A method for detecting the defective status of an article intended to be contact filled with a pourable product stored in a tank by means of a filling device; said filling device comprising: - a first fluidic line, which is fluidly connectable in a selective way with said tank, is connected with a filling mouth of said filling device, and which is adapted to convey a flow of said pourable product from said tank towards said filling mouth; - a first valve, which is interposed along said first fluidic line and can be selectively arranged either in a first open position in which it allows the flow of the pourable product along the first fluidic line and towards said filling mouth, or in a first closed position in which it prevents said pourable product from flowing along said first fluidic line; - a second fluidic line (24, 25), which is fluidly connected with said filling mouth and is adapted to allow the escape of an aeriform contained in said article during the filling thereof; and - at least one second valve (22, 23), which is interposed along said second fluidic line (24, 25) and can be selectively arranged either in a second open position in which it allows the flow of said aeriform along said second fluidic line (24, 25) and away from said filling mouth or in a second closed position in which it prevents said aeriform from flowing along said second fluidic line (24, 25); said method comprising the steps of: i) creating a tight-fluid contact between an opening of said article and said first fluidic line; ii) setting said second valve (22, 23) in said second closed position; iii) setting said first valve in said first open position during said step ii); iv) measuring the flow of said pourable product along said first fluidic line during said steps ii) and iii); and v) detecting that said article is defective, in case said flow is greater than a threshold value. - a first fluidic line, which is fluidly connectable in a selective way with said tank, is connected with a filling mouth of said filling device, and which is adapted to convey a flow of said pourable product from said tank towards said filling mouth; - a first valve, which is interposed along said first fluidic line and can be selectively arranged either in a first open position in which it allows the flow of the pourable product along the first fluidic line and towards said filling mouth, or in a first closed position in which it prevents said pourable product from flowing along said first fluidic line; - a second fluidic line (24, 25), which is fluidly connected with said filling mouth and is adapted to allow the escape of an aeriform contained in said article during the filling thereof; and - at least one second valve (22, 23), which is interposed along said second fluidic line (24, 25) and can be selectively arranged either in a second open position in which it allows the flow of said aeriform along said second fluidic line (24, 25) and away from said filling mouth or in a second closed position in which it prevents said aeriform from flowing along said second fluidic line (24, 25); i) creating a tight-fluid contact between an opening of said article and said first fluidic line; ii) setting said second valve (22, 23) in said second closed position; iii) setting said first valve in said first open position during said step ii); iv) measuring the flow of said pourable product along said first fluidic line during said steps ii) and iii); and v) detecting that said article is defective, in case said flow is greater than a threshold value.