I was recently in my stepbrother’s kitchen and saw one of those vintage‑style SMEG fridges in bright red. It looked like a 1950s appliance brought into the present – curved doors, bold chrome handle, and an unmistakable retro feel. “A wedding gift,” he reminded me, “20 years and it’s still going strong!”

SMEG is, in fact, known for its iconic retro kitchen appliances, but it’s way more than that: there’s a long history behind the company and a broader product range that deserves attention. It was founded in 1948 in Guastalla, in Emilia‑Romagna, by Vittorio Bertazzoni as a metalworking and enameling business, hence the name “SMEG,” short for Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla.