Consumer protection and maximum safety in the handling of electrotechnical products are important goals of VDE. Since our foundation, safety and user protection have been our top priorities. Independent tests and consistent market surveillance are important for this. The VDE Institute tests more than 100,000 electrical products, components and systems every year – from vacuum cleaners and lawnmowers to cables and batteries.
For more than 100 years, consumers have trusted the VDE mark, which is known worldwide and is synonymous with the highest safety standards. Through product testing and our involvement in standardization committees and safety research, we have extensive knowledge and many years of experience in dealing with electrical products.
Anyone who does not know how to handle or care for electrical appliances correctly is exposing themselves to danger – whether at home, when traveling or in the garden. Time and again, people die as a result of incorrect use of electricity. With our safety tips and background information, we want to help ensure that every consumer can use electrical appliances safely.
Electricity, which we like to refer to colloquially as power, is a matter of course in our everyday lives. And essentially, electricity is something completely natural. Electrical impulses also act in the human body and control the muscles, for example.
Electricity, which we like to refer to colloquially as power, is a matter of course in our everyday lives. And essentially, electricity is something completely natural. Electrical impulses also act in the human body and control the muscles, for example.
Experts assume that a current of up to 0.5 mA is still completely harmless, even if the current can already be perceived. Above 0.5 mA, the current is clearly perceptible, but not yet hazardous to health. What happens at what current strength depends on various factors: the path of the current through the body, the duration and frequency of exposure, the area of contact and the moisture of the skin. It is therefore difficult to determine the exact point at which contact with electric current causes long-term damage or is even life-threatening.
The dangers that can arise from electric shock range from falling off a ladder (as a result of the shock), burns, muscle cramps, respiratory arrest to cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest and brain damage. As an electric shock is a massive intervention in the human body, all parts of the body can be affected – not only nerves, muscles and blood vessels, but also the skeleton. As a layperson, you should therefore assume that an electric shock is always dangerous and avoid potential risks.
"Buy cheap, buy twice!" This saying applies today more than ever. Unfortunately, more and more poor quality and sometimes life-threatening electrical products are coming onto the market.
"Buy cheap, buy twice!" This saying applies today more than ever. Unfortunately, more and more poor quality and sometimes life-threatening electrical products are coming onto the market.
Therefore, when buying an electrical product, the price should not be the (only) consideration. Cheap products often skimp on the quality of the material and safety is the first thing to suffer. If cable insulation is too thin and housing parts are brittle, there is an increased risk of live parts being touched or even the entire appliance being live. Products imported into the EU via online retailers in particular often do not comply with European safety standards.
You should therefore inform yourself thoroughly before buying an electrical appliance and seek advice. It is often helpful to have held the appliance in your hand. Safety and quality are confirmed by independent test seals, such as the VDE mark.
Please also note that the CE marking is NOT a safety mark! With this mark, the manufacturer merely declares independently that their product meets the requirements of the European directives – this may or may not be true. An independent test by a third party, such as the VDE Institute, does not take place here.
The tests carried out by the VDE Institute are voluntary, as there is no mandatory testing in Germany. Product manufacturers decide for themselves whether the quality and safety of their products should be confirmed and guaranteed.
Get a glimpse behind the scenes of the VDE Institute and get unique insights into our laboratories with our virtual tours.
You can move through the room, using the dots on the floor . At the colored dots, you can get brief information about our tests.
The VDE VR app informs consumers about important topics, such as the energy label and electrical safety, and provides an overview of what you should look out for when buying an electrical product.
Visually place a light and a fully automatic coffee machine in your home, office or anywhere else and discover which components we test.
Zoom into the product, rotate it, switch it on and off – we use gamification, clear descriptions and vivid images to give you a playful understanding of the extensive range of VDE tests.
