Smeg appliances are made by Smeg S.p.A., an Italian family-owned home appliance manufacturer founded in 1948 in Guastalla, Reggio Emilia, Italy, by Vittorio Bertazzoni, and still owned and led by the Bertazzoni family under CEO Roberto Bertazzoni.
Smeg is one of the world’s most recognizable appliance brands, best known for its iconic FAB retro refrigerators with curved corners and vivid color options, and for collaborations with luxury brands including Dolce and Gabbana, Fiat 500, and designers such as Marc Newson, Renzo Piano, and Mario Bellini.
Smeg S.p.A. is privately held by the Bertazzoni family, operating from its global headquarters in Guastalla with subsidiaries worldwide and production concentrated at five Italian plants in Guastalla, Milan, Turin, Chieti, and Bonferraro, plus a facility in Shenzhen, China.
Knowing that Smeg was founded by the same Bertazzoni family that owns Bertazzoni S.p.A., making two of the world’s most recognized Italian appliance brands family cousins from the same Emilia-Romagna town, helps explain the deep Italian design DNA that defines both companies.
This article covers who makes Smeg appliances, where they are produced, who owns the brand, its history, how it compares to a rival, and whether the appliances are any good.
So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Who Makes Smeg Appliances?
Smeg appliances are made by Smeg S.p.A., which produces its large appliances including ovens, ranges, cookers, and FAB refrigerators primarily in Italy, while small appliances such as kettles, toasters, and stand mixers are produced through specialized OEM manufacturers in China, Turkey, and Europe.
Smeg operates as a design-led company rather than a purely vertically integrated manufacturer, meaning its premium brand identity and design oversight are applied across a global supply chain that uses the best manufacturer for each product category.
The company has an internal design studio that collaborates with internationally renowned architects and designers including Guido Canali, Mario Bellini, the Piano Design studio, Marc Newson, and deepdesign, ensuring a coherent and sophisticated aesthetic across the full product range.
In 2019, Smeg acquired La Pavoni, the historic Italian espresso machine brand, expanding into the professional coffee market and celebrating 10 years of its iconic small appliance range in 2025, as confirmed on Smeg’s official about page.
Where Are Smeg Appliances Made?
Smeg large appliances including ovens, ranges, free-standing cookers, and the iconic FAB refrigerators are manufactured at five Italian plants in Guastalla, Milan, Turin, Chieti, and Bonferraro, each specializing in a specific appliance category.
Small appliances including toasters, kettles, blenders, stand mixers, and espresso machines are produced through OEM manufacturing partners, primarily in China and Turkey, with Smeg’s design specifications and quality standards applied throughout.
Smeg also operates a dedicated facility in Shenzhen, China, which serves as a hub for global supply chain management, accessories distribution, and OEM product development rather than for the production of authentic large Smeg appliances.
The company’s global headquarters at San Girolamo near Guastalla, designed by architect Guido Canali, is modeled on the architectural typologies of Po Plain farms and serves as both a production and corporate identity statement.
Who Owns Smeg Appliances?
Smeg is owned by the Bertazzoni family, with Roberto Bertazzoni serving as CEO and chairman, making Smeg a family-owned Italian company with no publicly traded parent or outside investment.
The founding connection to the Bertazzoni appliance family is direct: Vittorio Bertazzoni Sr. founded Smeg in 1948, making Smeg and Bertazzoni S.p.A. sister companies from the same Guastalla family, even though they have operated as entirely separate businesses for decades.
Smeg has subsidiaries worldwide and an extensive global sales network covering North America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and the Middle East, all managed from the Guastalla headquarters.
Smeg’s full company history and design philosophy are published on Smeg’s official history page.
What Is the History of Smeg?
Vittorio Bertazzoni Sr. founded Smeg in 1948 in Guastalla, naming the company after its original industrial purpose: Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla, or Emilian Metallurgical Enamelling Works of Guastalla.
