KitchenAid KMBD104GSS 24" Under-Counter Microwave Oven Drawer

Microwave Oven With Convection Use & Care Guide

PARTS AND FEATURES

This manual may cover several different models. The model you have purchased may have some or all of the features shown here. The appearance of your particular model may differ slightly from the illustrations in this manual.

MICROWAVE DRAWER CONTROLS

This manual may cover several different models. The model you have purchased may have some or all of the features shown here. The appearance of your particular model may differ slightly from the illustrations in this manual.

Display

When the microwave drawer is in use, the display shows cooking power, quantities, weights, and/or prompts. When it is not in use, the display shows the time of day.

Before First Use

When the microwave drawer is first plugged in, the message “Enjoy your microwave touch clear and touch clock” will scroll in the display. You will need to clear the message to set the clock.

Clear display:

1. Touch STOP/CLEAR.

If the prompt “Enjoy your microwave touch clear and touch clock” appears at any other time, a power failure has occurred. Clear the display, and reset the clock.

NOTE: The microwave drawer can be programmed with the drawer open except when using Start/Add 1 Min.

Clock

This is a standard 12-hour clock (12:00-11:59).

To Set Clock:

1. Touch TIMER/CLOCK, then number pad 2.

2. Enter time in hours and minutes.

3. Touch TIMER/CLOCK again to complete the setting.

Start

The Start control (Start/Add 1 Min) begins any cooking function. If cooking is interrupted, touching START will resume the preset non-sensor function.

NOTE: To avoid unintentional operation of the microwave drawer, the Start control will work only if a cooking cycle has ended, the drawer has been closed or Stop has been touched within the last 3 minutes.

Add 1 Min

The Add 1 Min control (Start/Add 1 Min) starts the microwave drawer at 100% power for 1 minute. Each additional touch of the control will add 1 minute of cook time.

Cook time may be added in 1-minute increments to a cooking cycle at the current power level by touching ADD 1 MIN during the cycle. The Add 1 Min function cannot be used during Reheat, Defrost, or any sensor cycles.

NOTE: To avoid unintentional operation of the microwave drawer, the Add 1 Min control will work only if a cooking cycle has ended, the drawer has been closed, or Stop has been touched within the past 3 minutes.

Stop/Clear

The Stop control (Stop/Clear) clears any incorrect command, pauses cooking, and cancels most functions with one touch of the control. Touch STOP twice to cancel a running cooking cycle.

The microwave drawer will also turn off when the drawer is opened. Close the drawer, and touch START to resume the non-sensor cycle.

Open/Close

To open the microwave drawer, gently pull on the drawer so that the drawer opens automatically. To close the microwave drawer, push the drawer with light pressure so that the drawer closes automatically. In the event the drawer stops in the middle, open or close the drawer manually to full open or close position by gently pulling or pushing with even pressure near the middle of the drawer.

If you wish to use key operation to open/close the microwave drawer, touch the OPEN or CLOSE pad on the control panel to open or close the drawer.

When opening or closing the drawer quickly, food in the microwave drawer may be spilled. To clean, refer to the “General Cleaning” section in “Microwave Drawer Care”.

Timer

The Timer can be set in minutes and seconds, and counts down the set time.

NOTE: The Timer does not start or stop the microwave drawer.

To Set Timer:

1. Touch TIMER/CLOCK, then number pad 1.

2. Enter time in minutes and seconds.

3. Touch TIMER/CLOCK again to start Timer.

Timer may be canceled at any time by touching STOP/CLEAR.

Control Lock

The Control Lock shuts down the control panel pads to avoid unintended operation of the microwave drawer. When the control is locked, only the Control Lock control will function.

To Lock/Unlock Control: Touch and hold CONTROL LOCK for 3 seconds. The display will indicate the lock status.

Setup

The Setup control (Setup/Help) provides access to the following settings:

• Tones: Sound off or on. See the “Tones” section.
• Reminder tones: Reminder signal off or on. See the “Tones” section.
• Auto start: See the “Auto Start” section.
• Demo Mode: Demo Mode on or off. See the “Demo Mode” section.

