Gaggenau VR 421-611 Product guide

Operating and Assembly Instructions
VR 421-611
Electric Grill

VR 421-611
1
Important Safeguards Page 3
1. Important Notes Page 4-5
For your safety Page 4
Operating for the first time Page 5
About use Page 5
2. Features Page 6
Features Page 6
Included accessories Page 6
Special accessories Page 6
3. Operation Page 7-8
Switching on Page 7
Switching off Page 8
Residual heat display Page 8
Holiday safeguard Page 8
4. Operation with griddle plate Page 9
5. Settings Table Page 10
6. Tips for grilling Page 11-12
7. Cleaning and care Page 13
8. Maintenance Page 14
9. Installation Page 15-20
Technical data Page 15
Important notes on installation Page 15
Electrical connection Page 15
Preparing the cabinet Page 16-17
Installing the control panel Page 18
Installing the grill Page 19
Fitting the appliance cover Page 20

2
Congratulations on purchasing 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 instructions on safety and operation.
They will serve to ensure your personal safety and
the long lasting use of your appliance.
You will find instructions on Page 5 that you must
read before operating the appliance for the first
time.
The chapters “Features" and “Operation" tell you
what your appliance can do and how you operate
it.
The chapter “Cleaning and care" gives tips on
how to keep your appliance in the best proper
working condition.
And now we wish you lots of fun
with your grill!

1. Read All Instructions.
2. To eliminate the risk of burns or fire by reaching
over the heated surface units, cabinet storage
space located above the surface units should be
avoided.
3. Important instructions
a) Ensure that this appliance is properly
connected and grounded by a qualified
electrician.
b) Never use this appliance for warming or
heating the room.
c) Do Not Leave Children Alone – Children
should not be left alone or unattended in area
where appliances are in use. They should
never be allowed to sit or stand on any part
of the appliance.
d) Wear Proper Apparel – Loose fitting or
hanging garments should never be worn
while using the appliance.
e) User Servicing – Do not repair or replace
any part of the appliance unless specifically
recomended in the manual. All other
servicing should be referred to a qualified
technician.
f) Storage in or on Appliance – Flammable
materials should not be stored in an oven or
near surface units.
g) Do Not Use Water on Grease Fires – Smother
fire or flame or use dry chemical or foam-type
extinguisher.
h) Use Only Dry Potholders – Moist or damp
potholders on hot surface may result in burns
from steam. Do not let potholders touch hot
heating elements. Do not use a towel or other
bulky cloth.
4. DO NOT TOUCH HEATING ELEMENTS OR
AREAS NEAR UNITS. Heating elements may be
hot even though they are dark in color. Areas
near heating elements may become hot enough
to cause burns. During and after use, do not
touch or let clothing or other flammable
materials contact heating elements or areas near
units until they have had sufficient time to cool.
5. Never leave electric grill unattended when
cooking, especially if using high settings. When
grilling meats with considerable fat content, care
must be observed as flare-up fires are likely.
These flare-up fires are normal and do no harm
to the unit, although it is necessary to pay
attention to the open flame.
6. CAUTION:
Do not store items of interest to children in
cabinets above a range. Children climbing on
the appliance to reach items could be seriosly
injured.
7. Note – To avoid jeopardising the electrical
safety of the appliance, it is forbidden to use
high-pressure or steam jet cleaning devices.
8. Save These Instructions.
Important Safeguards
3

