Smeg 5-in-1 Multigrill Review: Is It Time to Upgrade Your Benchtop Cooker?

By Rob Stott - News

Updated: 12 September, 2026

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Table of contents

Table of contents

• Smeg Multigrill 5-in-1 Pros and Cons
• Smeg Multigrill vs Tefal Optigrill at a Glance
• Design and Benchtop Appeal
• Key Features and Versatility
  • Smeg 5-in-1 Multigrill Key Specs
• Real-world Performance and Useability
• Maintenance and Cleaning
• Final Verdict

Readtime: 10 min

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If you’re anything like me, weeknight dinners are all about two things: simplicity and healthy eating. At the end of a long day that starts with a workout, ends with a daycare pickup, and has a full-time job squeezed in between, I just want a fast, easy meal that won’t blow out my calorie goals. I’ll save the burgers and beers for the weekend, thanks.

That means my benchtop grill gets a workout three or four nights a week, especially on cold winter nights when firing up the outdoor BBQ is out of the question. It’s a no-fuss way to throw together lean grilled protein, a salad, and some healthy carbs in under 30 minutes. Job done.

For the last few years, a Tefal OptiGrill has been my go-to benchtop workhorse. But a few months ago, the team at Smeg sent over their new 5-in-1 MultiGrill to test out. Here is my real-world take on how the Smeg performs across its various configurations, and how it stacks up against my trusty Tefal.

Smeg Multigrill 5-in-1 Pros and Cons

Pros

• Statement Aesthetic: Premium ’50s retro design looks great on the bench rather than hidden in a cupboard.
• Effortless Cleaning: Superior non-stick coating and wider grill grooves wash clean with minimal effort.
• True Versatility: Replaces multiple gadgets with contact, open 180° BBQ, panini, melt, and waffle modes.
• Meal Prep Friendly: Generous cooking surface easily handles bulk family cooks or weekly prep in one go.
• Built to Last: Sturdy 7.9 kg die-cast construction that feels durable and high-end.

Cons

• Large Footprint: Takes up significant bench space and is too heavy for easy cupboard storage.
• Manual Control: Lacks automatic doneness sensors, making it easy to overcook lean meats if unmonitored.
• Rear Drip Tray: Out-of-sight placement makes it easy to forget and leave fat to congeal overnight.
• Niche Features: Modes like Oven/Melt and Open BBQ may get limited use depending on your setup.

Smeg Multigrill vs Tefal Optigrill at a Glance

Design and Benchtop Appeal

The first thing to note about the Smeg MultiGrill is that, like most Smeg appliances, it looks fantastic. With its signature ’50s retro styling – available in black, cream, or red with chrome accents – it adds to your kitchen’s aesthetic rather than detracting from it. You won’t be rushing to hide this away in a cupboard after every use, which is ideal when you’re firing it up three or four nights a week.

The second thing to note is that it’s big. Measuring 47cm wide, 36cm deep and 21cm high, the Smeg takes up about 9cm more bench width and stands 3.5cm taller than my old Tefal. The visual jump was stark – a bit like upgrading your living room TV and realising you suddenly have a home cinema. I had to rearrange my bench setup to accommodate it, though I got used to the new footprint pretty quickly.

At 7.9kg compared to the Tefal’s 4.8kg, it’s also substantially heavier due to its die-cast metal body and thicker plates. While the Tefal can lock shut and store vertically in a cabinet, the Smeg is built as a permanent benchtop anchor. When folded flat into 180-degree BBQ mode, its total footprint stretches out to an impressive 47cm by 72cm. That’s plenty of cooking space, and bordering on impractical for regular use, but would certainly come in handy when cooking for large groups.

That extra real estate comes with serious functional upsides. As someone who spends Sunday afternoons meal prepping, I can easily fit five chicken thighs into a single cook. If you’re cooking for a family, that added capacity makes a world of difference.

Ultimately, all that extra heft delivers a genuine sense of premium quality. At $449 AUD, you want an appliance that feels substantial, and the Smeg feels solid, sturdy, and built to last.

Key Features and Versatility

For an appliance that takes up this much bench space, you need plenty of versatility to justify the real estate. That’s where Smeg’s “5-in-1” naming convention comes into play. Rather than just acting as a press, the MultiGrill is designed to replace several single-use kitchen gadgets through five distinct configurations:

• Contact Grill: The classic dual-plate press mode that cooks both sides of your protein or vegetables simultaneously, effectively cutting your weeknight cooking time in half.
• Open 180° BBQ / Griddle: The unit folds completely flat to double your available cooking surface. You can mix and match plates – grill marks on one side, flat griddle on the other – making it ideal for weekend big breakfasts or feeding a group.
• Panini Press: Using the adjustable floating hinge, the top plate locks into position directly over sandwiches and wraps to get a crisp, even toast without flattening them or squishing out the cheese.
• Oven / Melt Mode: Suspends the top plate just above your food without making physical contact, giving you a top-down heat source to melt cheese on burgers, crisp up open-faced toasties, or reheat pizza slices.
• Waffle Maker: Swapping in the dedicated high-density waffle plates locks in independent top-and-bottom heat control to bake thick, crisp Belgian waffles.

