Smart meters are the main measurement devices for power trade settlement. Their reliability is related to the safety, economy and fairness between power companies and manufacturing companies, power users and power grid companies. As an effective method to evaluate and improve reliability, the smart meter reliability test runs through the entire life cycle of design, manufacture, delivery, use and maintenance, and has developed a series of special reliability tests for different purposes which have extensive research and usage scenarios. In this paper, firstly the development process of reliability test was described. Secondly, the development process of smart meter was combined to summarize the research history of smart meter reliability research in academia, manufacturing and user. Finally, the reliability work of new generation of smart meters is prospected when they meet the IR45 international standards.