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Operation, Maintenance and Installation Manual
VG 421
Gas Cooker
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Congratulations on buying your new
“Vario” appliance.
Before switching your appliance on for the first
time, we would like you to familiarize yourself with
your new appliance. In this manual you will find
important notes on safety and operation. These
will serve to ensure your personal safety and the
lasting value of your appliance. Keep the
instruction manual near your appliance for further
reference.
You will find notes on Page 3 that you ought to
observe before operating the appliance for the
first time.
The chapters entitled “Features" and “Operation"
tell you all about what your appliance can do and
how you operate it.
The chapter entitled “Cleaning and Care" gives
tips on how to keep your appliance looking good.
And now we wish you lots of fun cooking.
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For Your Safety
You must not operate the appliance if it is damaged.
When connecting electrical appliances in the proximity of the appliance, make sure that connecting
leads do not come into contact with hot cooking
surfaces!
As the user, you yourself are responsible for
maintenance and proper use in the household.
Only ever operate the appliance under supervision.
Do not operate the appliance without pots and pans
placed on it. Make sure that all the burner parts are
correctly fitted.
Caution: The appliance heats up during operation.
Keep children away.
Do not clean the appliance with a steam cleaning
apparatus or with water pressure - risk of short-
circuits!
Isolate the appliance from the mains during every
maintenance operation. To do this, remove the
mains plug or switch off the corresponding
household fuse. Close the gas supply.
Repairs must be carried out by authorised specialists, thus ensuring electrical safety.
No warranty claims can be lodged for any damage
resulting from failure to observe these instructions.
Observe caution with oils and fats. They may
overheat and burn easily.
Foodstuffs that are prepared in fat and oil must only
be prepared under constant supervision!
Technical modifications reserved.
Operating for the First Time
Remove the packaging from the appliance and
dispose of it according to local regulations. Be
careful to remove all accessories from the
packaging. Keep packaging elements and plastic
bags away from children.
Check the appliance for transport damage before
installing it.
The appliance must be installed and connected by
an authorised specialist before operation. The
installation must conform with all current regulations
of the gas supply companies and the regional
construction regulations.
Turn all control knobs to the OFF position before
connecting the appliance to the power supply.
The serial number of the appliance can be found on
the quality control slip which is included with these
instructions. This quality control slip should be kept,
for guarantee reasons, together with your operating
and assembly instructions.
Read through these instructions attentively before
operating your appliance for the first time.
Thoroughly clean the appliance and accessories
before using them for the first time. This will
eliminate any 'newness’ smells and soiling (see
chapter “Cleaning and Care”).
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1. Important Notes
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About Use
The appliance is intended solely for use in the
household and must not be put to any other uses.
Use the appliance to prepare meals only. It must not
be used to heat up the room in which it is installed.!
Use of a gas cooker generates heat and humidity
in the room where it is installed. This is why attention must be paid to good kitchen ventilation.
The natural ventilation openings must be kept
unobstructed. Prolonged use of the appliance
with several or all rings may call for additional
ventilation such as opening a window or a door,
or stronger air extraction by an extractor hood.
To guarantee good combustion, the room in
which the appliance is installed must have
a minimum volume of 20 m
3
and must possess
a door that opens outdoors or a window that
can be opened.
Keep the ventilation openings at the back of the
appliance free at all times.
Only use the burners after placing pots and
pans on them. Do not heat up any empty pots
or pans; this may result in a build-up of heat. Use
pots and pans with thicker bottoms because heat
distribution is particularly improved in the low
setting. Using pots and pans which are adapted to
the burner size increases the efficiency of the heat
from the gas flame, thereby reducing power costs.
It is not permitted to use roasting pans, frying pans
or grill stones heated simultaneously by several
burners because the resulting heat build-up may
damage the appliance.
Pots with a diameter of less than 90 mm or more
than 280 mm should not be used. When using large
pots, pay attention to keeping to a minimum
distance of 50 mm between the cooking vessel and
combustible surroundings.
Switch the burners to the low setting whenever you
remove pots or pans briefly. In this way, you reduce
the risk of burns when working next to naked
flames; you also save gas and reduce pollution.
Whenever the gas hob is fitted under an extractor
hood, always cover the rings with pots or pans.
Otherwise, parts of the extractor hood may become
damaged by the extreme heat development or
grease residues in the filter may ignite.
Ensure an adequate supply of air when using
an extractor hood operating in the extraction
mode !
The appliance cannot be used during a power
failure.
In the event of malfunctions, please inform your
specialist dealer or your nearest Gaggenau aftersales service.
