MeacoFan might be a name that many South Africans are familiar with, but with the summer in full swing, perhaps it should be. I’ve been testing the MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator for a while and it has been a joy.

Perhaps the fan’s biggest trick is that it does not only provide the regular horizontal oscillation, but can also be set to rotate vertically. This helps with better air circulation and gets cold air into more spaces. If you don’t enjoy the fan constantly blowing on or across you, this is the fan for you.

Secondly, it seems to be ideal for the bedroom since it starts off at a quiet 20 dB, according to MeacoFan, about the volume of some rustling leaves. I’m not good with noise while sleeping and the MeacoFan managed to keep the bedroom cold without turning up the volume. Granted, it’s dependent on the speed you’ve selected – it can go to a loud, punchy and blustery 12 if you’re dealing with extreme heat. 

Round and round it goes

The 1056 has a stylish designed topped with a stitched leather carry strapped. It’s a far better look than most regular fans, and more preferable to another ball-shape fan - Panasonic’s Q-Fan.

There’s no visible buttons on the 1056, instead a touch panel lights up below the fan unit with your different options plus the current temperature. If you’re in a rush, just press the Eco mode and it will then decide on the fan speed depending on the temperature inside the room. 

Make sure you have the included remote control on hand, especially at night when the fan might be far away. It makes it easier to select the different options, even during the course of the day, especially if the fan is standing on the ground. 

It allows you to set a time limit on how long the fan should be on at night, while you can also switch off the light being emitted from the touch-display – a certain pain in a dark bedroom. The remove can be magnetically stored on the centre of the fan when carrying it around, but unfortunately it cannot be used to control the fan from that position.  

If there is one thing that I would have liked to have extra, it’s an option to memorise previously used settings. This because the MeacoFan doesn’t automatically start rotating if you switch it on – you need to actually press both the left-right and up-down rotation buttons to start doing so. 

Worth getting

Finally, the price - R2 499, which pushes the fan to the high-end where it competes against mist fans and lower-priced portable air cons. Is it worth it? If you have the bucks I would say so, especially with the large amount of features onboard. During the Joburg heat-wave it was a saving grace and with its low volume almost never a bother. It can be purchased online from select retailers or from www.solencosa.co.za.