Tones

End of Cycle Tones

Tones sound at the end of any cooking cycle unless turned off.

To Turn Off/On Sound: Touch SETUP twice, then touch START.

Reminder Tones

Tones sound every 10 seconds for 1 minute, then every three minutes up to 1 hour. Touch STOP to stop the tones.

To Turn Off/On Reminder: Touch SETUP three times, then touch START.

Demo Mode

The Demo Mode is ideal for learning how to use the microwave drawer. When Demo Mode is active, functions can be entered, with real displays and tones, without actually turning on the microwave generator (magnetron). While functions are operating in Demo Mode, the light comes on, and the display counts down the time quickly.

To activate Demo Mode: Touch SETUP five times, then touch and hold START for 3 seconds.

To deactivate Demo Mode: Touch SETUP five times, then touch START.

Help

Tips are available for all automatic functions. To view tips, touch HELP (Setup/Help) while “HELP” is lit in the display.

MICROWAVE DRAWER USE

A magnetron in the microwave drawer produces microwaves which reflect off the metal floor, walls, and ceiling and pass through the turntable and appropriate cookware to the food. Microwaves are attracted to and absorbed by fat, sugar, and water molecules in the food, causing them to move, producing friction and heat, which cooks the food.

• To avoid damage to the microwave drawer, do not lean on or allow children to swing on the microwave drawer door.
• To avoid damage to the microwave drawer, do not operate microwave drawer when it is empty.
• Clothes, flowers, fruit, herbs, wood, gourds, paper, including brown paper bags and newspaper, should not be dried in microwave drawer.
• The vent under the drawer must not be blocked. During microwaving, steam may come out of the right side of the vent.
• It is normal for the exterior of the microwave drawer to be warm to the touch when cooking or reheating.
• Paraffin wax will not melt in the microwave drawer because it does not absorb microwaves.
• Use oven mitts or pot holders when removing containers from microwave drawer.
• Keep the microwave inlet cover clean: food residue can cause arcing and/or fires (see the “Microwave Drawer Cavity” section in “Microwave Drawer Care”).
• Baby bottles and baby food jars should not be heated in microwave drawer. Transfer baby food to a small microwavesafe dish and heat, stirring often.
• Pierce skins of potatoes, apples, squash, hot dogs, and sausages so that steam escapes while cooking.
• Do not overcook potatoes. At the end of the recommended cook time, potatoes should be slightly firm. Let potatoes stand for 5 minutes to finish cooking.
• Do not cook or reheat whole eggs inside the shell. Steam buildup in whole eggs may cause them to burst, requiring significant cleanup of microwave drawer. Cover poached eggs and allow a standing time.

Food Characteristics

When microwave cooking, the amount, size and shape, starting temperature, composition, and density of the food affect cooking results.

Amount of Food

The more food heated at once, the longer the cook time needed. Check for doneness and add small increments of time if necessary.

Size and Shape

Smaller pieces of food will cook more quickly than larger pieces, and uniformly shaped foods cook more evenly than irregularly shaped food.

Starting Temperature

Room temperature foods will heat faster than refrigerated foods, and refrigerated foods will heat faster than frozen foods.

Composition and Density

Foods high in fat and sugar will reach a higher temperature, and will heat faster than other foods. Heavy, dense foods, such as meat and potatoes, require a longer cooking time than the same size of a light, porous food, such as cake.

Cooking Guidelines

Cooking Time

Monitor the cooking time. Cook for the shortest amount of time indicated and add more as needed. Food severely overcooked can smoke or ignite.

To test for doneness, insert a thermometer in a thick or dense area away from fat or bone. Do not leave the thermometer in the food during cooking, unless it is approved for microwave use.

Use the following chart when checking for doneness:

Covering

Covering food helps retain moisture, shorten cook time, and reduce spattering. Use the lid supplied with cookware. If a lid is not available, wax paper, paper towels, or plastic wrap approved for microwave drawers may be used. Plastic wrap should be turned back at one corner to provide an opening to vent steam. Condensation on the door and cavity surfaces is normal during heavy cooking.