Smeg 5-in-1 Multigrill Key Specs

• RRP: ~$449 AUD
• Power Output: 2000W with embedded heating elements
• Temperature Range: 60°C to 230°C with an independent plate Sear boost function up to 250°C
• Controls & Display: Dual independent temperature control dials with an integrated LCD display
• Timer: Up to 60-minute timer with auto shut-off and acoustic signal
• Plates Included: 2x Grill plates, 1x Flat Griddle plate, and 2x Belgian Waffle plates (PFAS-free non-stick ceramic coating)
• Cooking Configurations: Contact Grill, Open 180° BBQ, Oven/Melt Mode (via adjustable height lock), Panini Press, and Waffle Maker
• Dimensions: 470mm (W) x 360mm (D) x 210mm (H)
• Weight: 7.9 kg
• Maintenance: Dishwasher-safe removable plates and integrated removable drip tray
• Finishes: Black, Cream, and Red
• Accessories Included: Double-sided spatula and waffle batter dosing cup

Real-world Performance and Useability

Of the five configurations, the contact grill is easily my most used. It’s my weeknight go-to for simple, healthy meals: turn the dial to set your target temperature, press start, and let the dual heating elements do their thing. Because it cooks simultaneously from both sides, dinner is ready in half the time – though that extra speed means you have to keep a closer eye on things to avoid drying out lean protein.

This is where the contrast with my old Tefal OptiGrill became most apparent in terms of useability. The Tefal featured dedicated auto-programs that measured meat thickness and tracked doneness via a colour-coded light ring. It was a handy, set-and-forget safety net on chaotic nights when I was multitasking dinner alongside childcare duties.

The Smeg takes a more traditional, hands-on culinary approach. Driven by dual independent temperature dials and a sleek LCD screen, it gives you total manual control rather than automated hand-holding. While dialing in exact temperatures across both plates is great for precise cooking, navigating the menus takes a bit of getting used to. You also won’t get a warning beep when your steak hits medium-rare, so a meat thermometer becomes your best friend. On the flip side, high-heat searing at 230°C is impressively clean – the unit manages heat distribution remarkably well without filling the kitchen with smoke or setting off fire alarms on winter nights.

Outside of the weeknight grind, the other modes hold their weight. The waffle setting quickly became a family favourite; popping out the grill plates and locking in the waffle plates takes just a single button click. Producing eight thick, perfectly cooked Belgian waffles across two quick batches turned a lazy Sunday morning into a special breakfast occasion for my four-year-old daughter and husband.

The panini mode is similarly practical, using its suspended hinge to crisp up sourdough wraps and toasties without crushing the fillings. While I rarely used the Open BBQ mode (since my outdoor setup is covered) or the Oven/Melt mode (since my main oven handles large bakes), having those capabilities built into a single benchtop appliance adds genuine value if you lack an outdoor grill, want to avoid heating up a full-sized oven, or find yourself cooking for a large group and needing a bit of extra cooking surface space.

Maintenance and Cleaning

This is where the Smeg truly pulls ahead. Cleaning my old Tefal was easily its most frustrating drawback. The non-stick coating degraded over time, leaving food baked onto the plates, while the deep, narrow grill grooves required a long soak and dedicated brush to scrape clean. It got to the point where the clean-up hassle actively deterred me from using it.

The Smeg MultiGrill completely eliminates that friction. The wider grill channels are much easier to wipe down, but the real star is the ceramic non-stick coating – residue slides right off with hot water, dish soap, and a soft sponge. No scraping, no soaking required – and after several months of use, the non-stick coating remains intact.

The only minor catch is the drip tray. Positioned discreetly at the rear, it keeps unsightly grease hidden while you cook – a definite visual plus. But out of sight, out of mind. It’s easy to forget about on a chaotic school night. If you leave it until morning, that fat congeals and takes a little extra elbow grease to wash out. I’ll chalk that one up to user error rather than poor design, but it’s worth keeping top of mind.

Final Verdict

As with most kitchen appliances, whether the Smeg MultiGrill is right for you comes down to your individual needs. My loyal Tefal OptiGrill served me well for years, but upgrading to the Smeg feels like a natural evolution.

I’m no longer in my twenties living in a share house; I have a young family, and I’m slowly building out my dream kitchen. The Smeg more than handles the daily weeknight duties of older grills, but it brings a level of design, utility, build quality, and permanent benchtop appeal that elevates the whole space. At $449 AUD, it isn’t cheap, but given its versatility, sturdy die-cast construction, and premium finish, it’s an investment built to last for years to come. That’s genuine bang for your buck.

Man of Many Rating: 8.5 / 10