Homeowner guide
Kitchen electrical safety
Water, heat and high-current appliances all in one room make the kitchen one of the most common places for electrical accidents in UK homes. These are the rules Paul recommends every household follow.
If a kitchen appliance is smoking or on fire
Do not throw water on it. Turn the appliance off at the wall if you can do so safely, then turn off the main switch on the consumer unit. Get everyone out, close the door behind you and call 999.
Three rules for every kitchen
Keep sockets away from the sink
Socket outlets and switches should be at least 300 mm horizontally from a sink or draining board so splashes cannot reach live parts. If a socket is closer, have it moved or replaced with a fused connection unit outside the splash zone.
Use switched fused spurs for built-in appliances
Fridges, dishwashers and washing machines fitted under a worktop are hard to unplug in an emergency. Feed them from a 13 A switched fused connection unit (FCU) mounted above the worktop so the appliance can be isolated instantly without pulling it out.
RCD protection on kitchen sockets
Under BS 7671, socket outlets rated up to 32 A for general use should have 30 mA RCD protection — and it is essential for any socket likely to feed portable equipment used outdoors (a mower, jet-wash or extension lead run into the garden).
Appliance advice
Appliance-specific tips
Cookers, hobs & ovens
A cooker circuit is normally 32 A or 40 A, wired in 6 mm² or 10 mm² cable and controlled by a dedicated cooker switch mounted within 2 m of the appliance (not directly above the hob). Do not run a cooker from a 13 A plug and socket.
Extractor hoods & fans
Cooker hoods must be installed to the manufacturer's instructions and, in most cases, on a switched fused spur — not plugged into a socket behind the hood where heat, grease and vibration can loosen the plug.
Kettles, toasters & small appliances
Check the flex for cracks, kinks or burn marks weekly. A hot plug at the socket is a warning sign of a loose terminal or a failing appliance — stop using it and have it checked.
Don't do this in the kitchen
- ✕Touch switches, sockets or appliances with wet hands.
- ✕Fill a kettle, steam iron or coffee machine while it is still plugged in.
- ✕Wrap flexible cables around a kettle, iron or toaster while it is still warm.
- ✕Try to remove stuck toast with a metal knife while the toaster is plugged in — there are live parts inside.
- ✕Clean or attempt to repair an appliance without unplugging it first.
- ✕Run a fridge, kettle or heater from a lightweight extension lead — use a fixed 13 A socket.
Kitchen rewire, socket move or new appliance circuit?
Paul is NAPIT registered and covers Brighton, Hove, Sussex, Kent and London. Whether it's an FCU above the worktop, moving a socket away from the sink, or a dedicated cooker circuit — get it done properly.