4
For your safety
Do not operate the appliance if it is damaged.
The appliance must only be connected by an
authorised specialist, paying attention to the
relevant regulations of the power supply companies
and the regional construction regulations.
Observe the assembly instructions!
When connecting electrical appliances in the
proximity of the grill, make sure that connecting
cables do not come into contact with hot cooking
surfaces.
Only ever operate the appliance under supervision.
Observe caution with oils and fats. Overheated oils
and fats can easily cause fires.
Caution: the appliance heats up during operation.
Keep children away.
To avoid jeopardising the electrical safety of the
appliance, do not use high-pressure or steam jet
cleaning devices.
Do not store any substances that are sensitive to
high temperatures, or which pose a fire hazard
(e.g. cleaning agents or spray cans), in drawers or
cupboards under the appliance.
Isolate the appliance from the mains during every
maintenance operation. To do this, remove the
mains plug or switch off the corresponding fuse.
Repairs must be carried out by authorised
specialists, thus ensuring electrical safety.
As the user, you are responsible for maintenance
and proper use in the household. No warranty
claims can be considered for any damage resulting
from failure to follow these instructions.
Note:
the appliance cover must not be closed until the
appliance has cooled down completely. Do not
operate the appliance with the cover closed! Heat
development may damage the appliance and the
cover. Do not use the appliance cover as a surface
for placing objects or for keeping things warm.
Subject to technical change without notice.
1. Important Notes

5
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. Before
operating the appliance for the first time, make
sure that the mains connection is in proper working
order.
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 warranty reasons, together with your operating
and assembly instructions.
Read through these instructions carefully before
operating your appliance for the first time.
Before using the appliance for the first time, take
the lava stones out of the plastic bag and pour them
into the lava stone container.
Thoroughly clean the appliance and accessories
before using them for the first time. Then heat up
the appliance at level 12 for a few minutes. This will
eliminate any 'newness' smells and soiling.
About use
The appliance is intended solely for household use
and must not be put to any other uses.
Use the appliance to prepare meals only. Do not use
the appliance to heat up the room in which it is
installed.
Do not use the appliance to store items.
Switch off the grill after use. Allow the grill to cool
down and then clean. We recommend you clean the
grill after every use. A greasy grill is a fire risk.
Built-in overheating protection prevents overheating
of the appliance and of surrounding kitchen
furniture.
In the event of malfunction, first check your
household fuses. If the power supply is in proper
working order, and the appliance is still not
functioning, please inform your specialist dealer
or your nearest Gaggenau customer service.

6
Features
Included accessories
Special accessories
1Appliance cover
2Cast grid iron (two parts, detachable)
3Work surface
4Grilling elements
5Lava stone container to accommodate
the lava stones
6Grease tray (dishwasher-proof)
7Control knob for front grilling element
8Control knob for rear grilling element
• Lava stones LV 030-000
• Grilling tongs
• Cleaning brush
• Griddle plate AM 400-000
You can order the following special accessories:
VV 400-000 Connecting trim
VZ 400-700 Connecting trim with timer
2. Features
4
78
5
2
3 3
1
6

7
Note:
before switching on, make sure that there are lava
stones in the appliance and both grid irons are
correctly fitted.
Place the grid irons on the grill, so that they cover
the heating elements. This guarantees a good
transfer of heat onto the grid irons. Fat will drip over
the lava stones into the grease tray and will not drip
onto the heating elements.
The lava stones guarantee an even, intensive
transfer of heat. Only operate the grill with lava
stones. Take the lava stones out of the plastic bag
and pour them into the lava stone container. The
contents of one bag is sufficient.
Switching on
Press down the control knobs and turn them left or
right to the required position (1-12). For grilling,
choose a level between 7 and 12. The grill will heat
to the optimum temperature for the chosen level.
The luminous discs behind the control knobs flash,
as long as the appliance heats up. When the
correct temperature for the chosen level has been
reached, the luminous discs light constantly. After
the appliance has heated up, you can put on the
food to be grilled.
You can also turn on only one of the two heating
elements or you can choose different temperature
levels for each element. This enables you to grill
different foods at the same time, or you can use one
area to grill and the other to keep warm.
Please note:
• Moist food should be dried, before placing on
grill.
• The more moist the food is, the more smoke may
be produced!
• During grilling, dripping fat may flare up briefly.
Power levels of the grill:
level 1 - 6: keeping warm, leaving to rest
(e.g. steaks)
level 7 - 8: grilling – thicker food with longer
grilling times (e.g. chicken legs),
fragile food (e.g. fish)
level 9 - 10: grilling – normal food
level 11 - 12: grilling – thinner food with shorter
grilling times (e.g. pork steak), beef
steaks (leave to rest after grilling on
a lower level)
Switching on
3. Operation
Caution!
Grilling produces very high temperatures. Keep
children away!
Never switch on the appliance with the cover
closed.