Stirring and Turning

Stirring and turning redistribute heat evenly to avoid overcooking the outer edges of food. Stir from outside to center. If possible, turn food over from bottom to top.

Arranging

If heating irregularly shaped or different sized foods, arrange the thinner parts and smaller sized items toward the center. If cooking several items of the same size and shape, place them in a ring pattern, leaving the center of the ring empty.

Piercing

Before heating, use a fork or small knife to pierce or prick foods that have a skin or membrane, such as potatoes, egg yolks, chicken livers, hot dogs, and sausage. Prick in several places to allow steam to vent.

Shielding

Use small, flat pieces of aluminum foil to shield the thin pieces of irregularly shaped foods, bones and foods such as chicken wings, leg tips and fish tail. See the “Aluminum Foil and Metal” section first.

Standing Time

Food will continue to cook by the natural conduction of heat even after the microwave cooking cycle ends. The length of standing time depends on the volume and density of the food.

Cookware and Dinnerware

Cookware and dinnerware must fit on the turntable. Always use oven mitts or pot holders when handling because any dish may become hot from heat transferred from the food. Do not use cookware and dinnerware with gold or silver trim. Use the following chart as a guide, then test before using.

To Test Cookware or Dinnerware for Microwave Use:

1. Place cookware or dinnerware in microwave drawer with 1 cup (250 mL) of water beside it.
2. Cook at 100% cooking power for 1 minute.

Do not use cookware or dinnerware if it becomes hot and the water stays cool.

Aluminum Foil and Metal

Always use oven mitts or pot holders when removing dishes from the microwave drawer.

Aluminum foil and some metal can be used in the microwave drawer. If not used properly, arcing (a blue flash of light) can occur and cause damage to the microwave drawer.

When using aluminum foil, only use small, flat pieces placed smoothly on the food. Foil should not come closer than one inch to any surface of the microwave drawer.

OK for Use

Racks and bakeware supplied with the microwave drawer (on some models), aluminum foil for shielding, and approved meat thermometers may be used with the following guidelines:

• To avoid damage to the microwave drawer, do not allow aluminum foil or metal to touch the inside cavity walls, ceiling, or floor.
• To avoid damage to the microwave drawer, do not allow contact with another metal object during microwave cooking.

Do Not Use

• Metal cookware and bakeware
• Gold, silver, and pewter
• Nonapproved meat thermometers
• Skewers
• Twist ties
• Oil liners such as sandwich wrappers
• Staples
• Objects with gold or silver trim or a metallic glaze
• Non-heat-resistant glass
• Plastics that are not microwave safe, such as margarine tubs
• Recycled paper products and brown paper bags

Microwave Cooking Power

Many recipes for microwave cooking specify which cooking power to use by percent, name, or number. For example, 70%=Medium-High. When using the microwave drawer at power levels below 100%, you may hear the magnetron cycling on and off: this is normal microwave operation.

Use the following chart as a general guide for the suggested cooking power of specific foods.

Manual Cooking

To Use:

1. Place food in the microwave drawer, and close the drawer.

2. Enter the cook time in minutes and seconds. If cooking with 100% power, skip Step 3.

3. Touch POWER LEVEL repeatedly to set the desired cooking power. See “Microwave Cooking Power.”

4. Touch START.

When the cycle ends, “END” will appear in the display, and the end-of-cycle tones will sound, followed by reminder tones.

5. Touch STOP or open the drawer to clear the display.

Cook time may be added in 1-minute increments during the cycle by touching Add 1 Min

Cooking in Stages

The microwave drawer can be set to cook at different cooking powers for various lengths of time, up to four stages.

To Cook in Stages:

1. Place food in the microwave drawer, and close the drawer.

2. Enter the length of time to cook during the first stage.

3. Touch POWER LEVEL repeatedly to set the desired cooking power for the 1st stage. See “Microwave Cooking Power.”

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for additional stages.

5. Touch START.

When the cycle ends, “END” will appear in the display, and end-of-cycle tones will sound, followed by reminder tones.

