Miele KT 3538 Sed Specification sheet

Operating and installation instructions
Fridge-freezer combination
KT 3538 Sed
It is essential to read these
operating instructions before
installing or using the machine,
to avoid the risk of accident
or damage to the machine.
G
05 739 080
M.-Nr.

Guide to the appliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Caring for the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Warning and Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Switching on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Switching off for longer periods of time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The correct temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
. . . in the refrigerator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
. . . in the freezer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Temperature selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Winter setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Using the refrigerator section efficiently. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Different storage zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Coldest zone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Warmest zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Food which should not be stored in a refrigerator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Storing food correctly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Fruit and vegetables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Energy saving tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Adjusting the interior fittings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Moving the shelves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Split shelf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Adjusting the door shelves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Freezing and storing food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Storing frozen food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Home freezing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Hints on home freezing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Packing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Before placing food in the freezer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Placing food in the freezer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Defrosting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Ice cubes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Cooling drinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
efrosting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Refrigerator section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Freezer section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Contents
2

Cleaning and care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Cleaning the outer casing, the interior and accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Ventilation gaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Door seals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Metal grille at the back of the appliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Problem solving guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
After Sales Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Electrical connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Electrical connection U.K. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Climate range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Ventilation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Fitting the handles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Align the appliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Changing the door hinging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Building in the appliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Contents
3

aTemperature selector
bWinter setting switch
with indicator light
dFreezer section shelves
eFan
fButter and cheese compartment
gEgg trays
hInterior lighting
iRefrigerator section shelves
jCondensate channel and
drain hole
kBottle racks
lAdjustable door shelves
mFruit and vegetable containers
cLight contact switch
Guide to the appliance
4

isposal 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.
Rather than just throwing these
materials away, please ensure they are
offered for recycling.
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!
isposal of your old appliance
Old appliances contain materials which
can be reclaimed or recycled. Please
contact your dealer, your waste collec-
tion centre or scrap merchant about
potential recycling schemes.
Make sure that the pipework is not
damaged whilst moving an old appli-
ance. This is to ensure that the refriger-
ant and oil in the compressor cannot
leak into the environment. It is important
that they are disposed of in a safe
manner by authorised persons only.
Ensure that the appliance presents no
danger to children while being stored
for disposal.
See the appropriate section in the
Warning and safety instructions.
Caring for the environment
5

This appliance complies with all rele-
vant legal safety requirements. Inap-
propriate use can however lead to
personal injury and damage to prop-
erty.
Read the operating instructions
carefully before starting to use this
appliance. They contain important
notes on installation, safety, opera-
tion and care of the appliance. This
way you will avoid the risk of acci-
dents and damage to the appliance.
Keep these operating instructions in
a safe place and pass them on to
any future user.
Correct use
This appliance is intended for do-
mestic use only for the cool stor-
age of food and drink as well as for
storing deep frozen food, freezing fresh
food and for preparing ice. Any other
usage is not supported by the manu-
facturer and could be dangerous. The
manufacturer cannot be held liable for
damage caused by improper use of the
appliance.
Technical safety
This appliance contains the coolant
Isobutane (R600a), a natural gas
which is very environment friendly. Al-
though it is flammable, it does not dam-
age the ozone layer and does not in-
crease the green house effect. The use
of this environment friendly coolant has,
however, led to a slight increase in the
noise level of the appliance. In addition
to the noise of the compressor, you
might be able to hear the coolant flow-
ing around the system. This is unavoid-
able, but does not have any adverse ef-
fect on the performance of the appli-
ance.
Care must be taken during transporta-
tion and setting up of the appliance that
no parts of the coolant system are dam-
aged. Leaking coolant can damage the
eyes.
In the event of any damage:
- avoid open fires
and anything which creates a spark,
- disconnect from the mains,
- air the room in which the appliance is
located for several minutes and
- contact the Service Department
for advice.
The more refrigerant there is in an
appliance, the larger the room it
should be installed in. In the event of a
leakage, if the appliance is in a small
room, there is the danger of combusti-
ble gases building up.
For every 8 g of coolant at least 1 m3
room space is required. The amount of
coolant in the appliance is stated on the
data plate inside the appliance.
Warning and Safety instructions
6

