Miele 4010 BM, 4020 BM User Manual

Operating instructions

Microwave combination oven H 4010 BM, H 4020 BM

To avoid the risk of accidents or damage to the appliance it is essential to read these operating instructions before it is installed or used for the first time.

M.-Nr. 06 230 140

Contents

Description of the appliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Warning and Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Caring for the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Before using for the first time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Set the clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Cleaning and heating up for the first time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Operating modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Microwave function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Traditional oven functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Combination programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Suitable containers for microwave ovens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Material and shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Testing dishes for their suitability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

A cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Selecting an oven function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Temperature selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Timer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

-, V and + buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Triangle V in the display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Setting the time of day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Setting the minute minder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

To set the minute minder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

To cancel the time set for the minute minder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Programming cooking duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Switching the cooking programme off automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Switching the oven on and off automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

End of cooking duration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

To check and change an entered value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

To cancel programmed cooking durations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Microwave. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Combination programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Microwave + Fan plus hY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Microwave + Grill h n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Contents

Altering the time of day display and audible tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Time of day display (P I) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Audible tone (P 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Defrosting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Chart for defrosting food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Reheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Chart for reheating food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Cooking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Microwave h. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Fan plus Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Combination programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Cooking chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Chart for cooking, browning and crisping food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Defrosting and Reheating / Cooking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Microwave h. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Combination programme. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Grilling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Chart for grilling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Baking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Fan plus Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Combination programme. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Tips on baking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Baking chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Cleaning and care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

E-cloth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Problem solving guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

After sales service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Electrical connection IRL, U.K., ZA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Description of the appliance

Control panel

a Function selector b Timer c Temperature selector d Temperature indicator light

Oven interior

e Grill element f Oven interior lighting g Three shelf levels h Oven door

Accessories supplied

Glass tray

The glass tray is suitable for use with all cooking functions.

Combi rack for use with the glass tray

The combi rack must always be used with the glass tray. It can be used either way up to vary the height between it and the grill element and thus suit the cooking function and type of food being cooked.

The combi rack is designed to be compatible with microwaves. However, it must not be placed directly on the stainless steel floor of the oven, as this could cause arcing to occur.

Description of the appliance

Boiling rod

When heating liquids, the boiling rod provided should always be placed into the container. It helps liquids to heat evenly.

Warning and Safety instructions

This appliance complies with all relevant legal safety requirements. Improper use can present a risk of both personal injury and material damage.

To avoid the risk of accidents and damage to the appliance please read these operating instructions carefully before installation and before using it for the first time. They contain important notes on installation, safety, operation and care of the appliance.

Keep these operating instructions in a safe place and pass them on to any future user.

Correct use

The appliance is intended for

domestic use only: to cook food, and in particular to defrost, reheat, cook, bake, and to grill. Any other usage is not supported by the manufacturer and could be dangerous. The manufacturer cannot be held liable for damage caused by incorrect or improper use of the appliance.

Never use the appliance to store or

dry items which could ignite easily. Moisture evaporates. Fire hazard.

children to play on or near it or to play with the controls. Supervise its use by older children, the elderly or infirm. If allowing older children to use the appliance without supervision, please ensure that they are aware of how the oven works and understand the dangers of improper use.

Technical safety

fitted by a Miele approved service technician.

- the door is warped,

- the door hinges are loose,

- holes or cracks are visible in the casing, the door, the door seal or the oven interior walls. Operating the appliance with this type of damage will result in microwave leakage and present a hazard to the user.

Tampering with electrical connections or components and mechanical parts is highly dangerous and can cause operational faults or electric shock.

This appliance is not a toy! To avoid the risk of injury, do not allow

If the connection cable is damaged, the new cable must be

Do not use the microwave function of the appliance if

Never open the casing of the appliance.

Warning and Safety instructions

Before connecting the appliance to

the mains supply make sure that the rating on the data plate corresponds to the voltage and frequency of the household supply. This data must correspond in order to avoid risk of damage to the appliance. Consult a qualified electrician if in any doubt.

Do not connect the appliance to

the mains electricity supply by an extension lead. Extension leads do not guarantee the required safety of the appliance (e.g. danger of overheating).

