The Smeg Opera A1-9 is a 90cm dual fuel range cooker that brings professional-style looks and performance into a domestic kitchen. With a huge 115-litre multifunction oven and a six-burner gas hob, it is designed for households that cook a lot and like to entertain.
Smeg sits firmly in the premium end of the market, and this model is priced accordingly. You’re paying for Italian build quality, smart design touches and a strong feature set rather than bare-bones functionality.
Owners rate it very highly, with an average score of 4.7 out of 5 from a solid number of reviews, suggesting that its performance and ease of use live up to the specification and the price tag.
The Opera A1-9 is ideal for larger households and anyone who regularly cooks for a crowd. The 115-litre oven gives you serious capacity for batch cooking, Sunday roasts with all the trimmings, or multiple dishes at once, while the six-burner hob easily handles several pans on the go.
It suits confident home cooks and keen foodies who will actually use the 11 oven functions, triple fan system and wok burner. If you enjoy experimenting with different cooking methods, from fan baking to grilling and slow roasting, this level of flexibility will appeal.
Budget-wise, this is a premium appliance. It will best suit buyers renovating a kitchen, upgrading from a standard cooker, or those who see cooking as a hobby and are willing to invest more for build quality and features.
If you have a compact kitchen or cook fairly simple meals for one or two people, this range is likely to be overkill in both size and cost. A standard 60cm cooker or a smaller range may be a better fit.
The standout strength of the Smeg Opera A1-9 is its sheer capacity. A 115-litre main oven is larger than many range cookers manage even with multiple cavities, so you have masses of space for trays, large roasting tins and batch bakes.
The multifunction oven with 11 settings, including fan-assisted modes, Circulaire technology and full-width electric grill, gives you a lot of control over results. Combined with triple fans, heat distribution is designed to be even, helping to avoid hot and cold spots.
On the hob, six gas burners with a 1 to 4.2kW power range and a dedicated wok burner offer plenty of versatility. Cast iron pan supports feel robust and are better at holding heavier pans steady than flimsier alternatives.
Day-to-day convenience is also strong. Catalytic stay-clean liners on the sides, Vapour Clean assisted cleaning, telescopic runners, a soft-close door and an electronic programmable timer all help make cooking and cleaning less of a chore.
Energy efficiency is another plus. An A+ rating and relatively low fan oven consumption for such a large cavity mean it is more economical to run than you might expect from a big range.
The most obvious drawback is the price. As a premium Smeg range, this model will cost more than many 90cm dual fuel alternatives, so it is not the best choice if you are simply looking for a basic cooker on a tight budget.
You only get a single oven cavity. While it is very large, some cooks prefer the flexibility of having two separate ovens at different temperatures, especially for big dinner parties or baking and roasting at once.
Despite the generous specification, there is no control panel lock and no residual heat indicators on the hob, which may be a consideration for homes with young children. The warranty is a fairly standard two years rather than the extended cover some rivals offer.
Installation is also more involved than a simple plug-in appliance. It requires hard wiring by an electrician and installation by a Gas Safe engineer, and a gas hose is not included, adding to the overall cost.
Living with the Opera A1-9 is all about having space and power on tap. The wide 90cm frontage and deep 60cm body mean it dominates a run of units in a good way, giving you a broad oven door and a big, clearly laid-out hob. Triple-glazed Eclipse glass in the door keeps more heat inside and makes it easier to check on food without opening the oven.
The combination of dial and touch controls works well: physical knobs for the hob and core oven settings give reassuring tactile control, while the TFT display and electronic programmable timer handle the finer timings and automatic cooking programmes. Once you are familiar with the menu, it is straightforward to set up delayed starts or automatic switch-off.
The six-burner gas hob lights with automatic ignition and the flame failure devices on the hob add a layer of safety by cutting gas if the flame goes out. The cast iron pan supports feel solid when sliding heavy pots across the surface, and the dedicated wok burner gives a strong, focused flame for stir-fries.
Cleaning is relatively manageable for an appliance of this size. Catalytic liners on the sides help break down grease during normal cooking temperatures, while Smeg’s Vapour Clean function uses steam to soften baked-on residue for easier wiping. Removable inner door glass and a tilting grill make it easier to reach awkward areas. You will still need to put in some effort on the floor of the oven and the stainless-steel hob surface, but the design certainly reduces the workload.
Performance from the main oven is a key highlight. With a 115-litre capacity and a triple fan system, it is engineered to move hot air efficiently around the cavity. This should give you more even results across multiple shelves, whether you are baking trays of biscuits or roasting several dishes at once.
The 11 oven functions, including fan-assisted modes, conventional top and bottom heat, bottom-only heat, grilling and defrost, make the Opera A1-9 genuinely versatile. Automatic cooking programmes help take the guesswork out of certain dishes, while the Keep Warm function is handy when timing isn’t perfect and you need to hold food without drying it out.
On the hob, the 1 to 4.2kW burner range caters for everything from gentle simmering to fast boiling. The high-output wok burner is particularly useful if you cook a lot of Asian-style dishes or simply want a powerful burner for searing. LPG compatibility with a convertible kit included is a real advantage if your home does not have mains gas.
The energy performance is strong for such a large appliance. An A+ energy rating, plus fan oven consumption of 0.84kWh, means it is relatively efficient when used in fan modes, especially given the large internal space. Eco Mode offers an extra way to cut consumption when full power is not required.
Usability features shouldn’t be overlooked. The soft-close door feels premium and helps avoid slamming, telescopic runners make it safer and easier to pull heavy trays out, and the full-width electric grill provides even coverage for browning or grilling larger items. Sabbath Mode, auto safety shut-off and an automatic ignition system round out a feature set that feels well thought through for real-world cooking.
As a Smeg Opera model, this range cooker sits firmly at the premium end of the dual fuel market. You pay a noticeable uplift over basic and mid-range 90cm ranges, and there are cheaper options if you only need simple functionality.
However, the specification goes beyond what many competitors offer: a single, very large 115-litre multifunction cavity with triple fans, a 6-burner hob with a powerful wok burner, catalytic liners, Vapour Clean, TFT display, soft-close door, telescopic runners and A+ efficiency are all features you would expect from a high-end appliance.
The owner rating of 4.7 out of 5 from 18 reviews backs up the idea that buyers generally feel they’ve received good value, despite the premium pricing. If you will genuinely use the capacity and functionality, the higher upfront cost is easier to justify over the long term.
For occasional cooks or those who will rarely push the oven to its limits, the extra spend may not make sense. But for serious home cooks and larger families, the blend of performance, convenience and build quality offers solid value within the premium bracket.
The Smeg Opera A1-9 is a well-specified, well-built dual fuel range cooker that earns its place in a serious cook’s kitchen. Its huge 115-litre multifunction oven, efficient triple fan system and six-burner gas hob with wok burner make it a highly capable all-rounder for everything from weekday meals to large family gatherings.
You are paying a premium price and you only get a single oven cavity, so it will not suit everyone. Those looking for a budget-friendly upgrade or the flexibility of double ovens may be better off elsewhere. The lack of a control lock and only a standard two-year warranty are also worth bearing in mind.
If you want a stylish, stainless-steel range that combines generous capacity, strong performance and thoughtful features, and you are happy to invest in a premium brand, the Opera A1-9 is a compelling choice that should serve a busy kitchen very well.
