Does an EICR Check Kitchen Wiring & Appliances? UK 2025 Guide
🍽️ Does an EICR Check Kitchen Wiring & Appliances? UK 2025 Guide
The kitchen is the highest-load electrical area in your home. Ovens, hobs, kettles, dishwashers, microwaves, and washing machines all run from circuits that can easily overheat or become overloaded if installed incorrectly.
So it makes sense that people often ask:
“Does an EICR check my kitchen wiring and appliances?”
This 2025 guide explains exactly what is inspected, what isn’t, and the most common EICR issues found inside UK kitchens.
📚 Contents
- 📌 Quick Answer
- 🔍 What an EICR Checks in the Kitchen
- ⚡ Are Kitchen Appliances Tested?
- ❌ Common Kitchen Faults Found During EICRs
- 🔥 High-Load Circuits: Cookers, Ovens & Hobs
- 🔌 Kitchen Sockets, RCDs & Earth Protection
- 🏠 Rules for Landlords (2025)
- 🔗 Related EICR Guides
- ❓ FAQs
📌 Quick Answer
Yes — an EICR checks all the fixed wiring inside the kitchen.
This includes:
- oven and hob circuits
- cooker control unit
- appliance sockets behind units
- under-counter wiring
- kitchen ring main / radial circuits
- RCD protection
- heat damage around appliances
But portable appliances (microwaves, kettles, toasters etc.) are NOT tested — that would fall under PAT testing.
For a full list of checks, see: What’s Included in an EICR (Checklist).
🔍 What an EICR Checks in the Kitchen
Kitchens contain more wiring than any other room in the house, and the electrician will inspect everything that forms part of the fixed installation.
Kitchen wiring checked includes:
- ring main supplying kitchen sockets
- cooker circuit (32A / 40A)
- oven wiring, if separate
- hob wiring (induction creates high load)
- fridge/freezer socket
- washing machine & dishwasher sockets
- isolation switches behind or above worktops
- wiring to extractor fan
- wiring to boilers or combi systems (if located in kitchen)
Loose connections, overloaded cables and heat damage are very common.
⚡ Are Kitchen Appliances Tested?
No — kitchen appliances themselves are not tested during an EICR.
The following items are not tested as part of the fixed wiring:
- kettle
- microwave
- toaster
- air fryer
- fridge, freezer
- stand-alone oven (unless hard-wired)
These are tested under PAT testing.
❌ Common Kitchen Faults Found During EICRs
These are the problems most commonly found in kitchen installations:
- C2: No RCD protection on socket circuits
- C2: Burnt switch or overloaded cooker switch
- C2: Incorrect cable size for cooker connection
- FI: Wiring hidden behind appliances, inaccessible
- C2: Loose terminals behind oven/hob
- C3: Poorly placed isolation switches
- C3: DIY wiring under worktops
For code meanings, see: EICR Codes Explained.
🔥 High-Load Circuits: Cookers, Ovens & Hobs
Cooker and hob circuits pull huge loads — often more than anything else in the home.
During an EICR, the electrician checks:
- wiring size (6mm², 10mm² etc.)
- MCB/RCBO rating
- heat damage at terminals
- isolation switch position
- BS 7671 compliance
Loose cooker connections are a major fire risk and often trigger C2.
🔌 Kitchen Sockets, RCDs & Earth Protection
Kitchen sockets are also fully inspected.
Electrician checks:
- tightness of terminals
- heat marks from kettles/air fryers
- earth continuity
- correct polarity
- RCD protection (mandatory for modern kitchens)
For socket checks, see also: Does an EICR Check Sockets?
🏠 Rules for Landlords (2025)
Kitchen wiring is a key risk area for landlords. Landlords must ensure:
- kitchen sockets have RCD protection
- isolation switches are accessible
- wiring is not overloaded with appliances
- a valid EICR every 5 years
Full guide here: Landlord EICR Requirements .
🔗 Related EICR Guides
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does an EICR check the oven?
If it is hard-wired, yes — the wiring is checked. The appliance itself is not.
Are freestanding kitchen appliances tested?
No — they fall under PAT testing.
Do kitchen sockets need RCD protection?
Yes — mandatory under modern standards and a common C2 if missing.
Do electricians pull out appliances during an EICR?
Only if accessible and safe. Otherwise an FI or Limitation may be recorded.
Can loose cooker wiring fail an EICR?
Yes — often a C2 due to fire risk.
Kitchen wiring is one of the most important parts of an EICR — and one of the most common sources of faults. Understanding what is checked helps keep your home safe and compliant in 2025.