SMEG 50’s Retro Iconic Toaster Review

Reviewed by Becky B

I would never have thought of buying a pink toaster, I love pink, but it’s not a colour I immediately associate with kitchen appliances, so when I was asked to review the SMEG 50’s retro four-slice toaster, I was perfectly prepared not to like it – how wrong can you be, I’m in love with it!

I was pleased to review a SMEG toaster as the brand reputation speaks for itself in terms of design and quality, but I was keen to put this to the test myself and see if the retail price of £199 is justified.

The SMEG toaster looks great and has a simple, and distinctive vintage retro design.  I would usually choose chrome appliances to complement kitchen but found that although the toaster had a retro design, it still fitted right in with our kitchen’s more modern feel and the pink added a welcome splash of colour to our white cabinets and neutral colour scheme, which can sometimes feel a bit clinical.  I could also imagine that the retro theme of the toaster would also fit into a range of different styles of kitchen, with its iconic curves and choice of colours.

The model of toaster reviewed (TSF03) is the four-slice option and each of the toaster slots are a good size, easily fitting thick or toastie cut slices of bread, with self-centring racks, to ensure the bread does not touch the heated elements causing it to get stuck.  There is a conveniently placed lever to lower the bread into the toaster and the toaster is simple to operate with dials to select the level of toastiness required and a button to pop up the toast, if you wish to remove it before it pops.  There are two independent sets of controls (each controlling two toaster slots) and dials allowing you to toast to two different levels of toasting simultaneously according to your preference and toasting is even and relatively quick.  Controls are on the front of the toaster meaning its easy to be able to access the controls and when in use the dials are back lit and look super cool.

The toaster also has two crumb trays which is a typical toaster feature, but they are a good size and easy to completely remove and clean as needed.  There are some special features which I have not seen on a toaster before which includes a bagel function – allowing you to toast just one side of the bagel or bread – my daughter who loves cinnamon and raison bagels was a big fan of this option, it ensured her bagel was well toasted and crispy on the cut side but still somewhat soft and chewy on the other side – in her words ‘just perfect’.  In addition to the bagel function there is also a defrost function and a reheat setting which allows sandwiches to be reheated or the toasting cycle to be resumed.  All the additional settings are easily accessed either using designated buttons or the control dials and are clearly explained in the user guide.  There is also the option to buy additional accessories such as sandwich racks and a bun warming rack.

The toaster arrived well packaged in its box and an outer box.  I was impressed with how well the packaging protected the toaster in transit, and pleased to say that the majority was recyclable. The whole process from ordering the toaster from AO.com to home delivery was quick and easy and I would highly recommend.  AO.com sell a range of household appliances, entertainment, and electrical goods for use around the home.  Despite this wide selection, the website is easily organised into appliance types so its easy to navigate and the filters are effective in streamlining the browsing process.  Placing an order on the website is straightforward as you would expect and information about delivery was clear and sent straight to my mobile, with a 1-hour delivery time slot provided by the courier.

Overall, I am highly impressed with the service from AO.com and the SMEG four-slice toaster has become quite a feature in our kitchen.  The toaster is on the higher price for a four-slice toaster, but I feel that the product does justify the price.  The toaster is quite heavy in comparison to other toasters we have had previously, and I think this is due to the quality of the product and will be used daily.  It is sturdy and robust but also stylish and well designed with a range of handy features, although this toaster is much more than just functionality, it is iconic.

Rating: I would rate this product 5/5 stars

RRP: £199

This toaster can be purchased from AO.com here.