Switching off
Fully turn both control knobs to the OFF position.
Residual heat display
After switching both control knobs to the OFF
position, the luminous discs behind the control
knobs will flash, as long as the grill has not cooled
down sufficiently to be touched safely.
Holiday safeguard (Automatic switch-off)
The grill is set to automatically switch off 4 hours
after the last operation. The luminous discs behind
the control knobs flash. Turn both control knobs to 0.
Now the grill can be switched on again.
8
Switching off
Caution! The appliance must not be touched until
the residual heat display has gone off! Risk of
burns!
Do not close the cover until the appliance has
cooled down completely!
Luminous disc behind control knob Signification Cause / Remedy
lights OFF grill OFF
lights constantly grill ON normal use
slow flashing grill ON, heating up normal use
slow flashing residual heat The appliance is too hot to be touched
display safely.
fast flashing holiday safeguard The appliance setting has not been
changed for over 4 hours. Turn right
control knob to 0 and then switch
on again if required.
fast flashing power cut After a power cut, the appliance stays
switched off for safety reasons.
Turn control knob to 0 and then switch
on again if necessary.

Note:
make sure before switching on that there are lava
stones in the appliance. The lava stones guarantee
an even, intensive transfer of heat. Only operate the
grill with lava stones.
Remove both grid irons.
Place the griddle plate on the grill, so that the feet
of the griddle plate lie on the lava stone container.
The griddle plate should be centered on the grill
and should not touch the appliance cover.
Press down the control knobs and turn them left or
right to the required position (1-12). Choose the
same level with both control knobs:
level 1 - 6: keeping warm, simmering
level 7 - 12: setting (egg dishes), baking, roasting,
frying
The luminous discs behind the control knobs flash,
as long as the appliance heats up. The luminous
disc lights constantly, when the chosen temperature
level has been reached. After the appliance has
heated up, you can put on the food to be grilled.
The griddle plate is particularly suitable for
preparing fish, vegetables, sweets (e.g. pancakes),
but also meat.
4. Operation with griddle plate
9

10
The specified grilling times serve as guide values only.
5. Settings Table
Item Level* Grilling time* Remarks
Meats
Beef steak 11 to 12 4 - 5 min. each side Turn, when the steak comes off easily from the grid iron.
The steak is medium, when juice forms on the top.
Veal chop 9 to 11 2 x 3 min. each side Notch chops several times on the bone and in the fat layer
(lozenge pattern) so they do not curve during grilling.
Kebab (skewers) 9 to 11 10 - 15 min., Choose similar sized food pieces with similar grilling times.
turn several times
Lamb chop 9 to 11 2 x 3 min. each side Marinate or oil chops. Notch them several times on the bone
(lozenge pattern) and in the fat layer so they do not curve during grilling.
Back of pork steak 10 to 12 2 - 3 min. each side
Pork belly slices 9 to 11 6 - 8 min. each side Oiled pork belly slices ignite easily.
Grilled sausage 10 8 - 12 min. Cut into sausages so they do not burst.
Beefburger 11 8 - 10 min.
Poultry
Turkey breast 10 to 11 4 - 6 min.
Poultry skewers 8 to 9 10 - 15 min., Skewer poultry alternately with fruits, for example, and
turn several times marinate it in a sweet-sour marinade.
Fish and seafoods
Shrimp skewers 8 to 10 8 - 10 min., Marinate shrimps with garlic, olive oil and spices, for
turn several times example.
Filled squid 8 to 10 10 - 12 min., Boil squid beforehand.
turn several times
Tuna fish cutlet 8 to 10 8 - 10 min. each side Marinate cutlets beforehand.
Trout, whole 8 to 10 15 min. Coat trout with oil to make sure the skin does not stick to
the gridiron. Turn after half the grilling time. The trout
will be ready, when the eye goes white.
Side dishes
Fruits (e.g. banans, apple slices 9 to 10 1 - 2 min. each side
or pear halves)
Mushrooms (e.g. mushroom 9 to 10 1 - 2 min. each side If necessary, marinate mushrooms or coat them lightly with
slices or oyster mushrooms) oil.
* Rough values

