Anything that plugs in is in scope for inspection, but not everything needs the same attention and new equipment usually needs none at all. The useful sort is by class and by use: class I equipment has an earth and is tested for earth continuity, class II is double insulated and is not, and hand-held portable equipment fails far more often than anything that sits still.
What is in scope
Equipment connected by a plug and flex: kettles, microwaves, computers and monitors, printers, vacuum cleaners, power tools, heaters, lamps, chargers, and the extension leads and detachable power cables that connect them. Extension leads deserve naming separately, because they are handled, walked on and overloaded more than the equipment plugged into them.
Class I and class II
Class I equipment relies on an earth connection for safety and is tested for earth continuity as well as insulation. Class II is double insulated, carries the double square symbol and has no earth to test, so the inspection concentrates on the casing and the flex. Knowing which is which is why a competent tester is worth more than an instrument.
Fixed and stationary equipment
A fixed hand dryer, a wall heater or a cooker connected to a fused spur is not portable, but it is still in-service electrical equipment and still needs maintaining. Many testers cover it on the same visit and record it on the same register. What it is not is part of the fixed wiring inspection, which is the EICR's job.
New equipment
New equipment should be supplied in a safe condition, so a formal test on arrival is not normally needed. What is worth doing is recording it on the asset register with its purchase date and giving it a visual check when it is unpacked, so the maintenance regime knows it exists and the first formal inspection falls due at a sensible point.
What can reasonably be left out
Equipment that never leaves a locked room and is never moved, battery-powered equipment with no mains connection in use, and items already covered by a manufacturer's maintenance contract, provided the reasoning is written down. Scope decisions are defensible when they are recorded and reviewed, and indefensible when they are habits.
Questions people ask about what needs pat testing
Do new appliances need PAT testing?
Not normally. New equipment should arrive in a safe condition; a visual check and an entry on the asset register are usually the sensible steps.
Do extension leads need testing?
Yes, and they are among the items most likely to fail. Each lead is a separate item on the register.
What is the difference between class I and class II for testing?
Class I has a protective earth and is tested for earth continuity. Class II is double insulated with no earth, so the inspection focuses on the casing, flex and insulation.
Does fixed equipment need PAT testing?
Fixed in-service equipment still needs maintaining and is commonly covered on the same visit, but the fixed wiring itself is inspected under an EICR.