6. Touch STOP or open the drawer to clear the display.

NOTES:

• Cook time may be added in 1-minute increments during the cycle by touching Add 1 Min.
• To see the cook power during operation, touch POWER LEVEL.
• Keep Warm can be added even if four stages have been set.

Auto Start

The Auto Start function allows you to program a cook cycle to start at a set time.

To Use Auto Start:

1. Place food in the microwave drawer, and close the drawer.

2. Touch SETUP/HELP four times.

3. Touch START.

4. Enter the cooking start time in hours and minutes.

5. Touch TIMER/CLOCK.

6. Enter length of time to cook in minutes and seconds.

7. Touch POWER LEVEL repeatedly to set the desired cooking power. See the “Microwave Cooking Power.” section

8. Touch START.

When the cycle ends, “END” will appear in the display, and end-of-cycle tones will sound, followed by reminder tones.

9. Touch STOP or open the drawer to clear the display

Doneness Adjustment

Doneness may be adjusted for every cooking program except Keep Warm. During programming, touch POWER LEVEL after food and quantity selections are made. Touch POWER LEVEL once for “MORE”, or twice for “LESS”.

Reheat (non-sensor)

Times and cooking power have been preset for reheating specific food types. Use the following chart as a guide.

*For smaller rolls, two rolls may be counted as one piece. For larger or refrigerated rolls, one roll may be counted as 2 pieces.

To Use Reheat:

1. Place food in the microwave drawer, and close the drawer.

2. Touch REHEAT.

3. Select food item by entering its number (see chart and/or cooking guide label).

4. Enter quantity. Doneness may be adjusted at this time by touching POWER LEVEL.

5. Touch START.

When the cycle ends, “END” will appear in the display, and end-of-cycle tones will sound, followed by reminder tones. 6.

Touch STOP or open the drawer to clear the display.

Beverage Center

Beverage Center enables you to reheat coffee or tea to restore it to a more suitable drinking temperature, or to make instant coffee or tea.

To Use Beverage Center:

1. Place container with beverage or water in the microwave drawer, and close the drawer.

2. Touch Beverage Center.

3. Touch 1 for reheating your cooled beverage, or 2 for heating water for coffee or tea.

4. Select quantity by re-touching 1 or 2 (depending on selection) until the correct quantity is reached.

Doneness may be adjusted at this time by touching POWER LEVEL.

5. Touch START.

Defrost

The automatic defrost function can be used, or the microwave drawer can be manually set to defrost.

• Unwrap foods and remove lids (for example, from fruit juice containers) before defrosting.
• Shallow packages will defrost more quickly than deep blocks.
• Separate food pieces as soon as possible during or at the end of cycle for more even defrosting.
• When using plastic containers from the freezer, defrost only long enough to remove the food from the plastic in order to place it in a microwave-safe dish.
• Use small pieces of aluminum foil to shield parts of food such as chicken wings, leg tips and fish tails. See the “Aluminum Foil and Metal” section first.

The automatic defrost function should not be used for food left outside the freezer for more than 20 minutes and frozen readymade food.

Times and cooking power have been preset for defrosting certain food types. Use the following chart as a guide.

To Use the Defrost Control:

1. Place food, uncovered, in the microwave drawer, and close the drawer.

2. Touch DEFROST.

3. Select food item by entering its number (see chart and/or cooking guide label).

4. Enter the weight in tenths of a pound for Meat or Poultry, or enter volume in cups for Casserole/Soup. See chart for quantity limits.

Doneness may be adjusted at this time by touching POWER LEVEL.

5. Touch START. The display will count down the defrost time.

During defrosting, tones will sound to indicate it is time to check, turn, rearrange or separate food. Open drawer, turn food if necessary, close door and touch START to resume defrosting.

When the cycle ends, “LET STAND COVERED” will appear in the display, and end-of-cycle tones will sound, followed by reminder tones.

6. Touch STOP or open the drawer to clear the display.

To Defrost Manually: Follow directions in the “Manual Cooking” section, and use 30% cooking power. See the “Microwave Cooking Power” chart.

