Smeg FAB 28 Retro

How I wish I'd read the reviews before shelling out just under £1000 on what I thought was a quality product.

I have given 1 star because the fridge looks the part but that's the only positive. I always have been very careful , but still the catch on the ice box door handle has broken 3 times, each replacement has cost approximately £80.00, now I just keep the door closed and don't use the compartment. The salad draw is all scratched on the bottom and has only ever had a few tomatoes and onions stored in it.

If anything else needs replacing I intend to switch the fridge off and use it as storage for tins etc and buy a new fridge to actually keep diary products cold.

This fridge makes my humble kitchen look a bit special. Everyone who see the fridge remarks on how great the fridge looks. Every time I look at the fridge I think how beautiful. So what you may ask is the problem. The main problem is that the temperature in the fridge averages around 8°c Even when the fridge hasn't been opened ( overnight) still doesn't get cold .I have to be careful what food I buy eg. pate I only would keep within one day of opening pack. I don't buy cream cheese,I have to have the fridge on the coldest setting all the time.

The fridge has been the same since I bought I have had the engineers out to the fridge on two separate occasions.( luckily I had a extended warranty )

On the first visit the freezer compartment door handle had broken. The second visit I requested because I was sure the fridge was working intermittently. The ice box just about makes ice cubes but won't hold ice cream for even a day without going soft. Told by engineer that it was Workington perfectly.

My fridge is still in use ( Purchased November 2007 ) Has 1 very careful owner. Would I buy another Smeg fridge ? No. I wouldn't spend all that money on such an inefficient piece of equipment What I do know is that if like me you really love the look of the fridge ONLY buy it with an extended warranty.

Just had a freezer and fridge freezer delivered the other, very disappointed. Even if I could get inside!! The freezer is already frosting up on the outside of the drawers. Both appliances are impossible to open with the handle as they glide down the room with me. It’s a great party act! I’m having to open using by holding it in place whilst the other arm prizes it open at the top to reduce the suction so I can get in. This makes it difficult if you’re carrying something to the fridge as you need both hands.

My retro Smeg FAB32RFN fridge freezer - which I did love -is 2 years old and this morning the freezer door fell off. The pin holding it at the bottom has sheared through. The fridge door is also held on by the same pins and is massive. I am waiting for Smeg engineer to arrange visit and repair it, but I have pointed out to Smeg that if the fridge door fell off it could kill a small child- namely my grandson who is often in his high chair next to it. Not to mention seriously injuring anyone else that had it fall on them when it is opened. It is a plastic door but very big and obviously would have things in the door compartments making it heavier.This needs to be addressed with urgency by Smeg before a tragedy happens.Will not be accepting just a repair but will require head office to respond.

i got one and worked for about just over a year no one will repair them!

think that sums it up wast off £1250 look great and that's about it

save your money

I fell in love with the Fab fridge freezer and matching dishwasher, and I have to say that they do look good, in red. They really look good.

Oh dear, that is where the good news ends.

The fast freeze door either came broken or got broken, I can't say which. It was always loose on the right hand side. I brought a replacement door, defrosted the freezer. When I went to replace the door I discovered that the right side clip was not screwed in. As in no screw just an empty hole. a quick flurry in my tool box and that was sorted.

Then it got worse. I contacted Smeg as this was clearly a QA issue. Total disinterest. The advisor was not interested in any production issues. I can accept that an error may have been made in production. I do not accept that I pay this sort of money to get a 'whatever, computer says no response' from customers services. Will I buy again, no.

As for the dishwasher if your interested, works great at 70C but pretty poor at the lower range. Cutlery rack is cool.

Suffered this fridge for the last 10 years, bought hugely expensive shelves and ice box cover, now the seal has gone and they tell me I must change the whole door! Well I've had enough for the price of the new door (£300) and all the other parts I have to replace I decided to buy a Gorenje. SMEG have known the problems with this fridge for many years but have 'buried their heads in the sand' instead of coming up with some sensible solutions to help us, have they got no idea of customer service at all??

Thankyou so much to everyone who took the time to write a review about this fridge, you have saved us a lot of money and disappointment. Thankyou also to those of you who suggested alternatives, very helpful.

My Smeg fridge was a disappointment from the start - door seals, freezer door, shelving - all problems. I resorted to an insurance policy and have had to have doors replaced and even a new fridge replacement.

Throughout this Smeg have accepted no responsibility and even today a customer service rep made me feel as if it was my fault! Real arrogance and denial of any problems. Just check internet reviews!!!

We fell in love with the FAB28 fridge as soon as we saw it. Pretty soon, bits started falling off.

First the door hinge of the freezer compartment broke. It simply snapped and fell apart.

Next, I noticed cracks in the milk bottle shelves. I actually had the audacity to put milk on the shelves, and this is obviously outside the design parameters.

All three shelves cracked and eventually gave way. I was able to delay the eventual demise of the shelves with clear gaffer tape, but ultimately the were beyond use and beyond repair. Furthermore, the mouldings for the bottom door shelf snapped off.

The inner door plastic moulding is cracked at the bottom corner.

If you're unlucky enough to own one of these, you can extend the life of it by treating it very gently and not putting anything heavy in the door shelves. In fact, my advice would be to switch it off, don't use it, and just look at it. Buy a discrete integrated fridge and use that to keep your groceries cool while the Smeg does its job of looking pretty.

You might think with all this damage that I'm pretty rough, but I assure you I have treated this fridge with kid gloves. It falls apart of its own volition.

Do yourself a favour and avoid.