Midea EG823A4X - User Manual

This document outlines the operation and maintenance of a Midea microwave oven with grill, Model No: EG823A4X. It provides essential safety instructions, detailed operational procedures, and guidance on caring for the appliance.

Function Description

The Midea microwave oven with grill is designed for various cooking tasks, offering microwave, grill, and combination cooking modes. It features a digital display, multiple power levels, and an auto-cook menu for convenience.

Microwave Function: This mode is ideal for boiling water, cooking fresh fruits, vegetables, rice, pasta, noodles, desserts, and reheating various meals. It offers five power levels: HIGH, MED-HIGH, MEDIUM, DEFROST, and LOW. HIGH power is suitable for quick cooking, while lower settings are used for more delicate tasks like thawing or keeping food warm. The maximum cooking time in microwave mode is 99 minutes and 50 seconds.

Grill Function: The grill function utilizes heating elements at the top of the oven to brown small dishes, steaks, chops, kebabs, sausages, chicken pieces, hot sandwiches, and gratin dishes. It offers two grill settings: Grill 1 for meat, poultry, and pieces, and Grill 2 for seafood, garlic bread, and toast. The oven door must remain closed during grilling to prevent odors and conserve energy. Food should be placed on a wire rack with a dish underneath to catch drippings. The maximum grilling time is 99 minutes and 50 seconds.

Combination Function: This mode combines microwave and grill functions, allowing for thawing, cooking, and heating foods simultaneously. This ensures even cooking, retains crispness, and aids in browning. There are three combination settings: Combination 1 for whole poultry, Combination 2 for beef, lamb, and seafood, and Combination 3 for baked potatoes and puddings. Similar to grilling, food should be placed on a wire rack with a dish underneath. The maximum cooking time in combination mode is 99 minutes and 50 seconds.

Turbo Defrost: This feature allows for weight-based defrosting of various meats, poultry, and fish. Users program the food's weight (0.1-2.0 kg), and the oven automatically determines the defrosting time and power levels. The minimum recommended weight for Turbo Defrost is 0.2 kg. During defrosting, it's recommended to turn over, remove defrosted parts, break apart, separate, and shield certain food items as instructed.

Auto Cook Menu: The oven includes an auto-cook menu with preset programs for various food categories, including Reheat Meal, Reheat Bread, Reheat Soup, Congee/Porridge, Instant Noodle, Double Boil, Vegetables, Casserole Rice, Fish, Roast Chicken, Chicken Pieces, and Roast Beef/Lamb. Users select the desired food category and serving/weight, and the oven automatically sets the appropriate cooking time and power.

Multi-Stage Cooking: This advanced feature allows users to program 2-3 stages of cooking continuously, combining different power levels and cooking modes. For example, one could set a medium microwave power stage, followed by a combination stage, and then a grill stage. Three beeps will sound between each stage. Auto programs cannot be used with multi-stage cooking.

Kitchen Timer: The oven can function as a standalone kitchen timer, counting down a set amount of time (up to 99 minutes 50 seconds) without operating the oven.

Standing Time: This feature allows for a programmed standing time after a cooking cycle. This is particularly useful for meats and casseroles to ensure complete cooking and even heat distribution.

Delay Start: Users can program a delay before a cooking cycle begins, allowing for scheduled cooking.

Child Safety Lock: This feature prevents accidental operation by young children. It can be activated or deactivated by pressing the Start/Stop/Reset button three times within 10 seconds.

Usage Features

Control Panel: The oven is operated via a control panel with dedicated buttons for Micro Power, Grill, Combi, Turbo Defrost, and Auto Menu. Time adjustments are made using the Time buttons (10 min, 1 min, 10 sec). The Display Window shows the selected settings and remaining time.

Door Operation: The oven door opens by pulling the handle. Opening the door during cooking temporarily stops the process without canceling the program. It is safe to open the door at any time during a cooking program.

Glass Tray and Roller Ring: The oven must always be operated with the glass tray and roller ring in place. Only the specifically designed glass tray should be used. If the glass tray is hot, it should be allowed to cool before cleaning. Food should always be placed on a microwave-safe dish or rack, not directly on the glass tray. The glass tray rotates in either direction, and if it touches oven walls, it will automatically reverse direction.

Wire Rack: A wire rack is provided for browning small dishes in manual GRILL or COMBINATION modes. Heat-proof containers should be used with the wire rack in these modes. Aluminum or metal containers should never be placed directly on the wire rack in COMBINATION mode; a glass plate or dish must be inserted between them to prevent sparking. The wire rack should not be used in MICROWAVE mode only.

