I finally have a Smeg fridge, and everything is cool now

Smeg fridge.

The problem with buying a dupe is that it's a dupe. No matter how closely a budget product resembles the higher-end design it's emulating, there'll always be that voice telling you, every time you look at it, that it isn't the actual thing. How do I know? because that voice haunted me in my kitchen for years.

I heard it every time I looked at my old budget fridge. With its cream colouring and metallic handles, it was clear what model it was, for an eighth of the price, trying to look like. And now that I finally have a Smeg, I can safely say there's no comparison. This is one of those every day objects that's actually a design masterpiece.

• Get the Smeg FAB10 for £839 at AO

(Image credit: Smeg)

When my old fridge stopped working after just three years (telling you all you need to know about the quality), I decided it was finally time to get the real thing. And after three months of using a Smeg, I'll never go back.

I plumped for the FAB10 50's style fridge-freezer, since space is at a premium in my Hobbit house cottage. But while this might be a 'mini' fridge, inside it feels like a Tardis. With ingeniously deep door shelves and a slim frame, it holds twice as much as my previous fridge, despite practically identical outer dimensions.

The fridge is small enough to sit on my kitchen worktop (Image credit: Future)

Every about the design screams quality, from the super smooth round edges to the shelf rails to the door hinges. Whereas the shelves on my last fridge were prone to fall out, these aren't going anywhere. And the satisfyingly strong magnet means the door is staying shut.

But perhaps best of all is the sound – or lack thereof. I didn't even realise how the sound of silence had evaded me for three years. When I replaced my old fridge with this one, the quietness had me wondering whether it was switched on at all. I was absolutely buzzing – but the fridge wasn't.

(Image credit: Smeg)

Of course, the one downside with a Smeg fridge is the price. At £839 (and remember this is a mini fridge), it's no small investment. But the iconic design and brilliant build quality make me smile every time I open the fridge – and, like a good pair of shoes or a quality mattress, the joy of using a quality item every day can't be overestimated.