• The grilled result depends on the nature and
quality of the meat and on your personal taste.
• If possible, grilled pieces should be equally thick.
In this way, they will brown evenly and they will
stay nice and juicy.
• Always preheat the grill. The intensive heat
radiation will seal the surface of the grilled food
and juice cannot leak.
• Place grilled pieces directly on the grid iron.
If there is only one piece for grilling, place it on
the grid iron, as far as possible in the middle, over
the switched-on heating element. The best results
are obtained this way. Turn grilled pieces over as
soon as they can be removed easily from the grid
iron. The pores have now been sealed.
• Always grill steaks unsalted. Otherwise, water and
soluble nutrients might leak and be lost.
• Avoid conserved foods such as boiled ham and
smoked pork etc. Otherwise, a compound may be
produced that is harmful to health.
• To avoid drying out of the surface and to improve
the taste, lightly brush grilled food with heat-
resistant oil (e.g. peanut oil). Make sure you do
not use too much oil. Otherwise, there will be a
risk of fire.
• You might notice that the grilling element switches
on and off automatically during the grilling time.
This is normal.
• Poultry becomes particularly crispy brown if
you coat it with butter, salty water or orange juice
towards the end of the cooking time.
• Serve grilled food hot.
• Meat is medium if juice leaks out of the surface of
a steak (pink inside and crispy brown on the
outside).
• Do not pierce the meat while grilling it. It may lose
its juice. Turn the meat when small drips can be
seen on its surface.
• Do not remove the fatty layer (i.e. on a cutlet) until
after grilling. Otherwise, the meat will lose juice
and aroma.
Would you have known?
Advantages of grilling
No or little fat is used when grilling. Therefore, it is
a low-fat preparation method.
Grilling is a gentle cooking method in which
nutrients, taste and aroma substances are largely
retained. Grilled foodstuffs are easy on the stomach
because they are prepared without fat and sauces.
During grilling, intensive browning appears on the
surface of foodstuffs, but no crust, with the result
that grilled foods are easy to digest and are
suitable for people on diets.
11
6. Tips for grilling

Beef
Tender cuts of beef are particularly suitable. If you
have not had much grilling experience, you should
practice with pieces of meat such as rump steak or
ribs, after which you can try your hand at fillet
steak. For smaller pieces of meat, the grid iron must
be very hot, otherwise the meat will dry out.
Veal
Veal becomes dry very fast (also in foil). To protect
the meat, you can wrap bacon around it. This will
undermine its fine intrinsic taste, but the meat will
remain juicy. Veal steaks taste good if cut from the
back and grilled for just a short time, so that the
meat is not too well-done. Then leave the meat to
rest at 180° F/80° C in the oven.
Pork
Streaky pork does not need a marinade or oil.
Pieces of fillet, cutlets, roast pork and neck of pork
are all suitable for grilling. Steaks and cutlets
should be about 1 inch (2 cm) thick. Pork takes
slightly longer to cook than other kinds of meat.
Lamb
Lamb is ideal for grilling. It is more tender than
beef, but not as tender as veal. Cutlets and pieces
of shoulder are ideal. Lemon butter goes well with
these. Preheat the plate and serve the piece of
meat as hot as possible, the fat is difficult to digest
when cold.
Poultry
All kinds of poultry can be cooked on the grill. For
guinea fowl, small pigeons and quail, it is better to
brush a little fat onto the skin. Do not brush chicken
with oil because they have enough fat under their
skin. Poultry is seasoned inside and out before
grilling.
Fish
Salt water fish are no problem at all, whereas fresh
water fish require a gentle approach because they
have a tendency to fall apart. They are best
prepared in aluminium foil, or brushed generously
with a heat resistant oil.
Vegetables / potatoes
Firm types of vegetables such as celery, chili
peppers, aubergines, corn cobs, fennel or onions
are ideal for grilling.
Fruit
Apples, bananas, pears, pineapples and peaches
all grill excellently.
12

