In a method of charging fine-grained metals, in particular directly reduced iron (DRI), into an electric-arc furnace (1), the metal is supplied via a downpipe (12) to an opening (10) provided in the furnace roof (4), is introduced into the furnace (1) through this opening (10) as bulk material stream (11), and falls onto the melt (13) merely by gravity. Further, an electric-arc furnace (1) suited for this purpose is described. A rather loss-free introduction even of fine-grained material having a mean grain size of less than 1 mm is achieved by passing the bulk material stream (11) through a dosing orifice (8) after the downpipe (12) and before entering the furnace (1). The bulk material stream (11) then enters the furnace essentially undisturbed.