The electrical safety of this

appliance can only be guaranteed when continuity is complete between the appliance and an effective earthing system which complies with local and national safety regulations. It is most important that this basic safety requirement is present and regularly tested, and where there is any doubt, the household wiring system should be inspected by a qualified electrician. The manufacturer cannot be held liable for the consequences of an inadequate earthing system (e.g. electric shock).

The appliance must be built in

before operation to ensure that no electrical components are accessible.

Installation work and repairs may

only be carried out by suitably qualified and competent persons in accordance with local and national safety regulations. Repairs and other work by unqualified persons could be dangerous and the manufacturer will not be held liable. Ensure current is not supplied to the

appliance until after maintenance or repair work has been carried out.

This equipment may only be

installed in mobile installations such as ships, caravans, aircraft etc. if a risk assessment of the installation has been carried out by a suitably qualified engineer.

The appliance is only completely

isolated from the electricity supply when:

the mains fuse is withdrawn,

–

or the screw-out fuse is removed (in

–

countries where this is applicable),

– or it has been switched off at the

isolator switch or at the wall socket and the plug has been withdrawn.

Use

General notes

Always ensure that food is

sufficiently cooked or reheated. Many factors will affect the overall cooking time, including the size and amount of food, its initial temperature, changes to recipe and the shape and size of cooking container. Some foods may contain micro-organisms which are only destroyed by thorough cooking, therefore when cooking or re-heating foods, e.g. poultry it is particularly important that food is fully cooked through (at temperatures of over 70°C for more than 10 minutes). If in doubt, select a longer cooking or reheating time.

Warning and Safety instructions

It is important that the heat is allowed to spread evenly throughout the food being cooked. This can be achieved by stirring and/or turning the food, and by observing a sufficiently long standing time, which should be added to the time needed for cooking, reheating or defrosting.

Always remember that cooking,

reheating and defrosting times using microwave power are usually considerably shorter than with traditional methods of food preparation (Fan plus, Grill). Excessively long cooking times can lead to food drying out and burning, or could even cause it to catch fire. Do not use the microwave function to dry breadcrumbs, flowers, herbs, grain etc. Use the Fan plus function for this type of procedure and do not leave the oven unattended.

Do not use the microwave function

to heat up cushions or pads filled with cherry kernels, wheat grain, lavender or gel, such as those used in aromatherapy. These pads can ignite when heated even after they have been removed from the appliance.

Exercise caution when cooking or

reheating food with a high sugar content, e.g. Christmas pudding. If heated for too long the sugar may caramelise or ignite.

Do not use full power to warm

empty dishes. The lack of food or incorrect loading could cause damage to the appliance.

these can be a fire hazard if allowed to overheat.

If smoke occurs in the oven, to

avoid fuelling any flame do not open the oven door. Turn the function selector to "0", or switch off at the mains and remove the plug from the socket. Do not open the oven door until the smoke has dispersed.

Never heat undiluted alcohol in the

oven as this can easily ignite.

Do not heat up tins in the

appliance. Pressure can build up and they may explode, resulting in injury or damage.

Cover any food which is left in the

oven to be kept hot, as moisture in the food could lead to corrosion damage in the oven. This also prevents the food from drying out.

Try to avoid the interior walls being

splashed with food or liquids containing salt. If it does happen wipe these away thoroughly, to avoid corrosion on stainless steel surfaces.

The glass tray and the combi rack

take a maximum load of 8 kg. Exceeding this weight limit can cause them damage.

Do not lean or sit on an open oven

door, or place heavy items on it. This could damage the appliance. The oven door can support a maximum load of 8 kg.

Do not leave the oven unattended when cooking with oils and fats as

Warning and Safety instructions

Never place the hot glass tray (or

any other hot cooking containers) on a cold surface, such as a tiled or granite worktop. The glass tray or container could crack or shatter and the worktop surface could get damaged. Place it on a suitable pot rest or a wire rack.

Do not use a steam-cleaning

appliance to clean this appliance. Pressurised steam could reach the electrical components and cause a short circuit.

Do not use the appliance to heat

up the room. Due to the high temperatures radiated, objects left near the appliance could catch fire.

When using kitchen appliances

connected to sockets near the appliance, ensure that the cable cannot get trapped in a hot oven door, which could melt the cable insulation and be dangerous.

Always stir or shake baby milk and food after heating it up, and taste it first to make sure it is not too hot.