Caution, risk of burns! Before cleaning, please
wait until the appliance has cooled to hand-
warm.
Cleaning the grill after every use avoids residues
burning in. If residues have burned in several
times, they are difficult to remove.
Do not use scouring agents, abrasives or chemically
aggressive cleaners (i.e. oven cleaner)! Do not use
any nitro polishing agents for cleaning, or any
abrasive sponges.
Use the included cleaning brush to clean the grid
iron after every use.
Remove both grid irons. Tilt both grilling elements
up and take off the lava stone container with the
lava stones.
Clean the grease collecting tray in a dishwasher
after removing food remnants.
Clean the grid irons with the cleaning brush or
with dishwashing detergent and a dishwashing
brush. Soak burnt-in residues in a little water and
detergent. Please note: do not clean the grid irons
in a dishwasher.
Clean the stainless steel base and the work
surface with detergent and hot water. Soak
stubborn residues with a little detergent solution.
You can also clean the base with a stainless steel
cleaner.
The lava stones must be replaced when they are
black. In this case, the lava stones have become
saturated with grease. Fat might ignite if too much
fat has accumulated on the lava stones. You can
order lava stones by quoting the order number
LV 030-000.
Wash the lava stone container thoroughly with
rinsing detergent and dry it. Pour the lava stones
back into the lava stone container and tilt down the
grilling elements. The grilling elements must lie
flat.
To soak up fat on the griddle plate, sprinkle
coarse salt onto the grilling surface after use.
Mix the salt with the grease until it has become
saturated with the grease. Remove the salt and
wipe it away with a dry cloth. Soak burnt-in residues
in a little water and detergent and clean with a
dishwashing brush. Please note: do not clean the
griddle plate in a dishwasher. It is advisable to rub
the griddle plate with a little oil if it is not in use for
a prolonged period of time.
Wipe the control knobs with a damp cloth. The
cloth should not be too wet, as moisture could
penetrate behind the control knob.
13
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!

The appliance must be disconnected from the
power supply during all repair work.
If the appliance does not function correctly, check
the fuses first.
If the power supply is functioning correctly, but your
appliance still does not work, please contact your
Gaggenau dealer who will provide you with the
address and telephone number of your nearest
manufacturer’s authorized service agent or contact
Gaggenau USA on [phone]. 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 void
any warranty claims.
Only use original spare parts.
8. Maintenance
14

