With the global Covid-19 pandemic and repeated lockdowns at varying levels, 2020 proved to be one of the most challenging years in decades.

Then, just as we thought things were looking up in the new year, 2021 proved that it was going to be no picnic either. In recent months South Africans have found themselves in the dark – literally and figuratively – as persistent episodes of load shedding have left us all wondering just what the future holds, and how we’re supposed to keep on working from home, when we literally don’t have the energy to do so.

Bouts of stage-4 load shedding have done little to inspire confidence. In fact, fears of long-term load shedding have been magnified by media comments from Eskom spokesman Sikonathi Mantshantsha, who explained that the recent heavy load shedding was due to ageing power plants that simply can’t deal with the demands being placed on them anymore.

The good news, however, is that there is a glimmer of light at the end of this very dark load shedding tunnel; it goes by the name of Gizzu. This is a brand that specialises in sourcing the best tech from overseas markets, working with original equipment manufacturers directly to specify products for local needs with an eye to keep products affordable and accessible for ordinary South Africans.

Although primarily a consumer technology brand, Gizzu has made a name for itself in the power solution space since its inception in 2017. Its range of products includes power banks, UPS solutions, jump-starters, charging cables, adapters and more. All Gizzu products come with a standard one-year warranty that is supported locally.

Portable Power Station

A new addition to Gizzu’s range of power solutions, which has just become available in South Africa, is its Portable Power Station. Small in stature, but packing a powerful 296Wh punch, this product delivers 300W of stable power via a light and reliable lithium-ion battery.

Thanks to a partnership between Digital Generation and the manufacturers of Gizzu, this powerful and fully portable energy station will be available in South Africa from the end of July. Unlike Gizzu’s Mini UPS, the 296Wh Portable Power Station comes with a standard 230V three-pronged plug socket, two DC ports, a 12V auxiliary output and four USB ports – one of which is USB 3.0 quick-charge compatible. All of this means that this Gizzu Portable Power Station is an easy, safe and reliable way to keep your essential electric and electronic gear powered up and ready for action, whether you need to survive another power blackout, or you just need a reliable and portable energy source for your next camping or fishing trip.

And there’s a good reason that this little power station goes by a name that sounds a lot like an international fashion icon … it’s a real looker. Decked out in black and bright green, the Gizzu Portable Power Station is as much at home in the most pristine lounge or office environment as it is out on the road or powering up your campsite.

But don’t let Gizzu’s stylish good looks fool you into thinking it’s not a hard worker. This rugged little workhorse is ready to keep your lights on, and laptop and Wi-Fi router fired up, whenever Eskom can’t. It has enough juice in it to keep a laptop on for up to six hours, a 12W router operating for up to 25 hours, or power the average 42-inch TV for around three hours* – long enough to keep you entertained through most load-shedding periods. And if it’s device recharges you need, Gizzu’s got that covered, too. In fact, the 296Wh Portable Power Station packs enough power to recharge your smartphone up to 23 times, or a tablet 11 times.

Of course, at Digital Generation we don’t sell any product that we’re not 100% confident associating our trusted name with, which is why we put Gizzu’s 296Wh Portable Power Station through its paces, with strenuous testing conducted by the most discerning of power users.

First off, we brought in a gaggle of gamers to put the device through its paces. After a two-hour intense gaming session, the gamers were worn out, but the Portable Power Station was still ready for action, happily keeping the TV and gaming console powered up. The verdict from our gaming testers was that while the Gizzu Portable Power Station’s fan was a little loud when the load levels were high , the portability and light weight of this little power plant meant they were able to simply move it into the next room. And the gamers who were wearing headphones said they never even realised it was on.

On the back of that positive feedback, we decided to put Gizzu to the test with an even more discerning and critical bunch of testers – namely, some of our resident DG soapie addicts!

Once again, Gizzu’s Portable Power Station was more than up to the task, powering the DStv decoder and TV set and happily feeding our soapie sisters’ TV habit for over two hours. Because it was placed in another room, our contented viewers weren’t even aware that it was doing all the heavy lifting for them.

The Gizzu 296Wh Portable Power Station is priced at just R4 299 (including VAT) and can be pre-ordered now from Digital Generation, for delivery from the end of July. To order, please e-mail [email protected], or visit www.dg.co.za.