Beko vs Smeg Cookers

Beko and Smeg cover very different ground. Beko's KD533AW at £299 is a freestanding electric cooker with a solid plate hob, while its double-oven KDC653K at £419 and KDC653W at £429 offer four ceramic zones. Smeg's range here is mostly countertop: the COF01BLUK, COF01CRUK and COF01WHUK are each £849, retro 50s-style 10-in-1 multifunction ovens with 33 built-in recipes. The built-in DOSF6300X double oven costs £954.

Smeg's COF01 models offer bake, grill, AirFry, warm and defrost functions, plus steam cooking, a traditional mode and a Chef Menu for guided programmes. The 33 built-in recipes add practical help when the oven is a second appliance. The DOSF6300X is a stainless steel built-in double oven. Beko's features are simpler: a fan oven with a separate electric grill on the KD533AW, Rapidlite solid plate zones for fast heating, and grease-proof enamel linings on the double ovens. Beko's models combine hob and oven in one unit, while Smeg's countertop oven adds cooking functions without replacing a hob.

Beko suits buyers who need a freestanding cooker at a low price, with a double oven if they cook for a family. Smeg suits households that want a countertop oven as a design feature, or a built-in double oven to match a fitted kitchen. The countertop models suit smaller kitchens, where a second oven adds flexibility. Check the space carefully before buying, because the Beko KD533AW is 500mm wide and the DOSF6300X needs a fitted cavity.

Bottom line: choose Beko if you need a freestanding cooker at the lowest price, with the KD533AW at £299 or the KDC653K double oven at £419; choose Smeg if you want a retro countertop multifunction oven, such as the COF01WHUK at £849, or a built-in double oven with the DOSF6300X at £954.