Never cook or reheat food or

liquids in sealed containers, jars or bottles. With baby bottles, the screw top and teat must be removed. Otherwise pressure builds up which can cause the bottle or container to explode posing a severe risk of injury.

When heating liquids, the boiling

rod provided should always be placed into the container.

Microwave function

Before serving, remember to allow

a sufficient standing time and then always check the temperature of the food after taking it out of the oven. The temperature of the container is not an indication of the temperature of the food or liquid in it. When heating food and drink, remember that the heat is created in the food itself and that the container will normally be cooler. The dish is only warmed by the heat of the food.

This is paricularly important when preparing food for babies, children, and the elderly or infirm.

When heating liquids, milk, sauces etc., using microwave heat without the boiling rod, the boiling point of the liquid may be reached without the production of typical bubbles. The liquid does not boil evenly throughout. This so-called "boiling delay" can cause a sudden build up of bubbles when the container is removed from the oven or shaken.

Warning and Safety instructions

This can lead to the liquid boiling over suddenly and explosively. Danger of burning.

The formation of bubbles can be so strong that the pressure forces the oven door open. The user could be injured and the appliance damaged. The boiling rod ensures that the liquid boils evenly and that bubbles form at an early stage during the operation.

Do not use any containers or

cutlery made from or containing metal, aluminium foil, lead crystal glassware, temperature-sensitive plastics, wooden utensils or cutlery, metal clips or wire ties. Do not use bowls with milled rims, or cream pots with the tinfoil lid only partially removed. Such items could be damaged or cause a fire hazard.

The combi rack supplied with the

appliance must be used with the glass tray. It is designed to be compatible with microwaves and can therefore be used with the microwave function. Do not place it on the oven floor. N.B. It gets hot when using the microwave function. Danger of burning.

Do not leave the oven unattended

when reheating or cooking food in disposable containers made of plastic, paper or other inflammable materials. Before using single use containers make sure they are suitable for use in microwave ovens. See appropriate section.

Eggs can only be cooked in their

shells using microwave heat in a specially designed egg-boiling device

available from specialist shops. Similarly, hard-boiled eggs should not be reheated using microwave heat as this may lead to the eggs exploding, even after they have been taken out of the oven.

Eggs can be cooked without their

shells using microwave heat only if the yolk membrane has been punctured several times first. The pressure could otherwise cause the egg yolk to explode. Danger of injury.

Do not reheat food in the oven in

heat-retaining bags which are intended for use in normal ovens. These heat-retaining bags usually contain a thin layer of aluminium foil which reflects microwaves. This reflected energy can, in turn, cause the outer paper covering to become so hot that it ignites.

Food with a thick skin or peel, such

as tomatoes, sausages, jacket potatoes and aubergines, should be pierced or cut in several places to allow steam to escape and prevent the food from bursting.

Ovenproof earthenware can retain

a considerable amount of moisture. Earthenware and porcelain containers with hollow handles and lid knobs must only be used with the microwave function if they have vent holes, which allow the moisture to escape. Without vent holes there can be a pressure build-up, causing the container to crack or shatter, with the danger of injury.

Warning and Safety instructions

To check food temperature, first

interrupt the cooking process. Then use a thermometer specifically approved for food use to measure the temperature of the food. Never use a thermometer containing mercury or liquid, as these are not suitable for use with very high temperatures and will break very easily.

Traditional oven functions: Fan plus, Grill

Caution. Danger of burning. When the oven is being used as a traditional oven it can get very hot.

Great care should be taken to

ensure that small children do not touch the oven when it is being used. External parts of the oven such as the door glass, vents, handle and fascia panel can become quite hot. Danger of burning!

damage which may be caused by cockroaches or other vermin will not be covered by the guarantee.

Disposal of your old appliance

Before disposing of your old

appliance, first make it unusable. Cut off the cable and render any plug unusable. Appliances which have been built-in should be disconnected from the mains supply by a qualified person. This will prevent the appliance from being misused.

The manufacturer cannot be held liable for damage caused by non-compliance with these Warning and Safety instructions.

Wear oven gloves when placing

food in the oven, turning it or removing it. When the Grill is being used, either solo or in a combination programme, the element becomes very hot and there is a danger of burning.

Wait until the grill element has

cooled down before lowering it for cleaning. Danger of burning! Do not use force to lower it as this can cause it to break.

