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7

H

OW YOUR MICROWAVE

OVEN WORKS

G

ETTING TO

K

NOW

Y

OUR

M

ICROWAVE

O

VEN

This section discusses the concepts behind microwave cooking. It also shows you the basics 
you need to know to operate your microwave oven. Please read this information before you use
your oven.

R

ADIO INTERFERENCE

Using your microwave oven may cause interference
to your radio, TV, or similar equipment. When there is
interference, you can reduce it or remove it by:

Cleaning the door and sealing surfaces of the oven.

Adjusting the receiving antenna of the radio or 
television.

Moving the receiver away from the microwave oven.

Plugging the microwave oven into a different outlet
so that the microwave oven and receiver are on 
different branch circuits.

F

OR THE BEST COOKING RESULTS

Always cook food for the shortest cooking time 
recommended. Check to see how the food is
cooking. If needed, touch the JET START™ feature
pad while the oven is operating or after the cooking
cycle is over (see the “Using JET START™ Feature”
section).

Stir, turn over, or rearrange the food being cooked
about halfway through the cooking time for all
recipes. This will help make sure the food is evenly
cooked.

If you do not have a cover for a dish, use wax
paper, or microwave-approved paper towels or
plastic wrap. Remember to turn back a corner of
the plastic wrap to vent steam during cooking.

T

ESTING YOUR MICROWAVE OVEN

To test the oven, put 1 cup (250 mL) of cold water in
a glass container in the oven. Close the door. Make
sure it latches. Cook at 100% power for 2 minutes.
When the time is up, the water should be heated.

Microwave energy is not hot. It causes food to make
its own heat, and it’s this heat that cooks the food.

Microwaves are like TV waves, radio waves, or

light waves. You cannot see them, but you can see
what they do.

A magnetron in the microwave oven produces
microwaves. The microwaves move into the oven
where they contact food as it turns on the turntable. 

Your oven has a MAXWAVE™ multiple microwave
distribution system. 
Microwave energy is released
from two locations, giving you better, more even
cooking.

The glass turntable of your microwave oven lets 
microwaves pass through. Then they bounce off a
metal floor, back through the glass turntable, and are
absorbed by the food.

Microwaves pass through most glass, paper, and
plastics without heating them so food absorbs the
energy. Microwaves bounce off metal containers so
food does not absorb the energy.

Oven cavity

Metal floor

Glass turntable

Magnetron

Summary of Contents for GT4185SK

Page 1: ...ilt in kits 11 Setting the clock 12 Using the minute timer 12 Using the cooking rack 12 Microwave Oven Use 13 Cooking at high cook power 13 Cooking at different cook powers 13 Cooking with more than one cook cycle 14 Using AUTO DEFROST 14 Defrosting tips 15 Using JET START Feature 15 Using WARM HOLD 16 Sensor Cooking 16 Using COOK 16 Cooking chart 17 Using REHEAT 17 Reheating chart 18 Using POPCOR...

Page 2: ...abel plate see the diagram in the Getting to Know Your Microwave Oven section Please also record the purchase date of your appliance and your dealer s name address and telephone number Keep this book and the sales slip together in a safe place for future reference It is important for you to save your sales receipt showing the date of purchase Proof of purchase will assure you of in warranty servic...

Page 3: ...nd in this section The microwave oven must be grounded Connect only to properly grounded outlet See GROUND ING INSTRUCTIONS found in the Installation Instructions section Install or locate the microwave oven only in accordance with the installation instructions Some products such as whole eggs and sealed containers for example closed glass jars may explode and should not be heated in the microwave...

Page 4: ...wave energy It is important not to defeat or tamper with the safety interlocks b Do not place any object between the oven front face and the door or allow soil or cleaner residue to accumulate on sealing surfaces c Do not operate the oven if it is damaged It is particularly important that the oven door close properly and that there is no damage to the 1 door bent 2 hinges and latches broken or loo...

Page 5: ...s or air intake openings Allow a few inches of space at the back and side of the oven where the exhaust vents are located Blocking the exhaust vents could cause damage to the oven and poor cooking results Make sure the microwave oven legs are in place to ensure proper airflow If vents are blocked a sensitive thermal safety device automatically turns the oven off The oven should work properly once ...

Page 6: ... grounding plug can result in a risk of electric shock Consult a qualified electrician or serviceman if the grounding instructions are not completely understood or if doubt exists as to whether the microwave oven is properly grounded Do not use an extension cord If the power supply cord is too short have a qualified electrician or serviceman install an outlet near the microwave oven For a permanen...

Page 7: ...ood is evenly cooked If you do not have a cover for a dish use wax paper or microwave approved paper towels or plastic wrap Remember to turn back a corner of the plastic wrap to vent steam during cooking TESTING YOUR MICROWAVE OVEN To test the oven put 1 cup 250 mL of cold water in a glass container in the oven Close the door Make sure it latches Cook at 100 power for 2 minutes When the time is up...

Page 8: ...t Do not use newspaper or other printed paper in the oven Do not dry flowers fruit herbs wood paper gourds or clothes in the oven Do not start a microwave oven when it is empty Product life may be shortened If you practice programming the oven put a container of water in the oven It is normal for the oven door to look wavy after the oven has been running for a while Do not try to melt paraffin wax...

Page 9: ...ing It must be in the oven during operation for best cooking results The turntable is sunken into the cavity floor to give you more cooking space and better cooking results 5 Removable Turntable Support under turntable 6 Control Panel Touch pads on this panel to perform all functions 7 Light not shown The light automatically turns on when the door is opened or when the oven is running 8 Cooking Gu...

