It was made in the fifties: when product names were obvious and cheery.
It's a dashing, chunky thing cast from a dense plaster with wire fittings and a polystyrene and plastic door.
It's an electricity free fridge! Here's a nice old ad for it. I'm really pleased, it's working well so far. There's a dip in the top that you fill with water from time to time and it soaks down into the casing. It keeps food fresh on the premise that whenever water evaporates it has a cooling effect. This is how your average (ugly, noisy) fridge works as well - only they're chocca full of mucky chemicals.
One of the things I really love about the boat is that when I leave I know that it's dormant - I don't leave behind anything that hums or whirrs or gobbles electricity whilst I'm out. It gets me down to think of all the households across the country with fridges running all day every day.
I reckon I'm going to try and be without an electric fridge from here on in, even when I've got mains electricity. The Osokool has been a real revelation for me in case you can't tell, I could probably yabber on about it for ages. I reckon I might try casting my own bigger one sometime: a bit of a project.
What do you think? The Osokool doesn't make a drink icy cold for you, and you'd probably have to be a little more veggie orientated rather than stock-piling sausages. Would you go fridgeless or is it a silly idea?
not a silly idea but a very difficult one indeed. there many ways to not use electricity , at least not too much of it. but that was one i never though about. i remember my grandmother back in greece using one of those ( or to be honest just a similar more humble one...) it worked fine. everything was fresh and eatable out of this box. your idea makes certainly one think...
ReplyDeleteYou're right, it would be difficult. It's good to hear about your grandmother using one though - especially that it worked in Greece where it's hot. Did she have one shaped like a modern fridge or was it a pot with a lid on top?
ReplyDeleteI was fridgeless for a while, easy when you live in a cold building with no central heating - then I got one, not sure why, summer I expect. I'd have to shop more often if I didn't have one, but I try to empty it and turn it off if I go away for just a few days even. I wonder if I could do winter without it? Do you know Emily Cummins little portable fridge made for medicines in hot countries?, I think you'd appreciate her inventions.
ReplyDeleteLove the very cool Osokool!
Yes, living in a fridge is one way to go without one you're right! I've had a look at Emily Cummins - what a good egg - I'd like to email her with some questions but she does look to be a busy lady. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteI reckon you could go fridgeless this winter, let's all do it - keep milk on the windowsill. Vive le revolution and all that.
Nice to hear from you by the way, I'm a big fan of your blog.
Oh thanks, you never know who's been visiting your blog do you...cant put milk on my window sill because squirrels live there!!
ReplyDeleteMy fridge actually goes weird every very cold winter when the ambient temp drops - so that's obviously a message to switch it off, clever German design.