Technical data
Total connected load: 3000 W
AC 208/220-240 V / 60 Hz
Important notes on installation
This appliance can be combined with all Gaggenau
Vario 400 Series appliances.
This appliance may be installed in kitchen
combinations made of wood or similar combustible
materials without taking additional safety measures.
The built-in furniture and worktop where the
appliance is installed must be heat resistant up to
temperatures of 200° F/90° C.
The appliance must only be connected by an
authorised specialist, paying attention to the
relevant regulations of the power supply companies
and the regional construction regulations.
When connecting electrical appliances in the
proximity of cooking surfaces, make sure that
connecting cables do not come into contact with hot
cooking surfaces.
The installation technician is responsible for the
correct functioning of the appliance at the place of
installation. He must instruct the user on how to
disconnect the appliance from electricity in an
emergency.
After unpacking, check the appliance for any
transportation damage and report this immediately
to the transportation company.
Only install the grill with the appliance cover fitted.
The appliance cover serves as a heat shield to the
back wall during use.
There must be a gap of at least 12 ´´/ 300 mm at the
side between the appliance and any walls or
furnishings.
Note: when installing a shelf, a distance of at least
13/16 ´ ´ (20 mm) from the bottom edge of the housing
trough to the shelf or the next combustible item of
furnishing is needed.
If all poles of the appliances cannot be isolated
from the mains by removing an accessible plug, an
isolating device with a contact gap of at least 3 mm
must be installed (e.g. domestic fuse).
No warranty claims can be considered for any
damage resulting from failure to observe these
instructions. Read the “Important notes" on
page 3 and 4.
Subject to technical change without notice
Electrical connection
Only a qualified electrician should install this
appliance.
This appliance must be hardwired.
The mains connecting cable must at least
correspond to the type SJTO 3x16 AWG 105°C.
The mains connecting cable must only be
purchased through and connected by an
authorised specialist. The appliance must be
properly grounded. Read the information on
the rating plate.
15
9. Installation

Preparing the cabinet The building back wall (1) and building side walls
(2 / 3) must consist of non combustible material or
must be protected by no less than 1/4-inch-thick
flame-retardant millboard covered with no less than
No. 28 MSG sheet steel, 0.015-inch-thick stainless
steel, 0.024-inch-thick aluminimum, or 0.020-inch-
thick copper.
1Building back wall
2Building side wall
3 Building side wall
4 Top building cabinet
5 Grilling surface
6 Distance = 30 inch (762 mm)
7 Work surface: Both work surfaces must be built-
in on both sides, when the grill is built in
separately (INSTALLATION A).
When installed next to another Vario appliance,
a work surface must be built in on the opposite
side (INSTALLATION B).
When the grill ist installed between two other
Vario appliances, no work surface is required
(INSTALLATION C).
16
2
1
5
4
3
7
7
Installation A
Installation B Installation C
6

Preparing the cabinet • Cut out the recess for one or several Vario
appliances in your worktop. Proceed as indicated
on the installation sketch. The installation sketch
contains the measurements of the space required
for the trim between the appliances. Several
appliances can also be installed in individual
recesses, as long as a minimum clearance of
50 mm (2 ´´)is kept to between the appliances.
• As shown in the installation sketch, drill the
Ø35 mm (13/8´´)holes to secure the control knobs
in the cabinet front.
• If the cabinet front is thicker than 26 mm (11/32 ´´),
the front must be routed from the back to
max. 26 mm (11/32 ´´)on an area of 80 x 310 mm
(35/32 ´´-1213/64 ´´).
17
D> 11/32''
D= 11/32''
3 5/32'' x
12 13/64'' x
min.13/64'' min.13/64''
20/32'' - 11/32''
30
7
/
64
''
20
9
/
32
''
62
''
46
4
/
64
''
14
11
/
64
''
14
31
/
32
''
19
13
/
64
''
min.
1
31
/
32
''
min.
1
12
/
32
''
** 20
5
/
64
''
* 2
23
/
32
''
5
1
/
2
''
8
21
/
32
''
3
''
11
1
/
32
''
min.
4
9
/
64
''
max.
6
13
/
62
''
3
1
/
2
''
1
12
/
32
''
2
23
/
64
''
*Built-in depth of appliance 3 1/2´´
at cable connection (middle, right)
** 20 7/8´´ with cover hinge

Installing the control panel
• Before connecting the grill, make sure the
electricity is switched off at fuse point!
• Before installation, remove all styrofoam
packaging from the control knobs and peel off
the protective film behind the luminous discs.
• Hold the support plate from the rear against the
cabinet front, insert control knobs into the holes,
secure from the rear with the nuts. Take care to
install control knobs in the correct order: left for
front grilling element, right for rear grilling
element.
• Secure the control panel with the included nuts
onto the support plate.
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Note:
only install control panel with appliance of the
corresponding type.