I Tried SMEG's New Forte Stand Mixer – It's a Retro Baking Powerhouse That's Almost Perfect

Stand mixers are kitchen workhorses. They need to be able to handle everything from the most delicate mixing to tough kneading without protest, which is why I was so excited to get my hands on the new super-powerful SMEG Forte Stand Mixer.

I put the 750-watt mixer to the test using my favorite tried-and-tested recipes, and it's safe to say that it is a fantastic addition to the SMEG retro-style lineup, delivering stellar baked results every time and easily vying for a spot on the best stand mixers list.

That said, there are a few tiny snags in using the Smeg Forte Stand Mixer that knocked just half a star off of my final verdict. Here's why I still think it can be worth the investment, and the small details to take into account.

Product Specifications: KitchenAid Artisan Plus 5 Quart Stand Mixer

Design and First Impressions

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The SMEG Forte Stand Mixer revives the same classic retro silhouette as the rest of the SMEG offerings, with a curvaceous outline that oozes style and pairs wonderfully with their existing toasters, kettles, and more. Much like the original SMEG 1950s Retro Stand Mixer we reviewed a few years ago, the Forte comes in seven classic SMEG colors, all with stainless steel bowls.

The mixer looks great straight out of the box. It arrived well packaged, in mostly recyclable packaging, using sturdy cardboard and a few fabric bags to prevent the plastic exterior and stainless steel bowl from being scratched. The individual accessories were tucked neatly inside, too.

As with any stand mixer, this thing is not light. Coming in at 21lbs, it is a little lighter than the new KitchenAid Artisan Plus Stand Mixer I reviewed alongside it, but it is still not easy to lift from shelves if you wish to store it away. After a particularly tough arm day at the gym, my partner had to move it onto a slightly higher shelf for me when I needed some extra counter space. For general day-to-day use, however, it is so pretty that I suggest leaving it in place on your counter as part of your kitchen decor. Small appliance slide mats, from Amazon, can make it easier to move if required.

After unboxing and rinsing the attachments to remove any factory dust, it was as simple as plugging it in and starting to bake. There are 11 speed settings, an increase of one from the original design, that play into the new, more powerful motor. The SMEG Forte boasts a 750-watt motor, up from their previous 600 watts, and over double that of the new KitchenAid. The idea is that this will limit the risk of burnout, a common problem that plagues heavily used stand mixers. The mixer also promises a slow start, which steadily increases the speed up to the selected setting to avoid ingredients flying out of the bowl. I found this to be somewhat effective, but it was not as gentle as other mixers I have used in the past.

The Forte comes with four attachments as standard: A stainless steel wire whisk, an aluminum dough hook, a paddle beater, and a flex-edge beater. They also include a clear plastic splash guard with a pouring spout that sits neatly on top of the bowl.

Performance

To thoroughly test the stand mixer, I tested four of my favorite recipes that would assess the appliance's ability to tackle everything from thick doughs to delicate cream:

The Cake Test

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Victoria sponge cake is a very simple recipe, but it is easy to get wrong. Overmix, and you risk a dense, chewy cake that is miles from the lightweight, melt-in-the-mouth result you're hoping for. For this reason, I usually hand-mix this batter for precision.

I started by creaming together the butter and sugar using the flex-edge beater attachment. It powered through the mix easily enough, slowly reducing it down to a light and fluffy paste; however, I did notice some sticking around the edge of the bowl. I think this is because the flex-edge silicone only lines one side of the beater, meaning the other is exposed aluminum. As a result, you only get half the scraping power. I had to stop before adding more ingredients to scrape the edges down.

I proceeded as usual, alternating between adding the flour and eggs so as to prevent the batter from splitting. I did this on a low speed to avoid overmixing the dough, especially when adding the final few measures of flour. This is the part when I usually turn to folding the mix with a spoon slowly to keep the air in. The SMEG was a little heavy-handed for this, even on the lowest speed, but it incorporated everything evenly nonetheless. Power is this mixer's forte,' if you'll pardon the pun, more so than precision.

I admittedly shared and ate the cake too quickly and forgot to take a photo, but it came out evenly with no clumps of flour and rose nicely. It wasn't as fluffy as mixing by hand, but it was still perfectly passable.

The Whipped Cream Test

Whipping cream requires high speeds, so I had a good feeling that the SMEG Forte would excel here.

Adding plain double cream to the bowl, I turned the whisk attachment onto a mid-high setting and let it work. The slow start stopped cream from flying up to the splash guard, which was nice to see, even if it was not the slowest build-up I have ever seen in a mixer. It was a little loud in the process, but nothing uncomfortable. It was as expected from a motor of that size.

It very quickly thickened the cream to a spreadable consistency, ready to be spread onto my cake.

The Bread Test

With its more powerful motor, I paid particular attention to the bread test, making my standard focaccia dough. It was a lot easier than mixing by hand and produced a wonderfully airy bread that sprang up when compressed.

The process of making the dough raised a few concerns, however, most notably in the movement of the mixer head. As with most stand mixers, the speed is limited when using the dough hook to prevent burning out the motor, but that was no issue for me. I did find an issue in fitting the dough hook, however. The metal didn't slot together neatly and felt like it was scraping or catching on insertions, needing a bit of force to get it into place and twist to secure. It made the whole appliance feel a little bit less premium.