Food Preparation:

Piercing: Foods with nonporous skins (e.g., potatoes, apples, egg yolks, whole squash, sausages) must be pierced before cooking to prevent bursting. Whole clams and oysters should also be pierced.
Stirring: Stirring is often necessary during microwave cooking to ensure even heat distribution. Cooked outside edges should be moved toward the center, and less cooked center portions toward the outside.
Covering: Different materials can be used to cover dishes to control moisture evaporation during microwave cooking. Casserole lids or cling film provide a tighter seal, while wax paper or paper towels offer varying degrees of moisture retention.
Arrangement: Individual foods should be spaced evenly apart, ideally in a circular pattern, for more even heating. Food should not be stacked.
Browning: Microwave cooking does not typically produce the same brown appearance as conventional cooking. Browning sauces, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, or shake-on browning sauce can be used to enhance color. Brown sugar or dark spices can be sprinkled on quick breads or muffins before baking.

Safety Precautions:

Never tamper with or deactivate the interlocking devices on the door.
Avoid poking objects, especially metal, through grilles or between the door and the oven.
Do not place saucepans, unopened cans, or other heavy metal objects in the oven.
Do not let metallic articles touch the oven sides.
Never operate the oven empty.
Do not place sealed containers (including baby bottles with screw caps/teats) in the microwave oven.
Do not use the oven for home canning or deep-fat frying.
Do not boil eggs in their shell (unless specified in a cookbook).
Exercise caution when heating liquids to prevent sudden boil-over. Use straight-sided containers with narrow necks, avoid overheating, stir before and halfway through cooking, and allow to stand after heating.
Use a microwave thermometer for checking meat and poultry doneness, not a conventional one.
Always start with minimum cooking times and check for doneness. It's better to undercook and add more time than to overcook.
Never leave the oven unattended when cooking popcorn.
Check plastic or paper containers frequently during heating due to the risk of ignition.
Stir or shake feeding bottles and baby food jars, and check temperature before consumption to avoid burns.
Do not use recycled paper products, newspapers, or paper bags for cooking.
Do not store flammable materials near, on top of, or in the oven.
Do not use the oven to heat chemicals or nonfood products, and do not clean with corrosive chemicals.
The appliance is not intended for use by persons with reduced physical, sensory, or mental capabilities, or lack of experience and knowledge, unless supervised or instructed. Young children should be supervised to ensure they do not play with the appliance.
During GRILL or COMBINATION modes, accessible parts may become hot, and children should be kept away.

Maintenance Features

Cleaning:

The oven should be cleaned regularly, and food deposits removed.
Always turn off and unplug the oven before cleaning.
Inside the oven: Wipe with a damp cloth. Mild detergent can be used for stubborn dirt. Avoid harsh detergents or abrasives.
Outside surfaces: Clean with a damp cloth. Prevent water from seeping into ventilation openings.
Control Panel: Clean with a soft, damp cloth. Do not use detergents, abrasives, or spray-on cleaners. Keep the door open while cleaning the control panel to prevent accidental turn-on. Press the Stop/Reset button to clear the display after cleaning.
Glass Tray: Remove and wash in warm, sudsy water or a dishwasher.
Roller Ring and Oven Cavity Floor: Clean regularly to avoid excessive noise. Wipe the bottom surface with mild detergent, water, or window cleaner and dry. The roller ring can be washed in mild sudsy water or a dishwasher. Ensure proper replacement after cleaning.
Grill and Combination Modes: After using these modes, the ceiling and walls of the oven should be cleaned with a soft cloth squeezed in soapy water, as grease splatter can lead to smoke if not cleaned. Pay particular attention to the window area. Stubborn spots can be removed with a small amount of microwave oven cleaner sprayed onto a soft damp cloth, left for a recommended time, and then wiped off. Avoid spraying directly inside the oven. A steam cleaner is not recommended.

Troubleshooting: The manual provides a troubleshooting guide for common issues like the oven not turning on, not starting cooking, noise from the glass tray, or error messages. It suggests remedies such as checking the power plug, resetting circuit breakers, closing the door, pressing the Start button, cleaning parts, or deactivating the child lock. For persistent problems, contacting Midea customer service is advised.

General Maintenance:

Failure to maintain the oven in a clean condition can lead to deterioration of the surface, affecting the appliance's life and potentially creating a hazardous situation.
If the oven light needs replacement, consult a dealer.
If the supply cord is damaged, it must be replaced by Midea customer service.