The centrepiece of British kitchens. Smeg’s appliances are made to be admired just as much as they are to be used, bringing a pop of colour to everyone’s countertops. But let’s face it, they’re not exactly cheap.

Now, pastel fans, rejoice. Lidl’s about to launch a range of retro-inspired kitchen appliances that look exactly like Smeg’s, but cost a fraction of the price. Available in pink, mint and black, the range includes everything from kettles, toasters and microwaves to espresso machines, stand mixers and air fryers.

Coming to the middle aisle this weekend (Sunday, 16 September), here’s everything you need to know about Lidl’s range of retro kitchen appliances, and when you can get your hands on them.

What does Lidl’s pastel kitchen range include?

There’s a huge selection in Lidl’s new Pastel Kitchen range, but it’s the retro-inspired appliances that caught my eye. Most come in a choice of mint, pink or black, so you can mix and match, or just kit out your entire kitchen in green.

Lidl’s £16.99 kettle looks a lot like Smeg’s much pricier retro kettle, and comes in mint, pink and black. It has a stainless-steel body, a 1.7l capacity and a 3,000W heating element. Lidl says it can boil one litre of water in two minutes and 45 seconds. There’s also boil-dry protection, a removable limescale filter and a water-level indicator.

The retro espresso machine is another highlight. It costs just £49.99 for Lidl Plus members and comes in mint, pink and black. It has a 15-bar pump, a portafilter with separate baskets for one or two shots, a 1l removable water tank and a swivelling steam wand for frothing milk or dispensing hot water.

I also love the look of Lidl’s £39.99 stand mixer, which comes in mint, pink and black. It has a 5l stainless-steel bowl and a 600W motor, and can mix, whisk and knead using planetary mixing action. It boasts digital speed controls, a turbo function and a runtime display, as well as a dough hook, whisk, flat beater and splatter guard.

And not to forget the humble air fryer. Lidl’s £29.99 air fryer comes in mint or pink. It features a large 4.7l capacity, with 3.6l of usable cooking space, and temperatures ranging from 40C to 200C. You can air fry, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate and prove.

There’s also a 20l retro microwave that comes in mint or pink and costs £39.99 for a limited time. It has five power settings up to 700W and eight automatic programmes, as well as four defrost programmes, a quick-start function, child lock and an LED display.

In fact, there’s so much in the range that you’ll be shopping for hours. There’s a matching two-slice toaster for just £12.99, a £24.99 jug blender, a £17.99 mini chopper, a £14.99 milk frother and an £8.99 hand blender, all coming in pink, mint or black. Lidl’s even selling matching cookware and accessories, including £3.49 frying pans, £4.99 cake and loaf tins, £9.99 electric coffee grinders and £6.99 electric salt and pepper mills. You’ll also find pastel glasses, mixing bowls, kitchen utensils, food-storage containers and microwave cookware.

When can you buy Lidl’s pastel kitchen range?

Lidl’s pastel kitchen range goes on sale on Sunday 16 August, but as most middle aisle finds, once they’re gone, they’re gone. If you’ve got your eye on Smeg’s appliances, here are our tried and tested recommendations.

Smeg’s mini kettle is much pricer than Lidl’s £16.99 variant, but if you want the original, you won’t be disappointed. “If you’re a fan of vintage gadgets, it’s highly likely this will be your dream model,” said Tamara Hinson in her round-up of the best kettles. “We’re big fans of its glossy finish and streamlined shape, as well as the speed with which it brought water to a boil, given its 1,400W of power.”

Lidl’s espresso machine looks exactly like this Smeg EGF03 coffee machine, but costs hundreds of pounds less. The original Smeg espresso machine can be used to brew espresso, cappuccino and lattes, with a double thermoblock heating system that it says allows for faster switch-on times and precise water temperature control.

We’ve also tried Smeg’s cold brew machine, which isn’t exactly a lookalike of the more premium espresso machine, but our tester said “the integrated steam wand handled a range of dairy well”.

** For more, ****we’ve found the best coffee machines **