EN 60335-2-5: Safety of Dishwashers

EN 60335-2-5, “Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety – Part 2-5: Particular requirements for dishwashers”, sets the requirements for the electrical safety, water protection, heater protection and mechanical strength of household dishwashers. It is applied under the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU and is read together with EN IEC 60335-1; Part 2-5 holds the rules that are added or changed for this appliance.

For EN 60335-2-5 testing and CE marking of your dishwasher, apply to CE Danışmanı (CE Consultant); we manage the whole process for you.

EN 60335-2-5 at a glance

The edition cited in the Official Journal is the one that gives presumption of conformity with the Low Voltage Directive. Confirm the cited edition with the laboratory before testing starts.

Why dishwashers have their own standard

A dishwasher is one of the few household appliances in which water, electricity and high temperature share one cabinet. In each cycle roughly 10 to 15 litres of water are heated to 65–75 °C, sprayed under pressure and pumped to the drain, while the control board, the heater, the circulation motor, the drain pump, valves and sensors are all live. An insulation fault can cause electric shock, and a heater fault can start a fire. The standard concentrates on three points:

1. Water tightness and overflow protection. If a hose bursts or a valve leaks, water must not reach the electrical parts.
2. Heater safety. When the heater runs dry it must neither fail dangerously nor start a fire.
3. Door safety. Opening the door during a programme must not expose the user to scalding water or steam.

Products covered

• Standalone household dishwashers
• Built-in models
• Countertop compact dishwashers, including models with an integrated water tank
• Two-drawer or two-compartment models
• Hot-fill models connected to the hot water supply
• Connected models with Wi-Fi control (the radio module is assessed separately)

Products not covered

• Commercial dishwashers for restaurants and canteens: EN 60335-2-58
• Industrial conveyor dishwashing systems: machinery safety standards
• Medical washer-disinfectors: EN ISO 15883 series

Particular requirements for dishwashers

• Clause 15, overflow and leakage. When the inlet hose bursts or an internal valve leaks, the appliance must remain electrically safe. The standard does not name “Aquastop”; in practice the requirement is met with a double-walled inlet hose and a float switch in the base.
• Clause 19, heater running dry. If a pump fault stops water flowing over the heater, the heater must be switched off before a hazard arises.
• Clause 19, blocked drain pump. A foreign object in the pump must not lead to overheating; the motor must stop or be protected.
• Clause 22, door. Hot water and steam must not injure the user when the door is opened early. Where an automatic door-opening function is fitted for drying, it must operate safely.
• Clause 22, inlet hose. The hose assembly must withstand a pressure well above the normal mains water pressure of 3 to 6 bar.
• Clause 30, resistance to heat and fire. The printed circuit board and plastic parts near live connections must pass the fire tests; the board must also tolerate a humid environment. Many manufacturers add a conformal coating, although the standard does not prescribe it.

Typical test programme

• Construction: Class I with earthing, protection against water.
• Electrical: electric strength, insulation resistance, leakage current in dry and wet conditions.
• Heating: the hottest programme (70–75 °C), a short programme and an intensive programme, with temperature rises of the heater and of the outer surfaces.
• Water: burst hose, operation of the leak protection, triggering of the overflow sensor, attempt to wash with the door open.
• Mechanical: endurance of the door hinge and door lock, load on the basket runners.
• Abnormal operation: dry heater, blocked pump, blocked drain.
• Built-in models: tested installed in a typical kitchen cabinet, so that heat build-up around the appliance is measured.

Other legislation that applies

• EMC 2014/30/EU: EN 55014-1 and EN 55014-2
• Ecodesign (EU) 2019/2022: water and energy consumption, spare part availability
• Energy Labelling (EU) 2019/2017: A to G label with energy and water per cycle and noise; performance is measured to EN 60436. The scale was rescaled in 2021, so a former A+++ model usually lands several classes lower without any change in design.
• Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU for Wi-Fi models: EN 300 328, EN 301 489 and EN 62311, plus the cybersecurity requirements that apply from August 2025 (EN 18031-1)
• RoHS and WEEE

From testing to CE marking

1. Scope analysis. Confirm that EN 60335-2-5 is the right Part 2 for the product and list the other legislation that applies.
2. Document review. Circuit diagrams, parts list, certificates of critical components and user instructions are checked before the sample goes to the laboratory.
3. Testing. EN 60335-1 and EN 60335-2-5 together, plus EMC tests to EN 55014-1 and EN 55014-2, EN 60436 performance measurements for the energy label.
4. Technical file and declaration. The technical file includes the risk analysis and the test reports; the EU Declaration of Conformity lists every directive and standard applied.
5. CE marking. The mark is at least 5 mm high. The technical file is kept for 10 years.

A report from an accredited laboratory is what market surveillance authorities and distributors usually ask to see. Turkey applies the same rules through its own regulation aligned with 2014/35/EU, and the documents of imported products are checked through TAREKS. Send every variant (voltage, colour, options) to the laboratory together, because models added later need extra testing. For a dishwasher the technical file also holds the hydraulic diagram, the heater, motor and pump specifications and the configuration of the safety sensors.

Related guide: EN 60335-2-7 for washing machines.