In countries where there are areas

which may be subject to infestation by cockroaches or other vermin, pay particular attention to keeping the appliance and its surroundings in a clean condition at all times. Any

Caring for the environment

Disposal of the packing material

The transport and protective packing has been selected from materials which are environmentally friendly for disposal and can normally be recycled.

Ensure that any plastic wrappings, bags etc. are disposed of safely and kept out of the reach of babies and young children. Danger of suffocation.

Rather than just throwing these materials away, please ensure that they are recycled.

Disposal of your old appliance

Old appliances contain materials which can be reclaimed or recycled. Please contact your dealer, your local waste collection centre or scrap merchant about potential recycling schemes.

Ensure that the appliance presents no danger to children while being stored for disposal. See the appropriate section in the Warning and Safety instructions.

Before using for the first time

Set the clock

To enter the time of day the function selector must be at "0".

Connect the appliance to the

electricity supply. In the timer display: – the clock symbol m will light up, – and 12:00 and the triangle V will

flash underneath the m symbol.

Use the + or - button to enter the hour

first of all.

Press the V button. This confirms the hour and the minutes

will then start to flash.

Now use the + or - button to enter the

minutes.

Press the V button. When the time has been entered, the

clock advances minute by minute.

Cleaning and heating up for the first time

Wipe out the oven interior using

warm water and a little washing up liquid. Dry with a soft cloth.

Do not close the oven door until the oven interior is dry.

Wash the accessories.

New appliances have a slight smell on first use. To dissipate this smell, run the oven for at least 1 hour with nothing in it.

^ Select Fan plus Y. The cooling fan starts and the oven

interior lighting comes on. ^ Set the highest temperature with the

temperature selector.

The temperature selector must only be turned in a clockwise direction as far as it will go, and then back again. Do not force it right round in a clockwise direction as this would damage the selector.

The indicator light on the control panel will light up whilst the oven is heating up.

The timer can be used to set the finish time (see "Switching off automatically").

Please ensure the room is well ventilated during this operation.

Operating modes

Microwave function

Microwave cooking offers the benefits of speed, convenience and nutritional advantages when food does not require browning or crisping.

How does the microwave oven function?

In a microwave oven there is a high-frequency tube called a magnetron. This converts electrical energy into microwaves. These microwaves are distributed evenly throughout the oven interior and rebound off the metal sides of the oven interior to reach the food from all sides.

In order for microwaves to reach the food, they must be able to penetrate the cooking utensil being used. Microwaves can penetrate porcelain, glass, cardboard and plastics but not metal. Do not, therefore, use utensils made of metal, or which contain metal, for example in the form of gold or silver trim. The metal reflects the microwaves and this could lead to the creation of sparks. The microwaves cannot be absorbed.

will affect the speed at which it is cooked.

As heat is produced directly in the food,

food can generally be cooked

–

without adding much liquid or cooking oil

cooking, reheating and defrosting in

–

a microwave oven is quicker than using conventional methods.

nutrients, such as vitamins and

–

minerals, are generally retained

– colour, texture and taste of food are

not impaired.

Microwaves stop being produced as soon as the cooking process is interrupted or the appliance door is opened. When the appliance is in operation, the closed, sealed door prevents microwaves escaping from the appliance.

Microwaves pass through a suitable container and find their way directly into the food.

All food contains moisture molecules which, when subjected to microwave energy, start to oscillate 2.5 thousand million times a second. The friction caused by this vibration creates heat, which first starts developing around the outside of the food and then slowly penetrates towards the centre. The moisture, fat and sugar content of food

Operating modes

Traditional oven functions

This oven offers the following traditional oven functions:

Fan plus Y

–

Grill n.

– These cook and brown the food.

Fan plus Y

This system works by the circulation of heated air.

A fan in the back wall draws in the air, heats it over a ring element and blows it back into the oven cavity through the carefully spaced openings in the back panel.

The oven does not usually need to be pre-heated as the heated air reaches the food straight away. Pre-heating may be necessary for foods such as puff pastry and yeast mixtures where instant heat is required to make them rise quickly.

Combination programmes

Microwave + Fan plus h Y

–

Microwave + Grill h n

– The combination programmes enable

food to be reheated and cooked quickly with even browning results.