That said, even on the slowest speed setting, on a high-hydration dough, the head 'bounced' as it mixed. SMEG claims its head movement is there to mimic the natural movement of hands kneading dough for consistent results; however, this is a 'feature' most stand mixers struggle with, which can loosen the head joint over time. I am not entirely convinced by it. Overall, however, I didn't experience any damage in my time testing, nor did the appliance rock or otherwise move on the counter as I worked.

The handled bowl made the dough easy to move around while the dough was proofing, and all in all, I was very impressed by the texture of my sweet cinnamon sugar focaccia.

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The Cookie Test

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The final test is cookies, used to assess the mixer with another dough type, and the ease of moving the bowl from the counter to the fridge. I used my base cookie recipe for this to make a chewy chocolate-chunk treat.

This mix is usually a nightmare to make by hand, giving me a shoulder ache by the end, so it was nice to take some of the effort out. As with every other recipe, the paddle attachments distributed ingredients nicely, combining them evenly without any lumps or clumps. It also folded the chunks of chocolate evenly, with no sign of rocking or struggling as it worked.

As I refrigerate my cookie dough overnight (at the very least), I removed the bowl, covered it with foil, and put it in the fridge. The bowl is rather squat in size, being wider than it is tall, which made this very easy to do without having to adjust the height of my shelving. It didn't feel heavy in my grip, either, even with the dough inside.

After baking, the cookies were perfectly chewy, with crisp edges that gave way to an almost Stroop-waffle-esque interior. It was another easy win.

Cleaning and Maintenance

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Cleaning the SMEG Forte Stand Mixer was easy. The removable components are dishwasher safe, with the exception of the wire whisk. I hand-washed all of the pieces and found that even sticky bread dough came away with ease after a small stint soaking to loosen the oils. I always use a soft dish sponge and non-toxic soap, such as the Attitude Dish Soap from Walmart.

The exterior of the appliance, being shiny plastic, can then be buffed down with a damp cloth and dried to remove splatters and fingerprints.

It was as I was washing the bowl after the cookies that I realised that I had damaged it. When portioning cookies, I have always used my metal ice cream scoop from Walmart. It helps me achieve nice, even balls of dough for evenly sized cookies. I had used the same tool to portion dough from my KitchenAid with no issue, and given that stainless steel is a metal utensil safe, I used it without a second thought in the SMEG. After washing, the deep scratches made themselves known.

I flicked back through the manual and couldn't find any warnings against using metal in the bowl, so I didn't put this down to user error. That said, it is important to note that this bowl is more delicate than it looks.

How The SMEG Forte Stand Mixer Compares

When trialling stand mixers, I tested the Smeg Forte alongside the KitchenAid Artisan Plus Stand Mixer. Both delivered great results on the same bakes, and I would be hard-pressed to tell them apart if I were blindfolded. That said, the process of using each machine varied, and put the KitchenAid half a star ahead.

Both machines come at a premium price so far as stand mixers are concerned; however, for $50 more, the Artisan Plus offers greater precision control, including a folding speed and a bowl light. Even with a more powerful motor, these were two features I missed severely when using the SMEG Forte.

The general consensus online seems to agree that the Forte, while a great option, may not live up to alternatives. Another professional review, for instance, experienced the bowl rocking under the force of the mixer. While I did not experience this myself, it suggests that it might not be quite sturdy enough to withstand its own amped-up motor.

Shopper reviews are more positive, with the bulk of the praise falling on the cult-favorite retro design. Many Amazon shoppers, for instance, love that it matches their existing SMEG investments. Giving it five stars, shopper M commented, 'I love to bake and was finding making bread and similar products tedious due to the amount of hand kneading. The initial shock and slight buyer's remorse due to the price were instantly gone upon my first use! This machine can handle all types of dough, cookies, squares, buns, etc. If you are looking for a stand mixer and want something sturdy that can get the job done, I highly recommend this product!'

Of the one-star reviews, of which there are very few, customers report a range of issues from cords arriving broken to the tilt head mechanism not holding, and even the appliance not always turning on. None of us appeared to have the same issues, which suggests to me that there may be some quality-control concerns with the odd few appliances. It is worth noting that the overall reception is very positive, however, and these mark only a small section of shoppers.

Should You Buy The SMEG Forte Stand Mixer?

All in all, if you value aesthetics and bake occasionally, I do recommend the SMEG Forte Stand Mixer. It ultimately performed well on all of our tests, delivering tasty baked goods, but it just fell a little short in comparison to others on the market in terms of operation. It wouldn't suit someone running a cake business from their home, but it is a fun-looking addition for the occasional home cook.

If you already have an existing stand mixer that performs well, I do not see a need to rush to upgrade, especially with a recommended retail price of $549.99 at the time of writing. I would wait for a sale to invest.

What Else to Shop

Looking to create a cohesive appliance suite or simply elevate your baking setup? I’ve rounded up my favourite SMEG appliances alongside a selection of baking essentials to help outfit your kitchen in style, without compromising on non-toxic materials or performance.

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

Looking to make your baking setup more professional? We asked professional organizers for their best tips for storing bakeware to keep kitchens tidy.

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