The company introduced the Elizabeth gas stove in 1956, the Leda washing machine in the 1960s, the world’s first 14-place-setting dishwasher in 1975, and its first built-in ovens and hobs in the 1980s, building a broad Italian appliance portfolio before becoming known for design-led innovation.
The iconic FAB retro refrigerator, with its 1950s-inspired rounded body and color options, became a global design icon, leading to the Smeg x Fiat 500 refrigerator, multiple Dolce and Gabbana Sicily is my Love collections, and Coca-Cola Unity commemorative editions.
Smeg acquired the historic Italian espresso machine brand La Pavoni in 2019, entered the small domestic appliances market in 2015 winning the Good Design Award with its first toaster and kettle, and celebrated 10 years of small appliances in 2025 with an anniversary campaign.
Smeg vs Bertazzoni: How Do They Compare?
Smeg and Bertazzoni share a family origin from the same Guastalla, Italy family but have developed into very different brands with distinct identities and market positions.
Bertazzoni is purely a cooking and kitchen appliance brand, focused on pro-style ranges, ovens, cooktops, and kitchen suites for serious cooking enthusiasts, with engineering performance and automotive-inspired color as its primary differentiators.
Smeg is a lifestyle and design brand that spans kitchen appliances, laundry, professional foodservice equipment, medical instruments, and now coffee with La Pavoni, making it more of a design house than a specialist cooking brand.
Buyers who want pro-style Italian cooking performance are better served by Bertazzoni, while buyers who want iconic Italian design expression across their entire home, including the FAB refrigerator and retro small appliances, will find Smeg the more complete lifestyle brand.
Are Smeg Appliances Any Good?
Smeg appliances are well regarded for their design quality and aesthetic impact, with the FAB retro refrigerator and the Opera range cooker both considered genuine design icons in the global appliance market.
Large Italian-made Smeg appliances including ovens, ranges, and refrigerators earn consistent praise from buyers for their build quality and distinctive visual character that sets any kitchen apart from standard appliance aesthetics.
Small appliances receive more mixed reviews, as the OEM manufacturing model means quality can vary across different product categories, and some buyers note that premium prices do not always align with the build quality of the smaller items.
Smeg’s collaboration-heavy model with Dolce and Gabbana, Fiat, and Coca-Cola reflects a lifestyle brand strategy that prioritizes design and cultural cachet alongside functional performance.
For buyers who want an iconic, design-forward Italian brand with a distinctive retro aesthetic and genuine Made in Italy large appliances at a premium mid-range price, Smeg delivers one of the most recognizable and culturally resonant kitchen identities in the world.
For more on related Italian appliance brands, see Who Makes Dacor Appliances and Who Makes Blomberg Appliances.
Frequently Asked Questions About Smeg Appliances
Who makes Smeg appliances?
Smeg appliances are made by Smeg S.p.A., a family-owned Italian company founded in 1948 in Guastalla by Vittorio Bertazzoni Sr. The company is still owned by the Bertazzoni family under CEO Roberto Bertazzoni.
Where are Smeg appliances made?
Smeg large appliances including ovens, ranges, refrigerators, and dishwashers are made in Italy at five plants in Guastalla, Milan, Turin, Chieti, and Bonferraro. Small appliances are made through OEM manufacturers primarily in China and Turkey.
Are Smeg and Bertazzoni related?
Yes. Both brands trace their origin to the same Bertazzoni family in Guastalla, Italy. Smeg was founded in 1948 by Vittorio Bertazzoni Sr., a family member of the same family that owns Bertazzoni S.p.A. The two companies are now completely separate businesses.
What is Smeg best known for?
Smeg is best known for its FAB retro refrigerator, a 1950s-inspired round-cornered fridge available in dozens of colors and special edition finishes. It is also known for collaborations with Dolce and Gabbana, Fiat 500, and celebrity designers including Marc Newson.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.