Keep Warm

Hot cooked food can be kept warm in the microwave drawer. The Keep Warm function uses 10% cook power. Keep Warm can be used by itself, or it can be programmed to follow a manual cooking cycle.

• Cover plates of food and foods that were covered while being cooked.
• For best results, do not cover baked goods such as pastries, pies, turnovers, etc.
• Keep Warm cannot be used with Sensor Popcorn, Sensor Reheat, Sensor Cook, Defrost, or Reheat.

To Use:

1. Place hot cooked food in the microwave drawer and close the drawer.

2. Touch KEEP WARM.

3. Enter warm time in minutes and seconds, up to 30 minutes.

4. Touch START. The display will count down the warm time.

“KEEP WARM” will appear in the display intermittently during countdown.

When the cycle ends, “END” will appear in the display, and end-of-cycle tones will sound, followed by reminder tones.

5. Touch STOP or open the drawer to clear the display.

To add to end of cooking cycle: Touch KEEP WARM while setting a manual cooking cycle before touching START.

Melt/Soften/Warm

Melt, Soften, and Warm automatically determine the correct heating time and microwave power level for melting, softening, and warming the foods shown in the chart below.

To Use Melt, Soften, or Warm:

1. Place food in the microwave drawer and close the drawer.

2. Select MELT, SOFTEN, or WARM, depending on the food item.

3. Select food item by entering its number (see chart below).

4. Select quantity by re-touching 1 or 2 (depending on selection) until the correct quantity is reached.

Doneness may be adjusted at this time by touching POWER LEVEL.

5. Touch START.

Sensor Cooking Information

A sensor in the microwave drawer detects humidity released from the food as it heats and adjusts the cook time accordingly.

Many sensor cycles require the covering of foods. Microwave-safe containers or steamers with loose-fitting lids are recommended. The loose-fitting lid allows enough steam to escape to be detected by the sensor. When covering foods with plastic wrap, be sure to leave a large enough vent opening to allow the steam to escape.

Sensor cooking options include Sensor Popcorn, Sensor Cook, and Sensor Reheat.

NOTES:

• The microwave drawer should be plugged in for at least 3 minutes before using any sensor setting.
• The microwave drawer cavity and the exterior of the cooking container should be dry.
• The room temperature should not exceed 95°F (35°C).
• Once the sensor cycle begins, the food name will appear on the display. If the drawer is opened during this time, sensing will stop and the program will be canceled. When sensing is complete, a remaining time will appear on the display. Once the time is displayed, you may open the drawer to stir or season food, if desired.
• Check food temperature after cycle is complete. If additional time is needed, continue to cook using the manual settings.
• Except when using Sensor Popcorn, if the sensor does not detect humidity properly, “ERROR” will be displayed, and the microwave drawer will turn off.
• The sensor works with foods at normal storage temperature. If your food is frozen, it will need to be defrosted before using a sensor cycle.

Sensor Reheat

The sensor in the microwave drawer determines the reheating time based on the weight of the food being heated.

Sensor Reheat will detect humidity and reheat food items from 4 to 36 oz (113-1020 g).

To Use Sensor Reheat:

1. Place food, loosely covered, in the microwave drawer, and close the drawer.

2. Touch SENSOR REHEAT.

3. Touch START.

When the cycle ends, “LET STAND COVERED” will appear in the display, and end-of-cycle tones will sound, followed by reminder tones.

4. Touch STOP or open the drawer to clear the display.

Sensor Popcorn

The sensor in the microwave drawer determines the appropriate popping time of commercially packaged microwavable popcorn. This function is programmed to detect popping times for 3.5-oz (99 g), 3.0-oz (85 g) and 1.75-oz (50 g) bags.

NOTE: During Popcorn function, as with all microwave cooking functions, the microwave drawer should be attended at all times. Listen for popping to slow to one pop every 1 or 2 seconds, then stop the cycle.

• To avoid damage to the microwave drawer, do not use regular paper bags or glassware.
• Pop only one package of popcorn at a time.
• Follow manufacturer’s instructions when using a microwave popcorn popper.
• For best cooking results, do not try to pop unpopped kernels.
• Use fresh bags of popcorn for optimal results.
• Cooking results may vary by brand and fat content. For bag sizes not listed in this section, follow directions on the package.
• Cooking results may vary based on location of bag on the floor of the microwave drawer. Try changing bag location to achieve best results.

