Buying guides

Cooker Buying Guide

If you're thinking of buying a new cooker this buyers guide will help you to understand what options are available, fundamental considerations such whether you should consider a range cooker or traditional freestanding cooker, and what features are available to ensure you get the most from your cooker.

SMEG'S COOKER BUYERS GUIDE

The kitchen is the heart of the home and cooking is at the heart of what we do here at Smeg. A passion for cooking deserves an outstanding cooker that enables you to create great dishes whilst adding character and style to your home.

Smeg's collection of range cookers are award winning, recognised for Which Best Buys and Red Dot Design awards, thanks to Smeg’s solid build quality, design and technology.

Regardless of whether you’re conducting a full kitchen redesign or replacing an old cooker, let us simplify the buying process by steering you through the various ranges, features and technologies available from Smeg.

Choose your Size

Selecting a cooker that will fit comfortably in your kitchen is also a factor to consider. Whether freestanding or built-in, we have models ranging from a small 35-litre capacity to an ample 115 litres, many of which have finished side panels for complete flexibility if installed away from furniture. If you have limited space, then a 60cm Concert Cooker like the SUK62MX8 will fit snugly into your kitchen units. However, if you have more space available to play with, then a large centre piece cooker such as the impressive 150cm Opera Cooker (the largest in the industry) might be preferable.
Cookers

Measuring 80 cm wide or less, these cookers allow those with a smaller kitchen to achieve the traditional aesthetic of a range cooker in a compact form. They are an excellent choice for kitchens with limited space, such as compact, city-style kitchens and loft-style apartments.

View all cookers
Range cookers

Range cookers are 90 cm or wider in width, making them ideal for larger kitchens and entertaining guests. On the largest models, they can have up to four cavities and seven burners.

View all range cookers

CHOOSE A FUEL TYPE

Some cooking enthusiasts prefer the visual element to cooking with gas and the instant heat is perfect for intense Asian cooking. However, induction technology is now one of the most popular choices, due to the instant heat, low controllable simmer and cool-to-touch glass. Ceramic hob options are also available as well as mixed fuel in the 120cm Portofino cookers.
Dual fuel

A popular choice, dual fuel cookers provide a mix of electric oven(s) and gas hobs, including ultra-rapid burners on many.

Find all duel fuel cookers
Electric

All-electric cookers include electric ovens and a choice of either induction or ceramic hob top.

Find all electric cookers

Cavity layout

The size of your cooker will begin to narrow your cavity layout options however it is worth giving layout some consideration. For example, Smeg's 90cm cookers are available not only in various aesthetics but also with a single, dual or triple cavity layout. For those who like the flexibility of a separate grill, the stainless steel SY93-1 cooker is a good choice, allowing ultimate versatility with three spacious cavities to choose from. However, if you would rather two more spacious cavities, then the dual cavity CPF92GMBL Portofino cooker might be a better option. Across the collections, Smeg provides a wide selection of options with anything from one to four cavities available, allowing you to choose the perfect layout for your cooking needs

Style

Italian style and design detail is at the heart of Smeg’s ethos, therefore it comes as no surprise that our range cooker collections are available in a wide choice of finishes and styles – industrial, traditional or bright. Spanning 13 colours, from pastel green to bright yellow, stainless steel and gloss black, there’s a Smeg range cooker to suit your kitchen.

If you’re looking for a contemporary design, one of the sleek models in the Symphony range is worth considering, such as the new SYD4110-1 in stainless steel and eclipse black glass. If a traditional kitchen is more your taste, the iconic ‘Victoria’ range (inspired by Smeg’s original 1948 ‘Elisabeth’ collection) is guaranteed to add heart and soul to the room. Particularly popular is the TR4110BL1, featuring two 61 litre main ovens, grill and handy storage drawer.

What is the difference between an oven and a cooker?

Typically, a cooker is a freestanding appliance with the oven(s) on the bottom and multiple burners/zones on the cooktop at the top of the appliance.
An oven is a built-in kitchen appliance used for baking and grilling that has one or two doors (single or double oven) and does not have a cooktop or hob included.

View our oven buying guide

WHAT FUNCTIONS SHALL I LOOK FOR?

All Smeg Cookers feature at least one electric oven cavity where heat is easily controlled, especially in an oven which utilises our Circulaire technology. The circulaire function provides quick, multi-layered cooking with excellent browning results. Due to the effective circulation of hot air, there is no flavour transfer between foods. Delicate and strongly fragranced foods can be cooked at the same time.

Other functions to keep an eye out for are top & bottom element (static) ideal for fruitcakes and bread, top & bottom element with fan (fan assisted) great for slow cooking and grill for crispy, browned results.

Key features

Self-Cleaning

Through the pyrolytic cleaning function, all dirt and grease are burned away effortlessly and transformed into ash which can be simply wiped away. There is no need for detergents, thanks to the extremely high temperature reached by the oven (500 °C)

View cookers with pyrolytic cleaning
Temperature probe

Temperature probes ensure perfect cooking results every time. The core temperature of food is monitored via a sensor located in the tip of the probe. By inserting into the thickest part of the meat, various cuts and sizes can be cooked precisely & to your preferred temperature for complete cooking control and truly succulent dishes.

View cookers with a temperature probe
Steam

Steam cooking provides faster cooking times  - typically 20-25% less than conventional cooking, as well as reduced energy consumption. Thanks to its delicate nature steam cooks in a different way, locking in food's nutritional and organoleptic properties.

View cookers with a steam oven

Completing the look

Hoods

Each range cooker on offer at Smeg can be completed with a complementing hood and splashback. Smeg chimney hoods offer powerful extraction and low noise levels.

View all cooker chimney hoods
Splashbacks

Splashbacks are a cost effective alternative to tiles and improve hygiene as there is no grout line to collect dirt and grease.

View all splashbacks
Accessories

If you are a keen cook or budding baker there are a number of additional accessories available to enhance your cooking experience. For example, there are Teppanyaki Grill Plates especially designed for cooking exotic dishes that many have never explored and a  special pizza stone accessory can be placed in the base of the oven, enabling users to make authentic stone baked pizzas in a matter of minutes. 

View all accessories

Need help?

Did you know that Smeg has a dedicated support website which is full of useful information about our products, including everything from how to set the clock on your cooker to how to register your warranty?

Read our FAQ's

Found this helpful? View our other buyers’ guides

View buying guides