Before connecting the appliance to
the mains supply make sure that
the rating on the data plate corre-
sponds 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 doubt.
The electrical safety of this appli-
ance can only be guaranteed when
continuity is complete between the ap-
pliance and an effective earthing sys-
tem, which complies with local and na-
tional safety regulations. It is most im-
portant that this basic safety require-
ment is tested by a qualified electrician.
The manufacturer cannot be held liable
for the consequences of an inadequate
earthing system (e.g. electric shock).
Safe operation of the appliance is
only assured if it has been installed
and connected in accordance with
these operating and installation instruc-
tions.
This equipment is not designed for
maritime use or for use in mobile
installations such as caravans, aircraft
etc. However it may be suitable for
such usage subject to a risk assess-
ment of the installation being carried
out by a suitably qualified engineer.
Installation work, maintenance and
repairs may only be carried out by
suitably qualified and competent per-
sons to ensure safety.
Repairs and other work by unqualified
persons could be dangerous and the
manufacturer will not be held liable.
Ensure that current is not supplied
to the appliance while maintenance
or repair work is being carried out.
The appliance is only completely
isolated from the electricity supply
when:
–the plug has been withdrawn. Do not
pull on the cable, only on the plug.
– the mains fuse is withdrawn, or
– the screw-out fuse is removed in
countries where this is applicable.
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).
Operation
Never handle frozen food with wet
hands. Your hands may freeze to
the frozen food. Danger of frost burn.
Do not take ice cubes out with your
bare hands and never place ice
cubes or ice lollies in your mouth
straight from the freezer.
The very low temperature of the frozen
ice or lollies can cause frost burn to the
lips and tongue.
Warning and Safety instructions
7

Do not refreeze thawed or partially
thawed food. Defrosted food
should be used up as quickly as possi-
ble as food soon loses it nutritional
value and goes off. Defrosted food may
only be re-frozen after it has been
cooked.
Do not store explosive materials in
the appliance or any products con-
taining propellants (e.g. spray cans).
Switching on thermostats may produce
sparks which could present a fire haz-
ard.
If storing alcohol with a high per-
centage proof, make sure it is
tightly closed and stored upright.
Danger of explosion.
Do not store cans or bottles con-
taining carbonated drinks or liquids
which could freeze in the freezer. The
cans or bottles could explode.
Danger of injury and damage to the ap-
pliance.
When cooling drinks quickly in the
freezer make sure bottles are not
left in for more than one hour, otherwise
they could burst. Danger of injury and
damage to the appliance.
Observe the "use by" dates given
on food to avoid the risk of food
poisoning.
Storage times will depend on several
factors including the freshness and
quality of the food as well as the tem-
perature at which it is stored. Follow the
instructions given on food manufac-
turer’s packaging on storage conditions
required as well as the "use by" date.
Do not use sharp edged objects to
–remove frost and ice,
–separate frozen foods and remove
ice trays.
They will damage the evaporator caus-
ing irreversible damage to the appli-
ance.
Never place electric heaters or
candles in the appliance to defrost
it. These can damage the plastic parts.
Do not use defrosting sprays, or
de-icers as they could contain sub-
stances which could damage the plas-
tic parts and which may cause the build
up of gases and pose a danger to
health.
Do not use any oils or grease on
the door seals as these will cause
the seals to deteriorate and become
porous with time.
Do not store cooking oil in the ap-
pliance door. Traces of oil can
cause stress cracks to occur in the
plastic components in the door.
Do not block the ventilation gaps in
the appliance as this would impair
the efficiency of the appliance, increase
the electricity consumption and could
cause damage to the appliance.
Warning and Safety instructions
8

