Chef is the value line and Westinghouse the step above it: the same Australian factory, the same 10-amp plug-in convenience, but Westinghouse ovens get more functions, a better grill and pyrolytic cleaning at the top. A Chef 60cm oven runs around $450 with three functions; the Westinghouse equivalent is around $700 with five, and its pyrolytic model around $1,200.
Both brands belong to Electrolux and both build their ovens and cookers in Adelaide, which is why the cabinet dimensions, the 10-amp supply and the drop-down cool doors are identical across them.
Chef 60cm oven
Three functions (grill, defrost, fan bake), a 72-litre cavity, knob controls and a two-hour mechanical timer. Made in Australia and, crucially, it runs on 9.6 amps, so it plugs into a normal 10-amp power point rather than needing hardwiring. Owners rate it 4.4 from more than 160 reviews at The Good Guys.
Three functions is genuinely sparse. There is no pizza setting, no base heat and no programmable timer.
What We Like:
- Plugs into a normal power point
- Made in Australia
- Under $500
What We Don't Like:
- Three functions and a mechanical timer
Westinghouse 60cm oven
Five functions including fan grill and fan forced, the same 72-litre cavity and 80-litre gross, a programmable timer with two-hour auto-off, and the same 9.6-amp plug-in supply. Owners rate it 4.7 from nearly 150 reviews at The Good Guys, a step above the Chef.
Still no self-cleaning at this price; that starts with the pyrolytic model.
What We Like:
- Five functions and a programmable timer
- Plugs into a normal power point
- Best-rated plug-in oven here
What We Don't Like:
- No self-cleaning
Westinghouse pyrolytic
Ten functions including AirFry and pyrolytic cleaning, telescopic runners in the box, touch and knob controls, and a 68-litre cavity. Owners rate it 4.8 from more than 70 reviews at The Good Guys. Around $1,200.
It needs 15 amps, so unlike the cheaper models it does need an electrician. The cavity shrinks to 68 litres to make room for the pyrolytic insulation.
What We Like:
- Pyrolytic cleaning under $1,300
- AirFry, telescopic runners
- Highest owner score of the three
What We Don't Like:
- Needs a 15-amp circuit
Side by side
| Chef 60cm | Westinghouse 60cm | Westinghouse pyrolytic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $450–500 | $600–700 | $1,100–1,200 |
| Functions | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| Capacity | 72L | 72L | 68L |
| Cleaning | Manual | Manual | Pyrolytic |
| Controls | Knobs | Knobs | Touch and knobs |
| Timer | 2hr mechanical | Programmable | Programmable |
| Supply needed | 9.6A, plugs in | 9.6A, plugs in | 15A, hardwired |
| Made in | Australia | Australia | Australia |
| Weight | 31kg | 31kg | 40kg |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years |
| Owner rating | 4.4 (167) | 4.7 (145) | 4.8 (71) |
Owner ratings are from The Good Guys.
What actually differs
Functions. Three, five, ten. The jump from Chef to Westinghouse buys fan forced and fan grill, the two settings most recipes actually call for. Past that the returns fall away quickly.
The plug. This is the reason both brands exist in a market full of European ovens. A Chef or Westinghouse 60cm oven at 9.6 amps goes into a standard power point, so replacing a dead oven is a delivery rather than an electrician's quote. Bosch's Series 2 needs 13.8 amps and everything above it needs 16. For a rental, a quick replacement or a kitchen with no spare circuit, that decides it.
Timers. Chef's mechanical timer turns the oven off after two hours and that is all it does. Westinghouse's is programmable with a delay start.
Where they are made. Both carry a Made in Australia claim on the Electrolux Adelaide plant, which is unusual in a category dominated by European and Asian manufacturing.
Freestanding cookers. The same split runs through the upright cookers: Chef's 54cm electric is around $680 and rated 4.3 from more than 250 owners, the most-reviewed cooker at The Good Guys; the Westinghouse 54cm is around $950 and rated 4.4 from more than 120.
FAQs
Are Chef and Westinghouse the same appliance with different badges?
Not identical, but they share a platform, a factory and most of the cabinet engineering. The differences are real and in the feature set rather than in build quality.
Is Electrolux the same as Westinghouse?
Electrolux owns both Westinghouse and Chef and also sells appliances under its own name, which sit above Westinghouse in the range with more features and a higher price.
Which should I buy for a rental property?
Chef, for the price and the plug. Five minutes with a screwdriver and a power point replaces it, which matters when a tenant reports a dead oven.
Do these ovens really fit a standard cabinet?
Yes, 596mm wide and 597mm high. They are slightly deeper than European ovens at 573mm, so check the cabinet depth if you are swapping out a Bosch or Smeg.
