IEC 60350-2:2025

Overview

IEC 60350-2:2025 is an international standard developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that establishes methods for measuring the performance of household electric hobs. This standard applies to both built-in and portable electric cooking hobs, including those integrated into ranges or featuring down-draft fume extraction systems. It provides standardized procedures for assessing key performance characteristics relevant to users, such as energy consumption, heating time, temperature control, and heat distribution. Notably, this edition focuses exclusively on performance measurement methods and does not cover safety requirements, which are addressed in other IEC standards.

The 2025 third edition represents a comprehensive technical revision of the earlier 2017 edition, introducing updated definitions, testing tolerances, and measurement techniques to ensure more consistent and practical evaluation of electric hobs across different laboratories.

Key Topics

• Performance Characteristics: The standard defines principal parameters including energy consumption during cooking, heating-up times, temperature control ability, heat distribution across cooking zones, and power usage in low power modes.

• Measurement Methods: IEC 60350-2:2025 specifies detailed test setups such as standardized cookware usage, positioning of appliances, electrical supply conditions, and instrumentation requirements to guarantee repeatability and comparability of test results.

• Cooking Zones and Areas: It distinguishes between multiple cooking zones on a hob and integrated cooking areas, with procedures tailored for measuring dimensions, distances, and operational performance for each type.

• Energy Efficiency and Heat Control: Procedures are outlined for measuring energy consumption during specific cooking processes, assessing heating-up speed, and examining the precision and stability of temperature control in various fuel modes and simmering settings.

• Heat Distribution and Supply: Experimental approaches using discs and pans for testing heat output uniformity, temperature overshoot, and power delivery in both continuous and intermittent cooking scenarios are included.

• Low Power Modes: The standard incorporates updated methods for measuring power consumption during off, standby, and networked standby modes, reflecting modern appliance functionalities aimed at reducing energy waste.

• Technical Updates: This edition eliminates previously used shade charts and digital assessment requirements, consolidates testing documentation online, adjusts measurement tolerances, and revises definitions to better accommodate portable hobs and integrated extractor systems.

Applications

IEC 60350-2:2025 serves manufacturers, testing laboratories, regulatory bodies, and consumers by providing:

• A uniform framework for evaluating and comparing electric hobs based on objective performance metrics.
• Support for product development and quality control by defining how to reliably measure heating efficiency, temperature accuracy, and energy consumption.
• A benchmark for energy labeling and consumer information, enabling informed purchasing decisions without dealing with safety aspects.
• Guidelines to assess innovative hob designs such as portable units and those with integrated down-draft extractors, ensuring consistent performance measurement across new technologies.
• A resource tool for energy efficiency programs and eco-design regulations to support sustainable household electrical appliance initiatives.

Related Standards

• IEC 60335-2-6 and IEC 60335-2-9 - Cover safety requirements for household electric cooking appliances including hobs, complementary to IEC 60350-2 which focuses on performance measurement.
• IEC TS 63350 - Provides technical specifications referenced for digital assessment methodologies and shade chart usage, now integrated by reference rather than detailed in this standard.
• IEC 60350-1 - Addresses performance measurements related to ovens and grills, offering a comprehensive framework when combined with the hob-specific requirements in IEC 60350-2.
• Energy labeling and eco-design regulations - While not IEC standards, national and regional energy efficiency directives often utilize IEC 60350-2 test methods as part of compliance verification for electric cooking appliances.

By adhering to IEC 60350-2:2025, stakeholders can ensure reliable, repeatable, and comparable performance measurements of household electric hobs, promoting transparency and innovation in the domestic cooking appliance market. This standard is essential for aligning product testing with international best practices and supporting sustainable consumption choices.