The appliance is designed for a
use within certain climate ranges
(ambient temperatures). It must not be
used in ranges for which it is not de-
signed. The climate range for your ap-
pliance is stated on the data plate in-
side the appliance.
Installing it in a room with too low an
ambient temperature will lead to the ap-
pliance switching off for longer periods
so that it cannot maintain the required
temperature.
Never use a steam-cleaning appli-
ance to defrost or clean this appli-
ance. Pressurised steam could reach
the electrical components and cause a
short circuit.
In countries where there are areas
which may be subject to infestation
by cockroaches or other vermin, pay
particular attention to keeping the appli-
ance and its surrounding in a clean
condition at all times. Any damage
which may caused by cockroaches or
vermin will not be covered by the appli-
ance guarantee.
isposal of your old appliance
Before disposing of an old appli-
ance first make the door latch or
lock unusable.
This way you will prevent children from
accidentally locking themselves in and
endangering their lives.
Before disposing of an old appli-
ance, unplug it and render the plug
useless. Cut off the cable directly be-
hind the appliance and at the plug to
prevent misuse.
Be careful not to damage any part
of the pipework whilst awaiting dis-
posal, e.g. by
– puncturing the refrigerant channels
in the evaporator.
– bending any pipework.
– scratching the surface coating.
Splashes of refrigerant can damage the
eyes.
The manufacturer cannot be held lia-
ble for damage caused by non-com-
pliance with these Warning and
Safety instructions.
Warning and Safety instructions
9

Before using for the first time
The stainless steel surface has a pro-
tective cover to prevent scratching dur-
ing transportation.
^Do not remove this cover until the ap-
pliance has been installed or built in.
Start at one of the upper corners.
^Clean the inside of the appliance and
the accessories with warm water and
a little washing up liquid and then dry
with a soft cloth.
Important: To ensure correct func-
tioning of the appliance, let it stand
for between ½ and 1 hour after
transporting it to its final location be-
fore connecting it to the mains.
Switching on
^Turn the temperature selector in a
clockwise direction away from "0".
The appliance will begin to cool. The in-
terior light in the refrigerator will come
on when the door is opened.
The higher the setting, the lower the
temperature in the appliance.
Switching off
^Turn the temperature selector in an
anti-clockwise direction from "1" back
to the "0" position.
The cooling system and the interior light
are now switched off.
Switching off for longer
periods of time
If the appliance is not going to be used
for a longer period of time, e.g. whilst
on holiday
^switch the appliance off at the mains,
^withdraw the plug (pull on the plug
and not the cable),
^defrost the freezer section,
^clean the appliance out and
^leave the doors ajar to air the appli-
ance.
If, during a long absence, the appli-
ance is switched off but not cleaned
out and the doors are left shut there
is a danger of mould and odours
building up inside the appliance.
Switching on and off
10

It is very important to set the correct
temperature for storing food in the ap-
pliance. Micro organisms will cause
food which is not stored at the correct
temperature to deteriorate rapidly. Tem-
perature influences the growth rate of
these micro organisms. Reducing the
temperature reduces their growth rate.
The temperature in the appliance will
rise:
–the more often the door is opened
and the longer it is kept open,
–if too much food is stored in it at
once,
– the warmer the food is which is being
put into it,
– the higher the ambient temperature
surrounding the appliance.
The appliance is designed for use in
specific ambient temperatures (cli-
mate ranges). Do not use in ambient
temperatures for which it is not de-
signed.
. . . in the refrigerator
We recommend a temperature of 5 °C
in middle of the refrigerator section.
If you wish to check the temperature in
the refrigerator,
^place a thermometer in a glass of wa-
ter and then place the glass in the
middle of the refrigerator section.
After about 24 hours, the thermometer
will show the approximate temperature
in the refrigerator.
Please note the following
–bathwater and other household ther-
mometers are not very accurate. It is
best to use an electronic thermome-
ter.
–Do not measure the temperature of
the air in the appliance. The result
will not reflect the temperature in the
food.
Try to open the door as little as possible
during the measuring period, as warm
room air will enter the refrigerator every
time the door is opened.
. . . in the freezer
For freezing fresh food and storing
frozen food for a long time a tempera-
ture of at least -18 °C is needed. At this
temperature the growth of micro organ-
isms is generally halted. As soon as the
temperature rises to above -10 °C, the
micro organisms become active in the
food again so that it cannot be kept as
long. For this reason, partially de-
frosted or defrosted food must not be
re-frozen. Food may be re-frozen once
it has been cooked, as the high temper-
atures achieved when cooking destroy
most micro organisms.
The correct temperature
11

