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.
1. A Barbie pink hidden dishwasher
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I’m usually so busy reviewing small appliances that I don’t have time to appreciate all of the wonderful large versions out there, but there was one thing on my tour of Smeg HQ that caught my eye immediately.
This Barbie pink waist-height appliance is masquerading as a fridge with its retro door, lettering and handle but behind the facade you’ll find a compact washing machine and sink set up that would complete any quirky pink kitchen scheme.
If the Barbie dream house was fitted with a washing machine, this would most certainly be it.
First released in 2006, this washing machine has become a cult collector’s item – and for good reason. If your home isn’t big enough for a utility room, you have to get inventive with hiding your washing machine instead and this compact buy solves that problem in real style.
The inside of the outer door also has two hidden storage compartments, so there’s even more of an incentive with this machine if you love things being neatly tucked away.
As Smeg moved away from large freestanding appliances to focus on built-in units and those kettles, toasters and coffee machines that we all know and love, they stopped making this popular pink machine. But luckily they kept the much-loved colourway, so if you do want to add a pop of pink these are the Smeg buys we’ve tried you can buy it in.
Smeg
Espresso Machine with Steam Wand
2. Smeg x Fiat 500 drinks fridge
Next up is a true centrepiece, one that you can find in Smeg’s HQ in Italy and London, that I’m sure will make you do a double take. The Smeg x Fiat 500 Drinks Fridge features the front half of a 50s version of this classic Italian car.
But underneath the bonnet, rather than finding an engine, you’ll find a swish mini fridge that is more than capable of holding enough drinks to throw a fabulous party.
This very pricey design collaboration between these two Italian powerhouses was never a mainstream commercial product sold to consumers, but it still holds a huge charm when you see it in person.
It’s not just Smeg HQ where you can find one of these fridges, although they are exceptionally rare. So if you do spot one out in the wild, you can impressive everyone with your knowledge of this cult classic design piece.
3. Snoopy & Disney special editions
One corner of Smeg’s Italian showroom is dedicated to the brand’s best known creation: the iconic single door retro 50s style fridge. And while I was perusing all of the styles and colours, I noticed two very different versions.
The first was a fridge with Disney’s very recognisable Mickey Mouse plastered across it, closely placed near another that featured character Snoopy, from the American cartoon strip Peanuts.
So what’s the story behind these cartoon-inspired fridges? The Disney collection came first, released in 2018, and saw the creation of 90 Mickey Mouse inspired fridges – one to celebrate every year since Mickey’s inception. It was a huge hit with customers, and the extremely low number of fridges made mean this is a big time collector’s item.
Following in the footsteps of Mickey’s success, Snoopy’s mini fridge was released in 2020 (and then re-released in 2022) and uses the backdrop of the Smeg fridge door as a cartoonist’s easel. If you were to find either of these fridges in the wild these days, they would definitely fetch a pretty penny.
It wasn’t just the archive that I got a glimpse of at Smeg’s HQ – I was also wowed by the brand’s new and wonderfully sleek Isola range, which features induction hobs and cooker hoods.
Combining old cult classics and new cutting edge appliances, it seems there’s so much more from Smeg still to come and I for one can’t wait to see what’s next!
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