cool for ages when there's no power) and it does it. Almost completely silently, as it happens. If you find yourself losing your cool during the 'shed, this one's for you.
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Some of the smartest devices we’ve ever encountered at Stuff aren’t very smart at all. By which we mean there’s no app, no Bluetooth connection, and no way to connect to the internet. It’s just a gadget that does its very best to make your life easier. The MeacoFan 260c cordless fan is one of those devices. It’s got a single purpose… okay, well, a dual purpose… and it performs its function well.
As the name and the images and all your prior history with things that look like this suggest, this is a fan. It’s supposed to keep you cool. Or, at least, keep the mosquitos at bay long enough for you to fall asleep. But since South Africa is nose-deep in the worst load shedding we’ve experienced ever, a working fan is a luxury most nights. Enter the MeacoFan 260c, which doesn’t give a toss about Eskom.
As simple as it gets
When it comes to design, what you see is what you get with the MeacoFan 260z. It’s a high-quality fan, fashioned from sturdy but lightweight plastic (for its head portion), with a far heavier base and a metal arm propping it all up. It doesn’t rotate, though the head angles vertically — this is a manual operation, don’t get too excited. It’ll direct airflow exactly where you want it. Best of all, it’ll do this without recourse to pathetic things like wall sockets and electricity.
That’s because this uncomplicated device has a reason for its weight. Sure, the metal spine helps but there’s also a large battery in the base. The base hosts a small LED lamp, so you can see the area being cooled when the night is dark and full of terrors. Big deal, right? Battery-powered fans aren’t anything new. But none of those critters was made by Meaco, which has a slight obsession with moving air around.
Wallet-friendly oxygen shifter
Which is part of the reason why this little critter will set you back R1,000. It is very good at what it does, despite being capable of being wholly battery-operated. There’s only a single button and a single port, which is about as smart as this thing gets. Tap the button and it’ll cycle through four different speeds, the last two of which get very chilly. Hold it down and you’ll turn the LED light on or off. Around back, the USB-C port should play nice with whichever charge cables you have lying around.
In operation, Meaco’s little fan can be used like a regular, wall-socket cooling appliance. It won’t make much noise, either. Each fan ships with a little strip of blue ribbon tied to the front of the fan. That’s so you can see it’s working. The motor and blade combination is incredibly silent, even if you’ve got it cranked. And Eskom comes along to make your life difficult, the silently spinning blades won’t even hitch.
The MeacoFan 260c will just keep on blowing your hair back as you furiously bang away at your novel/spreadsheets/whatever. Meaco reckons the 260c’s battery will give you fourteen hours on a charge and that’s possible — if you’re using it on its lowest speed setting and the light is off. It’ll still breeze through load shedding without losing much charge. Topping up is as easy as connecting to a power bank or laptop. As long as you have one of those lying around, you’ll remain the coolest customer in the currently-affected rolling blackout area.
MeacoFan 260c verdict
If you’re in the market for Meaco’s 260c, you’ll find it at retail establishments around the country. If you don’t like leaving your home, you’ll also encounter it online. At R1,000, the price might seem a little steep but only until you encounter just how effective it is at cooling a space down. It won’t sort out an entire room but as a personal cooling option, it’s hard to beat. The MeacoFan 260c is ideal for camping and the like but it’s even better for keeping cool during a load shedding summer in South Africa. Solenco, the company that brings it into the country, also offers a range of larger, pricier fans that will cool any space you care to name — while there’s power, of course.