I visited Smeg’s Italian HQ and saw their archive of appliances

The Smeg name has been synonymous with stylish kitchen appliances for many years now in the UK, but in Italy, the brand’s heritage and influence stretch back much further.

That’s something I learned first-hand last week on a trip to Smeg’s incredibly impressive HQ, based in northern Italy, where I got access to a treasure trove of trademark pastel kitchen appliances.

As Ideal Home’s Kitchen Appliances Editor (and owner of a beloved Smeg toaster and kettle set), the part of the tour I most enjoyed was glimpsing all of the now-discontinued or limited edition pieces from Smeg’s collection – many of which are now extremely rare.