Review - the Smeg Victoria Range Collection
18/07/17 10:49 Filed in: Product Focus
The Smeg Victoria range cooker has been a great success for the famous Italian manufacturer, and what started as a single 110cm dual fuel model in cream or black has now expanded into a complete range of colourful models in both dual fuel and induction, including 90cm formats.
Introduced to cater to a particularly British desire for a traditional-looking 110cm range cookers (a size which does not exist for the continental market), the Smeg TR4110 was something of a gamble for the sizeable manufacturer, who had to invest heavily in new press-tooling to fashion the moulded facia doors, but one which has evidently paid off. A popular and high profile brand in the UK, Smeg looked to their very first “Elizabeth” cooker, produced in 1948, for inspiration, and applied the carefully considered Victoria look - characterful doors, metal controls, handles and front rail - to their existing Symphony 110 chassis and launched to much acclaim. With TWO multifunction ovens and a powerful six burner gas hob the specification is a real attention-grabber, and combined with great build quality this feels like great value for just under £2000, compared to its UK competitors. Consumer magazine Which? thought so too, awarding the TR4110 its Best Buy status in 2014.
The charm of the Smeg Victoria is that it manages to achieve a very homely traditional look whilst still retaining a modern edge. The Smeg brand is boldly displayed across the pressed steel upstand to the rear of the hob, and the detailing of the doors, controls and handles indulges the Victoriana look just enough to please the eye and perhaps match in with detailing on cabinet doors, but a clean rectilinear design keeps this cooker firmly in the 21st century, as do modern features like triple glazed doors, 9 function Vapor Clean ovens with Smeg’s Circulair system and now an all-electric model, the TR4110i, with a fabulous five zone induction hob.
Given the success of the 110 model the introduction of the 90cm Smeg Victoria TR93 was inevitable, and this compact model has already shown great promise and has also gained a Which? Best Buy award. With a 9 function main oven and a fanned tall oven, plus a separate grill, and a six burner gas hob including a powerful 4.2kW rapid burner, the TR93 packs a punch in smaller kitchens, and looks superb. Like its bigger sibling, the 90cm Smeg Victoria also comes with a five zone induction hob should you prefer the ease and convenience of a simple glass surface and the power and controllability of induction. The addition to the collection of the single cavity dual fuel Smeg Victoria TR90 will delight those with simpler needs, offering as it does a very capacious 115 litres of usable oven space (126L gross), and requiring only a 13 amp plug.
Colour is something Smeg’s popular retro Fab fridges are renowned for, so they have quickly seen the opportunity to apply some lovely shades to the Victoria collection, allowing customers to match their cooker with a fab fridge and Smeg small appliances in Pastel Blue, Pink, Silver, Cream or Black. In addition there is a very appealing deep red in the form of Red Wine, which will undoubtedly prove very popular, and even a brushed stainless steel finish for a touch more professionalism.
To make even more of your Smeg Victoria you can pair it with the matching Smeg KT90 chimney hood in Cream or Black (which will coordinate with any colour cooker), to really complete the look. Additionally there is a very useful Teppanyaki griddle and a super pizza stone, which really makes a difference to pizza or any other bread or pastry based product, improving the quality and crispness of the base. The pizza stone sits an a specially formed recess in the bottom of the oven.
A Winning Formula
Introduced to cater to a particularly British desire for a traditional-looking 110cm range cookers (a size which does not exist for the continental market), the Smeg TR4110 was something of a gamble for the sizeable manufacturer, who had to invest heavily in new press-tooling to fashion the moulded facia doors, but one which has evidently paid off. A popular and high profile brand in the UK, Smeg looked to their very first “Elizabeth” cooker, produced in 1948, for inspiration, and applied the carefully considered Victoria look - characterful doors, metal controls, handles and front rail - to their existing Symphony 110 chassis and launched to much acclaim. With TWO multifunction ovens and a powerful six burner gas hob the specification is a real attention-grabber, and combined with great build quality this feels like great value for just under £2000, compared to its UK competitors. Consumer magazine Which? thought so too, awarding the TR4110 its Best Buy status in 2014.
Victorian Charm
The charm of the Smeg Victoria is that it manages to achieve a very homely traditional look whilst still retaining a modern edge. The Smeg brand is boldly displayed across the pressed steel upstand to the rear of the hob, and the detailing of the doors, controls and handles indulges the Victoriana look just enough to please the eye and perhaps match in with detailing on cabinet doors, but a clean rectilinear design keeps this cooker firmly in the 21st century, as do modern features like triple glazed doors, 9 function Vapor Clean ovens with Smeg’s Circulair system and now an all-electric model, the TR4110i, with a fabulous five zone induction hob.
Compact and Very Bijou
Given the success of the 110 model the introduction of the 90cm Smeg Victoria TR93 was inevitable, and this compact model has already shown great promise and has also gained a Which? Best Buy award. With a 9 function main oven and a fanned tall oven, plus a separate grill, and a six burner gas hob including a powerful 4.2kW rapid burner, the TR93 packs a punch in smaller kitchens, and looks superb. Like its bigger sibling, the 90cm Smeg Victoria also comes with a five zone induction hob should you prefer the ease and convenience of a simple glass surface and the power and controllability of induction. The addition to the collection of the single cavity dual fuel Smeg Victoria TR90 will delight those with simpler needs, offering as it does a very capacious 115 litres of usable oven space (126L gross), and requiring only a 13 amp plug.
Bring Your Kitchen to Life
Colour is something Smeg’s popular retro Fab fridges are renowned for, so they have quickly seen the opportunity to apply some lovely shades to the Victoria collection, allowing customers to match their cooker with a fab fridge and Smeg small appliances in Pastel Blue, Pink, Silver, Cream or Black. In addition there is a very appealing deep red in the form of Red Wine, which will undoubtedly prove very popular, and even a brushed stainless steel finish for a touch more professionalism.
Cookware and Accessories
To make even more of your Smeg Victoria you can pair it with the matching Smeg KT90 chimney hood in Cream or Black (which will coordinate with any colour cooker), to really complete the look. Additionally there is a very useful Teppanyaki griddle and a super pizza stone, which really makes a difference to pizza or any other bread or pastry based product, improving the quality and crispness of the base. The pizza stone sits an a specially formed recess in the bottom of the oven.
We love the Smeg Victoria, and the effort Smeg have put into making it right. Whether you choose the 110cm or the 90cm model you will be getting a stunningly good range cooker at a great value price, and from a great cooking brand. There is even a new built-in collection with the Victoria aesthetic. Cooking should always be a pleasure, and with a cooker like this you can ensure that it always will be.