To Use Sensor Popcorn:

1. Place popcorn bag in the microwave drawer, and close the drawer.

2. Touch SENSOR POPCORN once for Regular (2.85-3.5 oz [81-99 g]), or twice for Snack (1.2-1.6 oz [34-45 g]).

Doneness may be adjusted at this time by touching POWER LEVEL.

3. Touch START.

When the cycle ends, “END” will appear in the display, and end-of-cycle tones will sound, followed by reminder tones.

4. Touch STOP or open the drawer to clear the display.

Sensor Cook

The sensor in the microwave drawer detects humidity released from the food and automatically sets a cooking time based on the selected food category.

NOTE: When covering foods, make sure the vent opening is large enough for moisture to escape. This will allow the sensor to accurately determine cooking time.

Use the following chart as a guide for Sensor Cooking.

To Use Sensor Cook:

1. Place food, loosely covered, in the microwave drawer, and close the drawer.

2. Touch SENSOR COOK.

3. Select food item by entering its number (see chart or cooking guide label). See chart for quantity limits.

Doneness may be adjusted at this time by touching POWER LEVEL.

4. Touch START.

The cycle may pause for turning or stirring of food. Stir or turn food, then touch START to resume cooking.

When the cycle ends, the end-of-cycle tones will sound, followed by reminder tones.

5. Touch STOP or open the drawer to clear the display.

MICROWAVE DRAWER CARE

General Cleaning

IMPORTANT: Before cleaning, make sure all controls are off and the microwave drawer is cool. Always follow label instructions on cleaning products. Soap, water, and a soft cloth or sponge are suggested unless otherwise noted.

Microwave Drawer Cavity

To avoid damage to the microwave drawer cavity, do not use soap-filled scouring pads, abrasive cleaners, steel-wool pads, gritty washcloths or some recycled paper towels.

To avoid damage to stainless steel models, rub in direction of grain.

The area where the microwave drawer and frame touch when closed should be kept clean.

Average soil

• Mild, nonabrasive soaps and detergents:

Rinse with clean water and dry with soft, lint-free cloth.

Heavy soil

• Mild, nonabrasive soaps and detergents:

Heat 1 cup (250 mL) of water for 2 to 5 minutes in microwave drawer. Steam will soften soil. Rinse with clean water and dry with soft, lint-free cloth.

Odors

• Lemon juice or vinegar:

Heat 1 cup (250 mL) of water with 1 tbs (15 mL) of either lemon juice or vinegar for 2 to 5 minutes in microwave drawer.

Microwave Inlet Cover

To avoid arcing and microwave drawer damage, the microwave inlet cover (see “Parts and Features”) should be kept clean.

• Wipe with wet cloth.

Microwave Drawer Exterior

The area where the microwave drawer and frame touch when closed should be kept clean.

• Mild, nonabrasive soaps and detergents:

Rinse with clean water and dry with soft, lint-free cloth.

• Glass cleaner and paper towels or nonabrasive plastic scrubbing pad:

Apply glass cleaner to towel, not directly to surface.

Stainless Steel (on some models)

To avoid damage to microwave drawer and exterior, do not use soap-filled scouring pads, abrasive cleaners, steel-wool pads, gritty washcloths or some paper towels. Rub in direction of grain.

• Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish (not included): See “Assistance or Service” section to order.
• Liquid detergent or all-purpose cleaner: Rinse with clean water and dry with soft, lint-free cloth.
• Vinegar for hard water spots.

CONTROL PANEL

• Sponge or soft cloth and water: Dampen sponge with water and wipe panel. Dry with soft cloth.
• To avoid damage to the control panel, do not use chemical or abrasive cleansers.

Microwave Drawer Guides

To keep drawer opening and closing smoothly, remove crumbs from guides, and clean often.

• Dry, soft cloth

TROUBLESHOOTING

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