Page 10: ... your microwave oven You can use WARM HOLD by itself or to automatically follow a cooking cycle 9 Number pads Touch number pads to enter cooking times cook powers selection quantities or weights 10 CLOCK Touch this pad to enter the correct time of day 11 TIMER SET OFF Touch this pad to set or cancel the timer function 12 OPTIONS Touch this pad to change sound volume to low medium high or off to ch...

Page 11: ... setting a function touch OFF CANCEL to make sure no other function is on Usingthechildlock The Child Lock locks the control panel pads to prevent unintended use of the microwave oven To lock the control panel Touch and hold OFF CANCEL until LOCKED appears on display approximately 4 seconds One tone will sound To unlock the control panel Touch and hold OFF CANCEL until UNLOCK appears on display Tw...

Page 12: ... allow the timer to start automatically after a short delay 4 At the end of the set time Timer will count down to zero then will display TIMER END and 5 tones will sound NOTE To cancel timer at any time touch TIMER SET OFF USING THE COOKING RACK The Cooking Rack Part No 8172101 gives you extra space when cooking at more than one level in your microwave oven NOTES Do not store the metal rack in the...

Page 13: ...of full power P60 60 of full power WHEN TO USE IT Quick heating many convenience foods and foods with high water content such as soups beverages and most vegetables Cooking small tender pieces of meat ground meat poultry pieces and fish fillets Heating cream soups Heating rice pasta or stirrable casseroles Cooking and heating foods that need a cook power lower than high for example whole fish and ...

Page 14: ...en you use AUTO DEFROST it must be the first cycle NAME Medium Medium Low Defrost Low COOK POWER P50 50 of full power P40 40 of full power P30 DEF 30 of full power P20 20 of full power P10 WRM 10 of full power WHEN TO USE IT Cooking ham whole poultry and pot roasts Simmering stews Melting chocolate Heating bread rolls and pastries Defrosting foods such as bread fish meats poultry and precooked foo...

Page 15: ...s 1 Make sure your food is in the oven 2 Touch the JET START feature pad Each additional touch adds 30 seconds of cooking time up to 3 minutes then adds 1 minute up to a total of 10 minutes 3 At the end of the cooking time Display will show END and 3 tones will sound OUNCES GRAMS 1 6 45 4 3 2 90 7 4 0 113 4 4 8 136 1 6 4 181 4 8 0 226 8 9 6 272 2 11 2 317 5 12 0 340 2 12 8 362 9 14 4 408 2 16 0 45...

Page 16: ...dity released by the food The amount of humidity detected tells the oven how long to cook or heat your food The sensor is used by 3 special functions COOK REHEAT and POPCORN The simple instructions for these functions are on the following pages NOTES If you want to cook by entering a time and cook power see Microwave cooking tips in the Cooking Guide section The oven should be plugged in at least ...

Page 17: ...d Cover with lid When cooking is complete allow rice to stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed Stir rice SERVING SIZE 1 to 4 medium about 8 to 10 oz 227 to 284 g each 1 to 4 cups 250 mL to 1 L 1 to 4 cups 250 mL to 1 L Works best if entree is 10 to 20 oz 284 to 567 g 1 2 to 2 cups 125 to 500 mL of dry rice Use medium or long grain rice Cook instant rice accord ing to directions on the package...

Page 18: ...ES Pop only 1 package at a time If you are using a microwave popcorn popper follow manufacturer s instructions 1 Place the bag in the center of the turntable and close the door 2 Touch POPCORN NOTE The sensor will determine popping time based on the size of the package DIRECTIONS Follow package directions Use a popcorn package which is made especially for microwave cooking Do not try to pop unpopp...

Page 19: ... times Keep food moist You can use any covering that lets microwaves pass through See Getting to Know Your Microwave Oven for materials that microwaves will pass through Releasingpressureinfoods Several foods for example baked potatoes sausages egg yolks and some fruits are tightly covered by a skin or membrane Steam can build up under the membrane during cooking causing the food to burst To relie...

Page 20: ...ookingyoushouldnotdoinyourmicrowaveoven Do not do canning of foods in the oven Closed glass jars may explode resulting in damage to the oven Do not use the microwave oven to sterilize objects baby bottles etc It is difficult to keep the oven at the high temperature needed for sterilization MICROWAVE OVEN CARE To make sure your microwave oven looks good and works well for a long time you should mai...

Page 21: ...dditional time to allow it to finish cooking This frees the oven for other cooking Steam is normally produced during cooking The microwave oven has been designed to vent this steam out the vents Yes Pop packaged microwave popcorn following manufacturer s guidelines or use the sensor POPCORN pad Do not use regular paper bags Use the listening test by stopping the oven as soon as the popping slows t...

Page 22: ...de up and is sitting securely on center shaft The support is not operating correctly Remove turntable check that the turntable support is properly in place and restart oven If turntable support does not move call a designated service technician for repair Cooking without the turntable can give you poor results The oven door is not closed completely You have set the controls as a kitchen timer Touc...

Page 23: ...arts distributors Whirlpool designated service technicians are trained to fulfill the product warranty and provide after warranty service anywhere in the United States To locate the Whirlpool designated service company in your area you can also look in your telephone directory Yellow Pages ASSISTANCE OR SERVICE To avoid unnecessary service calls please check the Troubleshooting section It may save...

Page 24: ...lpool designated service company D Damage to your microwave oven caused by accident alteration misuse abuse fire flood acts of God or use of products not approved by Whirlpool Corporation E Any labor costs during limited warranty F Repairs to parts or systems resulting from unauthorized modifications made to the appliance G Replacement parts or repair labor costs for units operated outside the Uni...

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