Temperature selection
The temperatures for both the refrigera-
tor section and for the freezer section
are set using the temperature selector
in the refrigerator section.
^Turn the temperature selector to a
setting between 1 and 7.
The higher the setting the lower the
temperature in the appliance.
A middle range setting is usually suffi-
cient.
However, if frozen food is to be stored
in the freezer section then a setting of
between 4 and 7 is recommended to
ensure that the required temperature in
the freezer section is maintained.
It is advisable to select a higher setting
(between 4 and 7) if the door is opened
frequently, large quantities of food are
stored in a refrigerator or there is a high
ambient temperature.
The correct temperature
12

With very low ambient temperatures
at or below 16 °C the freezer compart-
ment may not be able to maintain its
temperature. The low room temperature
may prevent the appliance from running
often enough, resulting in frozen food
beginning to thaw. The winter setting is
designed to prevent this happening.
To activate the winter setting
^Press the switch for the winter set-
ting, the indicator light will come on.
The appliance will come on more of-
ten, lowering the temperature in the
freezer compartment to the required
level.
To deactivate the winter setting
As soon as the ambient temperature
rises above 16 °C the winter setting
should be switched off. The freezer
compartment temperature will be suffi-
ciently controlled by the temperature
dial.
^Press the switch for the winter set-
ting. The indicator light will go out
and the appliance will continue to op-
erate at normal power.
Winter setting
13

ifferent storage zones
Natural air circulation gives rise to dif-
ferent temperature zones inside the re-
frigerator section. Cold, heavy air sinks
to the lowest section of the appliance.
Make use of the different zones when
placing food in the appliance.
Coldest zone
The coldest zone in the refrigerator sec-
tion is directly above the vegetable
containers.
Use this for all delicate and highly per-
ishable food, e.g.
– fish, meat, poultry,
– sausage products, ready meals,
– dishes or baked goods containing
eggs or cream
– fresh dough, cake mixtures, pizza or
quiche dough,
– soft cheese and other dairy prod-
ucts,
–pre-packed vegetables and other
fresh food with a label stating it
should be kept at a minimum temper-
ature of 4 °C.
Warmest zone
The warmest zone is in the top section
of the refrigerator door. Use this for stor-
ing butter and cheese.
Do not store explosive materials in
the appliance or any products con-
taining combustible gas (e.g. spray
cans). Danger of explosion.
If storing alcohol with a high per-
centage proof, make sure it is tightly
closed, and store upright.
Do not store cooking oil in the refrig-
erator door.
Traces of oil can cause stress
cracks to occur in the plastic com-
ponents in the door.
Food must not touch the back wall of
the appliance. Otherwise it may
freeze to the back wall.
Food which should not be
stored in a refrigerator
Not all food is suitable for refrigeration.
These include:
–Fruit and vegetables which are sensi-
tive to cold, such as bananas, avo-
cado pears, papaya, passion fruit,
aubergines, peppers, tomatoes and
cucumbers
–Fruit which is not yet ripe
–Potatoes
–Some hard cheeses
Using the refrigerator section efficiently
14

