Smeg unveils a free-standing oven equipped with steam functions

Even for a layman’s eye, it is not very difficult to recognize a Smeg appliance. The rounded shapes and gleaming chrome will inevitably recall the 1950s and 60s, an aesthetic bias which has made the brand famous and attracted many buyers of a manufacturer’s refrigerator, FAB28, 30 or other. Smeg does not only apply these principles to its large household appliances, and smaller appliances also play the role of a time machine, including the new COF01 oven.

This is a free-standing oven with a total power of 1600 W which uses circulating heat: a fan at the bottom of the cavity is responsible for distributing the heat produced by the bottom and top resistances (240°C at maximum). It measures 50 cm wide by 51 cm deep and 40 cm high, enough to place it on a work surface without too much difficulty.

Obviously, due to these compact dimensions, the muffle is not as large as that of a classic built-in oven, and the enclosure reaches a volume of “only” 30 liters, one might be tempted to add. Still, there are three loading levels in which you can insert a drip pan, a rack or a dish. air fry (supplied by the manufacturer) designed to reheat breaded or fried preparations without excessive fat.

Above all, Smeg has provided a real steam generator, which is not so common in the sector of free-standing ovens. If we rely on the instructions, the COF01 is capable of adding a little steam during cooking to improve results (in bakeries to facilitate the creation of the crust, or to maintain the tenderness of meats) , but also to steam food using the Pure Steam program. Note that access to the 0.8 l tank (completely removable for easy filling) which supplies the generator with water is placed on the top of the COF01. Good point, the cover accommodates an index of programs so as not to have to refer ad vitam aeternam to the paper instructions.

In fact, the electronic segment display of the Smeg free-standing oven is not sufficient to display in full the name of the chosen cooking programs. And even if a system of light diodes indicates to the user which cooking elements are used (top resistance, bottom and fan), the name of the 10 available programs is not clearly indicated. The control panel also includes two dials: the one on the left allows you to select the cooking program, the one on the right allows you to change the temperature. At the center of these rotary buttons, physical keys confirm the user’s choices and start (or stop) cooking.

As usual with Smeg, the COF01 is available in a host of colors: white, black, cream, red, pastel green and pastel blue. This characteristic should not have any influence on the launch price which will probably be around €800.