Smeg’s Opera range cooker is receiving one of its most useful updates in years. The latest generation combines the visual authority of a professional-style cooker with features usually associated with premium built-in ovens: pyrolytic cleaning, steam-assisted maintenance, an integrated meat probe, connected hood control and specialist accessories for pizza, barbecue-style cooking and air frying.

90cm means one very large oven

Smeg lists the new 90cm Opera with up to 115 litres of oven capacity. That is valuable for households that roast large cuts, batch-bake, cook several trays at once or entertain frequently. One large cavity also accepts oversized cookware that can be awkward in a divided oven layout.

The trade-off is obvious: a very large cavity is more space than some weekday meals require. Buyers who regularly cook small portions may prefer a configuration with a compact secondary oven, which is where the wider 100cm model becomes interesting.

100cm gives you 70L + 35L instead

The 100cm Opera divides cooking between 70-litre and 35-litre cavities. That allows different temperatures to run at the same time and gives owners a smaller oven for everyday use. During entertaining, one cavity can hold the main course while the second handles vegetables, dessert or warming.

This is not simply about capacity. It changes workflow. A household that often cooks several dishes at once may gain more from two independent cavities than from the absolute maximum volume of a single oven.

Circulaire makes the capacity usable

Smeg’s Circulaire function is designed to move hot air evenly around the oven so several shelf levels can be used at once. The company also highlights reduced flavour transfer when different dishes share the cavity.

That matters because a huge oven is only useful if trays can be placed throughout it without one shelf consistently cooking faster than another. Multi-level performance is what turns generous capacity into something practical.

Pyrolytic cleaning is the upgrade heavy cooks will notice

The latest Opera range features pyrolytic cleaning on the relevant new models. During the cycle, very high heat breaks baked-on residue down into ash that can be wiped away after cooling.

For a range cooker, this is particularly useful. Large cavities and frequent roasting create a lot of surface area to clean, so automated deep cleaning makes owners more likely to use the oven aggressively rather than avoiding messy dishes.

Vapor Clean handles lighter maintenance

Smeg also includes Vapor Clean, using steam to soften everyday grease and residue. The two systems create a sensible hierarchy: steam-assisted cleaning for routine maintenance and pyrolytic cleaning when the oven needs a deeper reset.

Good appliance design is often about offering the right level of intervention. Running an intense cleaning cycle after every roast would be unnecessary; a lighter option keeps the cavity manageable between major cleans.

The meat probe moves Opera closer to premium built-in ovens

An integrated probe measures the internal temperature of food while it cooks. For roast meat, poultry and fish, that can be more reliable than timing alone because thickness, starting temperature and individual ovens all affect the result.

The interesting contrast is that Opera still looks like a robust, traditional range cooker. Underneath that familiar format, Smeg is adding the precision features buyers now expect from high-end electronic ovens.

Auto-Vent 2.0 connects the hob and hood

Induction models support Auto-Vent 2.0, allowing the hob to communicate with a compatible Smeg hood. Extraction can then respond to cooking intensity automatically.

This is useful because ventilation works best when it starts before steam, grease and odour spread through an open-plan room. Automation removes one small task from the cook and makes it more likely the hood is working at an appropriate level throughout the meal.

Gas and induction remain side by side

Smeg offers the latest Opera with gas and induction configurations. Induction brings rapid heat-up, easy cleaning and responsive electronic control. Gas keeps visible flame, broad cookware compatibility and the tactile familiarity many cooks still prefer.

There is no universal answer. Electrical supply, ventilation, cookware, cooking style and regional energy costs should decide the choice rather than fashion alone.

Pizza, BBQ and air fry are the countertop-appliance challenge

Smeg offers optional accessories including a pizza stone, barbecue plate and air-fry rack. These accessories are important because countertop appliances have occupied more and more premium kitchen space over the past decade.

An air fryer is convenient because it heats a small chamber quickly, so a full-size oven will not replace it for every user. But households that dislike visual clutter may prefer one powerful range cooker that can handle crisping, grilling and pizza without three separate machines permanently occupying the counter.

Opera 2026 at a glance

Guido Canali’s Classic design is still the visual anchor

Opera belongs to Smeg’s Classic family, associated with architect Guido Canali. Stainless steel, strong horizontal lines and substantial controls give the cooker a professional reference without making it look like a piece of restaurant equipment.

That matters in luxury residential kitchens. A range can be visually confident while still pairing with timber, natural stone and tailored cabinetry. It becomes the room’s main working object rather than a purely industrial interruption.

Why the range cooker is returning

Premium kitchens spent years moving toward separate wall ovens, flush hobs and increasingly invisible appliances. That remains elegant, but it can distribute cooking across several parts of the room.

A range cooker consolidates hob and ovens into one strong zone. For serious cooks, that can improve the path between pots, roasting trays and serving surfaces. It can also reduce the amount of built-in cabinetry needed for separate oven towers.

How to design around a large Opera

Give the cooker landing space on both sides, strong task lighting and a hood sized for the width and intensity of the hob. Avoid squeezing it directly between tall cabinets where heat, handles and door movement can become awkward.

Stone or stainless steel works well behind the cooker, while timber cabinetry softens the composition. In a New Chinese kitchen, dark walnut, honed stone and bronze can make the stainless appliance feel architectural rather than overtly commercial.

90cm or 100cm?

Choose 90cm if one huge cavity fits your cooking habits and the kitchen benefits from saving 10cm of width. Choose 100cm if simultaneous oven temperatures and a smaller everyday cavity matter more.

The wider model should earn its footprint. Bigger is not automatically more luxurious if it steals useful drawer space or creates poor circulation around an island.

Installation deserves as much attention as specification

Before ordering, confirm electrical supply for induction, gas requirements where relevant, ventilation, floor level, door clearances and the route the cooker will take into the home. Large appliances can become difficult installation projects if doorways, lifts and finished cabinetry are not measured early.

Service access matters too. Integrated-looking does not mean permanently trapped between stone panels.

The ownership story includes a five-year warranty

Smeg states that Opera cookers qualify for a five-year warranty when registered within the required period. Buyers should confirm local terms, but longer warranty coverage is meaningful on an appliance that combines heating, electronics, fans, probes and multiple cooking zones.

The Luxe Journal takeaway

Smeg’s new Opera shows why the range cooker is no longer only a nostalgic choice. Its strongest argument is consolidation: serious oven capacity, flexible hob options, automatic cleaning, temperature monitoring and accessory-driven cooking in one visually coherent machine.

For households tired of adding more countertop appliances, the range cooker may be becoming modern again precisely because it is large enough to simplify the rest of the kitchen.

FAQ

How large is the 90cm Opera oven?

Smeg lists up to 115 litres of capacity.

What is different about the 100cm version?

It uses two oven cavities, listed at 70 litres and 35 litres.

Does the new Opera have self-cleaning?

The latest range includes pyrolytic cleaning and Vapor Clean on the relevant models.

What does Auto-Vent 2.0 do?

On induction models, it lets the hob communicate with a compatible hood so extraction can adjust with cooking intensity.

Can it air fry?

Smeg offers a dedicated air-fry rack as an accessory, alongside pizza and barbecue accessories.

Sources: Smeg, latest Opera range; T3, September 17, 2026.