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Features of the Appliance
Control Knobs
Burner Parts
1 Appliance cover
2 Ventilation openings
3 Normal burner 2 kW
4 Large burner 4 kW
5 Pot grid
6 Control knob for front cooking zone
7 Control knob for rear cooking zone
Flame setting:
0 OFF
High setting of outer and inner flame ring
Low setting of outer flame ring
High setting of inner flame ring
Outer flame ring off
High setting of inner flame ring
Outer flame ring off
Low setting of inner flame ring
1 Burner head cover
2 Burner ring
3 Burner head
4 Electrode for automatic ignition,
flame detection and flame control
You can order the following special accessory:
VV 400-000 Connecting trim
SV 402-090 Spindle extension up to 140 mm
SV 402-205 Spindle extension up to 300 mm
LS 330-000 Air baffle for installation next to
VL 430/431
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2. Features
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1
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
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3. Operating Principle
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The appliance features one-hand operation, flame
detection and automatic re-ignition. The ignition is
activated when the control knob is turned.
Should the flame go out during operation, the
appliance will automatically re-ignite the burner.
During a disturbance, the appliance will cut off
the gas supply as a safety measure, to prevent
unburned gas escaping.
The flame setting is infinitely variable between high
and low.
The total rated thermal load amounts to:
6 kW referred to Hs* (gross calorific value)
5.4 kW referred to Hi(calorific value)
The specified rated load is defined by installation
of the fixed nozzles.
The gas hob is converted to a different gas
type by nozzle replacement (full and low-burning
nozzles) (see nozzle table on page 14-15).
Off
High
Low
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Switching on
• Place a suitable pot or a pan on the corresponding
cooking position.
• Press down the control knob for the cooking
position and turn it to the required position
between the and symbols. The burner ignites
automatically.
• When using large pots or pans you should ignite
the burner in the low position.
• Every time the gas hob is switched on, the
electronics run an auto test. The electrode fires
and the burner ignites after a few seconds.
• When being switched on, a short sound may be
heard when the electronic of the gas hob opens
the gas supply valve. This is a normal condition.
The flame size can be set continuously between full
and low by slowly turning the control knob.
Should the flame go out during operation (e.g.
because of a draught), the appliance will
automatically re-ignite the burner.
Should the re-ignition be unsuccessful (e.g. burner
is soiled by spilled over food or liquid), the gas
supply is switched off automatically and a signal is
sounded. Turn the control knob to the OFF position.
After the appliance has cooled down sufficiently,
check if all the burner parts have been assembled
correctly. Check if the burner or the electrode have
been soiled.
Switching off
Fully turn the control knob to the OFF position.
The electronics of the appliance switch the gas
supply off.
4. Operation
Only light a burner if all burner parts are dry, and
assembled correctly. Otherwise, malfunctions may
occur or the appliance may switch off.
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5. Settings Table
Cooking Cooking method Examples
level
High Boiling Water
Searing Meat
Heating Fat, liquids
Boiling Soup, sauce
Blanching Vegetables
Roasting Meat, fish, potatoes
From Browning Flour, onions
Roasting Almonds, breadcrumbs
Baking Pancakes, egg dishes
to Boiling in open pot Liquids
Simmering in open pot Dumplings, sausages, soup garnish,
meat stock, poached eggs
Simmering Sweet sauces
From Boiling with closed lid Pasta, soup, sauces
Steaming Vegetables, potatoes, fish
to Stewing Vegetables, fruit, fish
Braising Goulash, rolled beef steaks, roasts,
vegetables
Low Thawing Frozen foods
Slow cooking Rice, pulses
Reheating Soup, casserole, vegetables in a sauce
Switch to the high setting in order to reach the required temperature quickly. Then switch back to a lower
setting.
The values given above must be looked upon as recommended values. The heat required depends not
only on the type and condition of the food, but also the size and contents of the pot.
Due to the high performance of the cooktop, fat and oil will heat up quickly. Never leave the cooktop
unattended, fat can ignite, food can burn.
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Pots with a diameter of less than 90 mm or more
than 280 mm should not be used. When using large
pots, pay attention to keeping to a minimum
distance of 50 mm between the cooking vessel and
combustible surroundings.
When buying pots, pay attention to the fact
that the manufacturer frequently specifies the top
pot diameter, which is generally larger than the
diameter of the base.
Observe the manufacturer’s specifications! Use
cooking utensils that the manufacturer states as
being “suitable for gas". Use pots with heat resistant
handles.
Use pots and pans with a thick base, because heat
distribution is particularly improved in the low
setting. Using the correct size of pots and pans for
the burner ensures improved cooking performance
and energy efficiency.
To ensure an even distribution of heat, center the
pot above the burner. The flames should be
covered by the pot base.
Place the pot or pan securely and level on the pot
grid. Turn the pan handle to the side, it should not
point to the front. In order to guarantee a secure
position on the pot grid, the pot base should be flat
and not warped or dented.
Placing a fitting lid on the pot will shorten cooking
times. Through a glass lid you can watch the
cooking progress without having to take the lid off.
