In 1956, Smeg welcomed Elisabeth – the world’s first freestanding programmable cooker with flame failure device pioneered, the brainchild of the company’s founder Vittorio Bertazzoni.
In 1970, Niagara, the world’s first 14 place setting dishwasher, put Smeg on the map. The company’s reputation as a true powerhouse continues today with Smeg’s patented Planetary wash system.
In 1985, Smeg appointed the famous Italian architect, Guido Canali to design their appliances. In keeping with his rigid architectural principles – strict form and pure, essential design – Canali conceived the Classic collection. Recognised by the international design community and exhibited at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the collection has been a world-leading design ever since. Over thirty years later, Smeg’s Classic Collection is as elegant, beautiful and relevant as ever.
Smeg’s Classic oven features in Light Corridor House by . Photo by & .
Smeg’s Classic oven features in Photo by .
Renzo Piano is the mastermind behind some of the world’s most beautiful buildings including Aurora Place in Sydney and The Shard in London. The Piano Collection was first developed in 100% stainless steel, an enormous engineering challenge in 1997. Today’s Collection has evolved further to feature the latest technology and brings the most beautiful, timeless design to the most prestigious of developments.
Piano by Smeg collection in situ.
I have a little confession to make. Up until relatively recently (some 4 years ago), I was absolutely convinced was a Swiss, German or perhaps a Scandinavian brand. I know, how bloody ridiculous am I? Even though I’ve specified a whole range of their fantastic products many times while working as an interior designer, I think I was simply thrown by the name. This thought is utterly ridiculous to me now, because – knowing what I know about Smeg today, I feel like a complete goose because this brand couldn’t be any more Italian if it tried. Their Italian-ness is a wonderful thing and indeed what sets them apart, as this is precisely where their passion for style meets their passion for .
This year Smeg celebrates a significant milestone – their 70th birthday – marked by several exciting releases, and most notably, the which is firmly positioned at the pinnacle of domestic appliances. But before we get to that, I wanted to reflect on Smeg’s formidable design heritage over the last 70 years, their high profile collaborations and many technical innovations, all of which have contributed to elevating the brand all the way to the top.
Smeg’s headquarters and cooking factory in Guastalla, Northern Italy, designed by their long-term collaborator Guido Canali.
In 2003 Smeg opened their new headquarters and cooking factory in Guastalla, near Reggio Emilia in Northern , midway between Milan and Venice. Designed by their long-term collaborator Guido Canali, the building is surrounded by everything that makes the premium brand tick – breathtaking nature (there are something like 4,000 trees on the property), world-class design and architecture and, very importantly, incredible food – think Prosciutto di Parma, Balsamico di Modena vinegar and Parmigiano Reggiano – YUM!
With such a rich heritage of design, art, architecture, fashion and culture, and beauty and inspiration at every turn, this region has unsurprisingly generated a globally acclaimed manufacturing industry. Ferrari, Ducati, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani and Barilla, are just some other mighty Italian brands also calling this area their home.
Smeg’s Freestanding Thermoseal stove features in Photo by .
Launched in 1997, Smeg’s innovative approach, which began with the introduction of the pioneering Elisabeth model in 1956, has culminated in the most advanced and sophisticated freestanding models on the market. Unsurprisingly, the collection has been adopted by leading architects and interior designers both here in Australia and abroad.
Smeg’s Freestanding Cooker features in photographer ‘s The Bank Studio.
In 2008, designed a range of products for Smeg including ovens, gas hobs and induction hobs characterised by their soft lines, user-friendly features, energetic and distinctive use of coloured enamel, and by surfaces in stainless steel or glass. The collection won the Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award in 2010, and Wallpaper* Design Award in 2009.
Embracing modern vintage style with technological innovation, the Victoria Collection was conceived in 2010 as an homage to the original Elisabeth cooker – the world’s first programmable freestanding cooker with flame failure device pioneered by Smeg in 1956.
From its inception in 1948, Smeg’s mission has been to develop cooking appliances which create the most delicious meals in the most accessible manner. They’ve also developed other kitchen appliances like state-of-the-art dishwashers designed to enhance the quality of everyday life. Since then, the brand has gone on to conceive, invent, develop, test, prove and bring to market various technologies which are considered to be the best in the field.
In cooking, Smeg is the only manufacturer to have successfully met the challenge of maintaining the optimum atmospheric balance in the oven cavity with Thermoseal technology. In dishwashing, they are the only manufacturer to have successfully evolved effective wash-arm techniques culminating in planetary action for the Diamond Collection.
In 2013 WELs (the Australian Government’s Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme) awarded Smeg 6 stars, its highest rating by a dishwasher in Australia. The accolade was based on Smeg achieving an industry-leading minimum of only 9.8L to wash 15 place settings, the result of the unique orbital wash system. 2016 saw the introduction of another world-first in dishwashing – planetary wash – a system 60% more efficient than its predecessor. With a 6 star WELs rating, the system uses only 9.8L for a full wash.
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