Storing food correctly
Store food covered or packaged. This
will prevent food smells or tastes from
affecting other foods and prevent food
from drying out. The growth of bacteria,
such as salmonella, can be avoided by
setting the correct temperature and
maintaining good standards of hygiene.
Fruit and vegetables
Fruit and vegetables can be stored
loose in the vegetable containers. How-
ever, you should bear in mind that
some types of vegetables give off a
natural gas which speeds up the rate at
which food perishes. Some fruit and
vegetables react stongly to this gas
and should not be stored together in
the vegetable containers.
Examples of fruit which produce a
large amount of this natural gas are:
Apples, apricots, pears, nectarines,
peaches, plums, avocado pears and
figs.
Examples of fruit and vegetables
which react strongly to the natural
gases given off by other types of fruit
and vegetables are:
Kiwis, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels
sprouts, mangos, honeydew melons,
apples, apricots, cucumbers, tomatoes,
pears, nectarines and peaches.
Energy saving tips
–Frequently opening the door or keep-
ing it open for too long will cause the
temperature in the appliance to rise.
The appliance will have to run more
often in order to maintain the cool
temperature inside the appliance.
Only open the door when you need
to and then only for as long as nec-
essary.
–If you organise where you store your
food correctly you should be able to
find things quickly and easily without
allowing the temperature in the appli-
ance to rise. Sort the food out care-
fully before putting it into the appli-
ance.
– Hot food and drinks must be cooled
to room temperature before placing
them in the appliance.
– Do not store groceries too close to
each other. Space should be left be-
tween individual items for air to circu-
late.
Using the refrigerator section efficiently
15

Moving the shelves
The shelves can be adjusted according
to the height of the food.
^Pull the shelves forward as far as
they will go then lift them upwards to
remove them.
^With the rear barrier facing upwards
place the shelf at the required posi-
tion.
The rear barrier must face upwards to
prevent food from touching the back
of the appliance and freezing to it.
Split shelf
In order to accommodate tall items in
the appliance one of the shelves is di-
vided. The front section can be taken
out to allow space for tall items stand-
ing on the shelf below.
Adjusting the door shelves
^Push the door shelf upwards then re-
move it by pulling it forwards.
^Replace the door shelf at the re-
quired position. Ensure that it is se-
curely pushed back into position.
Adjusting the interior fittings
16

Maximum freezing capacity
To ensure that fresh food placed in the
freezer freezes through to the core as
quickly as possible, the maximum
freezing capacity must not be ex-
ceeded. The maximum freezing capac-
ity for freezing within a 24 hour period is
given on the data plate "Freezing ca-
pacity ....kg/24 hrs".
Storing frozen food
When buying frozen food to store in
your freezer check
– that the packaging is not damaged,
– the use by date,
– the temperature at which the frozen
food is being stored in the shop. The
length of time it can be kept is re-
duced if it has been stored at a
temperaure warmer than -18 °C.
^Buy frozen food once you have fin-
ished the rest of your shopping and
wrap it in newspaper or use a cool
bag or box to transport it.
^Store it in the freezer section as soon
as possible.
Never re-freeze partially or fully de-
frosted food. Consume defrosted
food as soon as possible as it will
lose its nutritional value and spoil if
left for too long. Defrosted food may
only be re-frozen after it has been
cooked.
Home freezing
Only freeze fresh food which is in a
good condition.
Hints on home freezing
–The following types of food are suit-
able for freezing:
Fresh meat, poultry, game, fish, veg-
etables, herbs, fresh fruit, dairy prod-
ucts, pastry, leftovers, egg yolks, egg
whites and a range of pre-cooked
meals.
–The following types of food are not
suitable for freezing:
Grapes, lettuces, radishes, sour
cream, mayonnaise, eggs in their
shells, onions, whole raw apples and
pears.
– To retain colour, taste and vitamin C,
vegetables should be blanched after
they have been trimmed and
washed. To blanch: bring a large
saucepan of water to the boil, im-
merse the vegetables in the fast boil-
ing water for 2-3 minutes, depending
on variety. Remove and cool quickly
in cold water. Drain and pack ready
for freezing.
–Lean meat freezes better than fatty
meat and can be stored for consider-
ably longer.
–To prevent chops, steaks, cutlets or
rolled meat from freezing together in
solid blocks when packed, separate
with a sheet of plastic freezer film.
Freezing and storing food
17