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6. Cookware Recommendations
VG 421 Recommended Minimum
pot diameter pot diameter
Normal Burner 200 - 240 mm 90 mm
Large Burner 240 - 280 mm 90 mm
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Keep the ventilation openings on the rear of the
appliance clean. Do not block the ventilation
openings.
The burners (burner head cover, burner ring and
burner head) will change their color during
operation and become darker. This change in color
will not influence the use-value.
Please thoroughly clean the appliance before
operating it for the first time and after every use.
Do not use scouring agents, abrasives or chemically
aggressive cleaners (for example oven cleaner)!
Do not use any nitro polishing agents for cleaning!
Do not use any abrasive sponges either.
Before cleaning, please wait until the cooktop
has cooled to hand-warm !
• First lift the pot grid with both hands (be careful
not to scratch the base).
• Remove the burner head cover, the burner
rings and the burner head.
• Important! Only clean the burner parts when
cold!
• Soak burnt-in remainders in a little water and
detergent. This loosens even the most stubborn of
soiling. Do not use any abrasive agents and
abrasive sponges.
• Only use very little water to clean your cooktop.
Be careful that no water enters the burner base.
• As the result of heat development, slight discoloration can appear on the stainless steel
surface. Do not attempt to scrape away such
discoloration. This damages the surface.
Distribute stainless steel care agents uniformly
and thinly on the hob. This will ensure an even
surface and will keep your hob in a good
condition for a long period of time.
• Make sure the burner parts are dry before
assembly. Only operate the appliance with all
parts dry. Damp burner parts will cause
malfunctions when igniting or unstable flames.
• When assembling the burner parts, make sure
that the burner ring and burner head are placed
in such a way that the locking lugs fit in the
corresponding recesses.
7. Cleaning and Care
Note: to avoid jeopardising the electrical safety of
the appliance, do not use high-pressure or steam
jet cleaning devices – risk of short circuits!
Caution, risk of burns! Before cleaning,
please wait until the cooktop has cooled to
hand-warm. Never switch on the cooktop
while cleaning.
burner head
cover
burner ring
burner head
electrode
burner base
burner assembly
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Part / Material Suggested Cleaning Procedure Important Reminders
Pot Grid Take pot grids off for cleaning. Do not clean in a dishwasher.
(enamel on Soak in sink. Soak burnt-in remainders in sink.
cast iron) Clean with detergent and brush. Abrasive cleaners, used too vigorously or
too often can eventually mar the enamel.
Burner Head Cover, Remove coarse soiling with damp Do not clean in a dishwasher.
Burner Ring, cloth and detergent. Port openings must be kept free.
Burner Head Use brass polish to keep the Be careful not to loose the small parts.
(brass) original shiny surface.
Electrode Clean with brush, fine glass-paper Soiled electrodes may cause malfunctions
or scouring pad. when igniting or flame control disturbance.
Be careful when cleaning electrodes,
they are fragile, do not turn.
Caution: never switch on cooktop while
cleaning electrodes.
Base Cloth with detergent and hot water. To prevent marring the polished stainless
(stainless steel, Soak burnt-in remainders with a steel trough, always polish in the direction
shot blasted, little detergent solution. of the polish lines.
brushed) After cleaning, polish dry with a Light discolorations may form if the
soft cloth to prevent water stains natural oxidation is removed together
forming on the surface. with the soiling. Put some commercially
For heavy soiling, you can order available stainless steel polish on a cloth
our stainless steel cleaner (Order and polish the whole cooktop after cleaning
No. 310631) from your Gaggenau to get an even stainless steel surface.
dealer. Never allow food stains or salt to remain
Caution: no liquid should enter on stainless steel for any length of time.
the housing of the cooktop Important: certain stainless steel cleaners
through the burner base. will scratch the surface. Chlorine or
chlorine compounds in some cleaners are
corrosive to stainless steel. Check
ingredients on label.
Control knob Wipe with a damp cloth. Cloth should not be too wet, as moisture
could penetrate behind the control knob.
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The appliance must be disconnected from the
power and gas supply during all repair work.
In the event of malfunctions, check whether the gas
and electricity supplies are in proper working
order.
The cooktop cannot be used during a power failure.
If the cooktop is being used when the power failure
occurs, turn all of the burner control knobs to the
OFF position. The cooktop will not turn back on
after a power failure until all control knobs are first
turned OFF and then turned back on again.
Before calling the service engineer, check the
trouble-shooting guide on page 13 to see, if you can
rectify the problem yourself. If your appliance still
does not work, please contact your dealer or your
local Gaggenau customer service agency. Specify
the appliance type (see rating plate).
Repairs may only be carried out by authorised
technicians, in order to guarantee the safety of the
appliance.
Unauthorised tampering with the appliance will
invalidate any warranty claims.
Only use original spare parts.
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8. Maintenance
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