Gaggenau VR 421 Product guide

Operating and Assembly Instructions
VR 421
Electric Grill

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

2
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.
You will find notes on Page 4 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 with your
grill!

3
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 lodged for any damage resulting
from failure to observe 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

4
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.
This appliance is labelled in accordance
with the European Directive 2002/96/EG
concerning used electrical and electronic
appliances (waste electrical and
electronic equipment – WEEE). The
guideline determines the framework for the return
and recycling of used appliances as applicable.
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 guarantee reasons, together with your operating
and assembly instructions.
Read through these instructions attentively 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. Greasy soiling is a fire risk.
Built-in overheating protection prevents overheating
of the appliance and of surrounding kitchen furni-
ture.
In the event of malfunction, first check your
household fuses. If the power supply is in proper
working order, but the appliance is still not
functioning, please inform your specialist dealer or
your nearest Gaggenau after-sales service.

5
Features
Included accessories
Special accessories
1Appliance cover
2Cast grid iron (two parts, detachable)
3Grilling elements
4Lava stone container to accommodate the lava
stones
5Grease tray (dishwasher-proof)
6Control knob for front grilling element
7Control 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 accessory:
VV 400-000 Connecting trim
VZ 400-000 Connecting trim with timer
2. Features
3
67
4
2
1
5

6
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 as normal.
7
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 required.

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.
8
4. Operation with griddle plate

The specified grilling times serve as guide values only.
5. Settings Table
9
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 10 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 10 10 - 15 min., Choose similar sized food pieces with similar grilling times.
turn several times
Lamb chop 9 to 10 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 11 2 - 3 min. each side
Pork belly slices 9 to 10 6 - 8 min. each side Oiled pork belly slices ignite easily.
Grilled sausage 8 to 9 8 - 12 min. Cut into sausages so they do not burst.
Beefburger 9 to 10 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 9 8 - 10 min., Marinate shrimps with garlic, olive oil and spices, for
turn several times example.
Filled squid 8 to 9 10 - 12 min., Boil squid beforehand.
turn several times
Tuna fish cutlet 8 to 9 8 - 10 min. each side Marinate cutlets beforehand.
Trout, whole 8 to 9 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.
• As far as 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. In this way, 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 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. as 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 as 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 (e.g. on a cutlet)
until after grilling as 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.
10
6. Tips for grilling

Beef
Tender cuts of beef are particularly suitable. If you
have not gathered much grilling experience, you
should practice with pieces of meat such as rump
steak or ribs, after which you can try your hand at
entrecote or fillet steak. For smaller pieces of meat,
the grid iron must be very hot, otherwise the meat
will dry out.
Veal
Veal very quickly becomes dry, also in foil. To
protect the meat, you can wrap bacon around it.
This will sacrifice 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 80° 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, because the fat is difficult
to digest when cold.
Poultry
All kinds of poultry can be cooked on the grill. In
the case of 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
fall apart in most cases. 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.
11

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. After residues have burned in several
times, they are then difficult to remove.
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.
Use the included cleaning brush to clean the grid
iron in between 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 with detergent and
hot water. Soak stubborn residues with a little
detergent solution. You can also clean the base with
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.
12
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!

If the appliance does not function correctly, check
the household fuses first.
If the power supply is functioning correctly, but your
appliance still does not work, please contact your
dealer or your local Gaggenau customer service
agency. Specify the appliance type. The serial
number and type of the appliance can be found on
the quality control slip which is included with these
instructions.
Repairs may only be carried out by authorised
electricians, in order to guarantee the safety of the
appliance.
Unauthorised tampering with the appliance
will invalidate any warranty claims.
13
8. Maintenance
The appliance must always be disconnected from
the mains when being repaired.

Technical data
Total connected load: 3000 W
VR 421-110 220-240 V / 400 V 2N
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.
The mains connecting cable must at least
correspond to type H 05 VV-F (3 x 1.5 mm2). Pay
attention to the data on the rating plate. The
appliance must be properly grounded.
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 90 mm at the side
between the appliance and any walls or furnishings.
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 lodged for any
damage resulting from failure to observe these
instructions. Pay attention to the “Important
notes" on page 3 and 4.
Subject to technical change without notice
14
9. Installation

Preparing the cabinet • Cut out the recess for the hob 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 is kept to between
the appliances.
• As shown in the installation sketch, drill the
Ø35mm holes to secure the control knobs in the
cabinet front.
• If the cabinet front is thicker than 26 mm, the front
must be routed from the back to max. 26 mm on
an area of 80 x 310 mm.
15
D> 26
D= 26
80 x
310
min. 5
16 – 26
min. 5
765
515
1575
1170
360
380
490
min.50
min.35
510*
*
69*
1
40
220
76
280
min.105
max.162,5
90
35
60
*Einbautiefe im Bereich der
Kabelklemmen 89 mm (rechts, mittig)
**530 mit Deckelscharnier
*Built-in depth of appliance 89 mm at cable connection
(middle, right)
** 530 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.
• Open the lid of the connecting terminal on the
control panel. Secure the mains connecting lead
as shown in the connection diagram. Secure the
connecting lead with the pull relief. The mains
connecting cable must at least correspond to the
type H 05 VV-F (3 x 1.5 mm2). Close the lid of the
connecting terminal.
• 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.
16
Note:
only install control panel with appliance of the
corresponding type.

Installing the grill
Fitting the appliance cover
• Firmly plug the connecting cable in the grill and in
the control panel (the plugs must lock into place).
• Turn the clamping screws to the side. Insert the
grill with the control panel on the front into the
cut-out and align it.
Note: do not stick the grill onto the worktop with
silicone.
• Turn the clamping screws under the countertop
and tighten them evenly. Do not tighten the
clamping screws too tightly, as a uniform sealing
gap should be left all round.
• Connect the appliance to the electricity. Test that
it functions correctly. If the grill does not switch on,
check the connecting cable between the grill and
the control panel is firmly plugged in.
Fitting the appliance cover
• The securing brackets are already fitted on the
base.
• Place the appliance cover on the brackets in
upright position and screw it down using the
pre-mounted grub screws.
• Close the appliance cover. It must lie evenly on
the appliance.
• If the cover is not fitted straight, loosen the sheet
metal screws again and fit the included shims on
the securing bracket until the appliance cover lies
evenly on the panel edge.
• Again firmly screw down the appliance cover.
Note:
do not use the appliance cover as a surface for
placing objects or for keeping things warm. Wipe
away spills before opening the appliance cover.
Do not close the appliance cover until the
appliance has cooled down completely. Do not
operate the appliance with the cover closed! This
may damage the appliance and the cover due to
the development of heat.
5080009751 en 06.05 EB 17

GAGGENAU HAUSGERÄTE GMBH
CARL-WERY-STR. 34 · D-81739 MÜNCHEN
Y(089) 45 90-03
FAX [phone]
www.gaggenau.com