–Do not season fresh foods or
blanched vegetables before freez-
ing. Only season cooked food lightly
before freezing but care should be
taken as the taste of some spices al-
ters when frozen.
–Do not place hot foods or drinks in
the freezer. This causes already
frozen food to thaw and increases
the energy consumption consider-
ably. Allow hot foods and drinks to
cool down before placing them in the
freezer.
Packing
^Freeze food in portions.
Suitable packing material
- plastic freezer film
- freezer bags
- aluminium foil
- freezer containers
Freezer bags may also be sealed us-
ing home heat sealing kits.
^Expel as much air as possible from
bags etc. before sealing them to pre-
vent freezer burn on food.
^Close the packaging tightly with
- rubber bands
- plastic clips
- string or bag ties
- freezer tape.
^Make a note of the contents and the
date of freezing on the packaging.
Unsuitable packing material
- wrapping paper
- grease-proof paper
- cellophane
- bin bags
- plastic carrier bags
Before placing food in the freezer
^Turn the temperature selector to a
middle or high setting for approx. 24
hours before placing fresh food in the
freezer.
^Press the switch for the winter set-
ting. The indicator light will come on.
The temperature in the freezer sec-
tion will drop so that the frozen food
already in the freezer will retain its
cold reserve.
Placing food in the freezer
^Place the food flat in the bottom of
the freezer section so that it freezes
through to the core as quickly as pos-
sible.
^Make sure that the packaging and
containers are dry to prevent them
sticking together when frozen.
When freezing, make sure that food
already frozen does not come into
contact with fresh food being frozen
as this could cause the frozen food
to begin to defrost.
^Fresh food will be frozen through
approx. 24 hours after being placed
in the freezer. Turn the temperature
selector to the required setting and if
the room temperature is above 16 °C,
switch the winter setting off.
Freezing and storing food
18

efrosting
Frozen food can be defrosted in differ-
ent ways:
–in the microwave oven,
–in the oven using the "Fan" or "De-
frost" setting,
–at room temperature,
–in the fridge.
Fruit should be defrosted at room tem-
perature in its packing or in a covered
bowl.
Most vegetables can be cooked while
still frozen. Just put straight into boiling
water or hot fat. The cooking time is
slightly less than that of fresh vegeta-
bles.
Poultry It is particularly important to
observe food hygiene rules when de-
frosting poultry. Do not use the liquid
from defrosted poultry. Pour it away and
wash the container it was in, the sink
and your hands.
Never re-freeze partially or fully de-
frosted food. Consume defrosted
food as soon as possible as it will
lose its nutritional value and spoil if
left for too long. Defrosted food may
only be re-frozen after it has been
cooked.
Ice cubes
^Press down the release button on the
ice cube tray and fill the tray with wa-
ter. Any excess will flow out through
the outlet.
^Now pull the release button up to
seal the ice cube tray.
^Slide the ice cube tray into its holder
in the freezer section.
^Once frozen use a blunt instrument,
for example a spoon handle, to re-
move the ice cube tray from the
freezer.
^Ice cubes can be removed easily
from the tray by holding it under cold
running water for a short while.
Cooling drinks
When cooling drinks quickly, make sure
bottles are not left in the freezer sec-
tion for more than one hour, as they
could burst.
Freezing and storing food
19

Refrigerator section
Condensate and frost can build up on
the back wall of the refrigerator section
whilst it is in use. These are automati-
cally removed and defrosted by the ap-
pliance.
The condensate is drained away via a
channel and drain hole into an evapora-
tion system at the back of the appli-
ance.
Ensure that the condensate channel
and drain hole are kept clean and
are never blocked so that conden-
sate can flow away without hin-
drance.
Freezer section
The freezer section does not defrost au-
tomatically because frozen food must
not be allowed to defrost.
In normal use ice and frost will form on
the evaporator plate. If allowed to accu-
mulate, this will impair the efficiency of
the freezer and increase the consump-
tion of electricity.
Do not scrape ice and frost off the
evaporator plate as this can damage
the evaporator plates and make the
freezer unusable.
The freezer section should be defrosted
from time to time. It must be defrosted if
a layer of ice approx. 5 mm thick has
accumulated. It is best to defrost when
only very little food or no food at all is
left in the freezer.
Before defrosting
^Remove the frozen food from the
freezer and place it in another freezer
or cool box or wrap it in several lay-
ers of newspaper or cloths and store
it in a cool place until the freezer is
ready for use again.
efrosting
20