Combining microwave power with Fan plus ensures that heat reaches food being roasted or baked very quickly. This helps reduce cooking durations and keeps energy consumption to a minimum.

In general when using the combination programmes, you should not set the microwave power level higher than 150 W for baking, and not higher than 300 W for cooking, roasting and grilling.

When using Fan plus, you can bake and roast on two different levels at the same time. Because the fan circulates the heated air throughout the oven, lower temperatures can be used than with Conventional heating.

Grill n

The grill is ready for use when it glows red a few minutes after being switched on. Pre-heat with the oven door closed for approx. 5 minutes before starting to cook. Grill with the oven door closed.

Suitable containers for microwave ovens

Microwaves

When using microwave power you should always place the food / dish centrally on the glass tray and slide the tray into the first shelf level from the bottom. Placing the dish on the floor of the oven will give unsatisfactory and uneven results.

Material and shape

are reflected by metal,

–

– pass through glass, porcelain,

plastic and card,

The material and shape of containers used affect cooking results and times. Heat distribution is more even in round and oval shaped flat containers than in rectangular containers, providing better results.

Metal

Metal containers, aluminium foil and metal cutlery, or china with metallic decoration such as gold rims or cobalt blue must not be used in microwave mode.

–

and are absorbed by food.

The metal reflects the microwaves, hindering the cooking process.

Suitable containers for microwave ovens

Exceptions:

If recommended by the producer,

–

pre-cooked meals in aluminium foil containers can be defrosted and reheated in the appliance using microwave power. Important: Remove the lid first. However, as food is only heated from the top it is better to remove the food from the aluminium foil container and transfer it to a dish suitable for a microwave oven. The heat distribution will be more even. Do not place aluminium foil containers on the metal rack as this can cause arcing to occur and damage the oven.

– For even defrosting and to avoid

overcooking unevenly shaped cuts of meat, poultry or fish, small pieces of aluminium foil may be used to mask wing-tips or other thin parts for the last few minutes of the process.

Glassware

Heat-resistant glass or ceramic glass are ideal for use in the microwave oven.

Crystal glass contains lead which could cause the glass to crack. Glass dishes with a milled rim are subject to the same risk. Both are unsuitable.

Porcelain

Porcelain is a suitable material.

Do not use porcelain with gold or silver edging or items with hollow knobs or handles, as insufficient ventilation may cause pressure.

Earthenware

Decorated earthenware is only suitable if the decoration is beneath an all-over glaze.

Make sure that the aluminium foil is at least 2 cm from the oven walls at all times. It must not touch the walls.

–

Metal meat skewers or clamps should only be used if they are very small in comparison to the size of the cut of meat.

The combi rack supplied with the appliance is suitable for use with microwave power. However it must not be placed on the oven floor.

The rack can get hot.

Earthenware can get very hot, and may crack.

Glazes and colours

Some glazes and colours contain metals which make them unsuitable for use in a microwave oven.

Suitable containers for microwave ovens

Plastics

Plastics must only be used with Microwave-Solo. They must be heat-resistant to a minimum of 110 °C. Otherwise the plastic may melt and fuse with the food.

Special plastic utensils designed for use in microwave ovens are available from good retail outlets. When purchasing plasticware, make sure that it is suitable for use in a microwave oven.

Melamine is not suitable for use in this oven. Melamine absorbs microwave energy and gets hot.

Disposable containers, such as trays made from polystyrene, can only be used for very short timed warming and reheating of food.

Plastic boiling bags can be used for cooking and reheating.

There is a danger that they will ignite when heated.

Wood

Wooden dishes are not suitable. Moisture contained in the wood evaporates when exposed to microwave energy, causing the wood to dry and crack.

Disposable containers

Only those plastic disposable containers which are specified by the manufacturer as suitable for use in a microwave oven may be used.

Do not leave the oven unattended when reheating or cooking food in disposable containers made of plastic, paper or other inflammable materials.

Disposable containers are not always recyclable or bio-degradable.

They should be pierced beforehand so that steam can escape. This prevents a build-up of pressure and reduces the risk of the bag bursting.

Roasting bags and tubes

Roasting tubes should be about 40 cm longer and roasting bags about 20 cm longer than the food being roasted, and carefully tied with string. Turn the ends over and secure them. The bag should be pierced according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Do not use metal clips, plastic clips containing metal parts or paper ties containing wire.

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