The Smeg 50s Style Retro FAB32RBL5UK is a tall, freestanding 60/40 fridge freezer that blends statement design with a very usable family-sized interior. At nearly 2 metres high and finished in glossy black, it is as much a piece of furniture as it is an appliance.
Behind the vintage styling you get 331 litres of space, No Frost technology and thoughtful touches like a LifePlus 0°C drawer and multi-flow cooling. It carries a D energy rating under the latest scale, which is respectable for a full-height, design-led model.
With a user rating around 4.7 out of 5 from hundreds of reviews, it is clearly well liked by owners, suggesting that the premium price is backed up by performance and day-to-day convenience.
The FAB32RBL5UK is ideal for style-conscious households that want their fridge freezer to be a focal point, not something to hide away. If you are planning a retro-inspired or modern eclectic kitchen, the curved doors, chrome handles and deep black finish will fit beautifully.
Its 331-litre total capacity (with a 234-litre fridge and 97-litre freezer) is well suited to couples who cook often, or small to medium families doing a weekly shop. The 60/40 split gives more space to fresh food, which is handy if you rely less on frozen convenience meals.
This is a premium appliance, so it suits buyers prepared to pay more for design, build, and features such as total No Frost, multi-flow cooling and a dedicated 0°C drawer to keep meat, fish and delicate produce fresher for longer.
It’s also a good option for anyone who hates maintenance. Automatic defrosting in the fridge, a frost-free freezer, eco and holiday modes, plus an acoustic and visual open-door alert all help keep food protected with minimal faff.
The standout strength here is the combination of striking 50s styling and a genuinely practical interior. You get a generous 234-litre fridge with adjustable safety-glass shelves and full-width salad crisper, so it can handle tall bottles and awkward platters with ease.
Total No Frost in the 97-litre freezer means you never have to manually defrost, and the fast-freeze function helps lock in freshness when you add a big shop. Multi-flow cooling circulates cold air around the fridge, helping to keep temperatures even so food lasts longer.
The LifePlus 0°C drawer is a real bonus for keen cooks, keeping meat and fish at a more stable, near-zero temperature without freezing them. An LED interior light, clear electronic temperature controls, eco mode and a holiday setting round out a strong day-to-day feature set.
Noise is rated at 37 dB, which is pleasantly quiet for an upright fridge freezer, making it a sensible choice for open-plan spaces. A flame-retardant metal back and metal rear panel also add reassurance on safety and build quality.
You pay a clear premium for the Smeg badge and retro design. If looks are less important to you, you can find more affordable fridge freezers with similar capacities and frost-free technology.
The door is right-hand hinged and not reversible, so you must plan your kitchen layout around it. Smeg also specifies a sizeable 175mm gap on the hinged side to let the door open fully, which means it is not ideal for tight alcoves.
While the D energy rating is reasonable for this type of appliance, some plainer rivals now offer slightly more efficient models. The two-year warranty is standard but not especially generous for a high-end product.
Finally, you do not get small extras like an egg tray, dairy compartment or built-in ice tray as standard, which some buyers might expect at this price point.
Living with the FAB32RBL5UK is largely about hassle-free cooling and the pleasure of using something that feels well made. The tall, narrow 60.1 cm width makes it easy to slot into standard appliance gaps, though the 72.8 cm depth and curved doors mean it does sit fairly proud of cabinetry.
Inside the fridge, adjustable safety-glass shelves and full-width door balconies give you flexibility to rearrange space for big jugs, bottles and leftovers. The LED lighting makes it simple to see everything, even at the back, and the open-door alarm (both acoustic and visual) is a genuine safeguard if someone doesn’t shut it properly.
The frost-free freezer with three clear-fronted drawers allows you to organise frozen food without it all turning into an icy block. With 40 hours of safe storage in a power cut, there’s also peace of mind in the event of an outage.
Controls are electronic, so setting temperatures or switching to eco or holiday mode is straightforward once installed. With no plumbing required, installation is mostly a case of positioning it correctly and allowing that recommended side clearance for the door.
With a total capacity of 331 litres and a 60/40 split, the FAB32RBL5UK is built around fresh-food performance. The 234-litre fridge section is generous and supported by multi-flow cooling, which pushes chilled air around the cavity to minimise warm spots. That helps salads stay crisper and dairy last longer between shops.
The dedicated LifePlus 0°C drawer is a standout feature. By keeping a more stable, near-zero temperature, it is ideal for meat, fish and deli items that you want to keep very fresh without putting them in the freezer. For anyone who cooks from scratch frequently, this is more useful than a simple extra crisper.
In the freezer, No Frost technology and a 4-star rating ensure food freezes quickly and stays safely frozen without you needing to chip away ice. The fast-freeze function is particularly useful after a big shop, helping to preserve texture and flavour.
Electronic temperature controls allow more precise settings than old-style dials, and eco and holiday modes help trim energy use when you are away or the fridge is not full. The 37 dB noise level is on the quiet side for a fridge freezer of this size, so it should fade into the background in most kitchens.
Build and safety are clearly considered: a flame-retardant metal back and rear panel, solid-feeling doors and shelves, and a two-year manufacturer warranty support its premium positioning.
This Smeg sits firmly at the premium end of the fridge freezer market. You can certainly find cheaper models with a similar capacity and frost-free freezer, but they will not deliver the same iconic 50s styling or the same sense of solidity and detail.
Where it justifies its price is in the combination of design, practical storage, and features such as total No Frost, multi-flow cooling, fast freeze, holiday mode and the LifePlus 0°C drawer. These are features you tend to see on better specified models rather than entry-level appliances.
The strong owner rating (around 4.7 out of 5 from a very healthy number of reviews) suggests real-world reliability and satisfaction, which adds weight to the value argument. If your priority is a stylish centrepiece that also performs well and you are comfortable paying a premium, it represents good long-term value. If you simply want the most cooling for the least money, there are better purely budget options.
The Smeg FAB32RBL5UK is a fridge freezer for people who care as much about how their kitchen looks as how it works. It delivers the classic Smeg retro aesthetic in a practical 60/40 layout with generous capacity, quiet running and very low-maintenance cooling.
Total No Frost, multi-flow air circulation, fast freeze and the excellent LifePlus 0°C drawer mean it does more than just look the part. Everyday usability is strong, with flexible shelving, bright LED lighting and helpful alerts if the door is left open.
The main trade-offs are price, the non-reversible right-hand hinge with its required side clearance, and a perfectly decent but not class-leading D energy rating. If those points do not put you off and you are seeking a long-term, design-led upgrade, this Smeg is a highly appealing choice that should make you smile every time you open the door.
