A latch device for a swing door of an electric household appliance, including a support fixable to the door; a fork-shaped latch member fitted in rotary manner to the support in such a position as to cooperate, in use, with a fixed striker fitted to a casing of the appliance; and a control button fitted to the support to slide in opposition to first elastic means, so as to be located, in use, at a front surface of the door; the latch member being movable, in opposition to second elastic means on the support, between a first operating position, in which it does not engage the striker, and a second operating position, in which it does engage the striker; and a contact member, fitted to the support to slide parallel to the control button in opposition to third elastic means, being operatively interposed between the control button and the latch member to selectively lock the latch member in the second operating position, and to be selectively locked by the latch member when the latch member is in the first operating position.