A domestic appliance includes a control device and a touch-sensitive operator control device. The domestic appliance has at least one sensor with which at least one property of an external input unit can be measured. The external input unit is in contact with the operator control device or is located at a distance x from the operator control device, wherein x is lower than a prespecified maximum distance xmax. The control device is configured to evaluate the at least one measured property with respect to the type and/or the state of the external input unit and to control the domestic appliance depending on the type and/or state of the external input unit. A method for operating the domestic appliance is also provided.
