Affordable gadgets that make the load shedding woes go away

Hey. Don’t let load shedding get the best of you. I know it’s tough, but there are ways to make those bouts without electricity a little more tolerable without breaking the bank on solar, an inverter, or a state-of-the-art battery.

Investing in these budget-friendly load shedding essentials will make your life so much easier!

Light the darkness

The first and simplest order of business is to take care of lighting. You don’t have to stumble around in the dark with your phone’s torch lighting the way. Just swap out your normal bulbs for load shedding bulbs! These will function just as regular lights do. When the power goes off and the light is switched on, it will stay on and light the way through your load shedding session.

Yuppiechef

Gizzu Everglow Screw-in Rechargeable Emergency LED Bulb R149.00 from Yuppiechef.

Charge up easily

Nothing is more frustrating than forgetting to charge your phone or tablet before load shedding strikes. Getting a battery pack will make life much simpler. Keep your phone charged as well as your speakers, earphones, smartwatches, and other USB devices.

You don’t have to sweat about a low battery again. Just remember to charge your power bank, though…

Cape Union Mart

Volkano 10 000mAh Fuel Power Bank + 3-in-1 Cable R299.00 from Cape Union Mart.

Power through no problem

You’re in the middle of a social media scroll and the wifi cuts. You stare into your screen for a few moments, waiting for your mobile data to kick in – surprise surprise, it never does. The cell towers are battling load shedding too. It’s dark outside, and your CCTV is down too…there’s a way out.

With a mini UPS, you can keep your wifi connection or CCTV cameras going throughout load shedding, as long as you keep it charged. Once the power hits, your connection will automatically switch to being powered by your UPS.

Builders

Gizzu Mini Dual DC UPS (36W) for R899.00 from Builders.

Cook until the lights come back on

Don’t let load shedding hold you back from cooking. There’s always the option of having a braai but by the time the coals are ready, the power’s back on. You’ve got two other options.

Investing in a gas stove or camping hotplate is the perfect weapon against load shedding that strikes in the middle of meal prep or that first morning coffee.

Clicks

Safeway Double Spiral Hotplate for R369.00 from Clicks.

Another uncommon but wonderful addition to your load shedding kitchen artillery is the Wonderbag! It does all the work of a slow cooker, except it requires no power!

Prep your meal on the stovetop by bringing your pot of food to boil before transferring it to the Wonderbag. Once load shedding kicks in and your pan is in the bag, your food will stay warm for ages and can even slow cook if you leave it in there for the day. Bonus? It also doubles as a cooler bag!