Combination Microwave Operating Instructions

Be_Happy

In interests of economy, I've just replaced my old built in oven with a built in combination microwave.   I understand all the information on using microwave as have used these for years, but some of the instructions on using the convection oven confuse me.

Instructions say use supplied rack to stand on turntable and allow air to circulate round food.   Later says place food eg oven chips directly on turntable.   Surely I would put the food on a baking tray as usual?  Would probably stand baking tray on rack to allow circulation of heat.

Secondly, can I use metal baking trays or am I supposed to use glass as suggested?

Instructions say remove ready meals from packaging before cooking.  Surely I leave these in their packs as usual while cooking?   

Finally I've always switched off my microwave at the socket (never needed to use the clock}.   This seems to have so many preference settings (eg timer volume, length of timer warning, dimming displays, etc) in it that I'm worried I'll loose all these if I switch power off.

Hope some experienced user can advise.   May find more questions as I work through using the combi, but that's all so far.

Thanks for any info.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

oh gosh, don't put metal in microwave unless you want a fireworks display.

You can put ready meals in, though ease cover or pierce first or you'll get an explosion.

Marmaduke123

I have a combination/microwave oven. I never used it much until recently, except as a microwave, and the preheat function to warm plates etc. I still need the instructions to hand with regard to some of the functions!

Mine came with a round metal baking tray which goes on the glass turntable and can rotate with it. I just use this like any baking tray for chips, sausages etc. It also came with two wire stands, one low and one tall, which can be used to raise food when grilling and to allow air circulation for pizzas etc. The baking tray thing could I suppose be put on top. I don't take ready meals out of the containers - mine didn't  tell me to do that. It does have a function which uses both conventional oven mode and microwaving together. Obviously you couldn't use anything metal for that.

Mine's over 20 years old so it doesn't  have all the bells and whistles yours has. It's  really come into its own now, when saving electricity is so important. I haven't got any glass trays except the turntable. Maybe they tell you to use glass in case you make a mistake in selecting the function, so it's foolproof?

Be_Happy

Thanks for info.  Really helpful.

I understand about not using metal in microwave mode, so all the questions relate to using it in standard convection oven mode.   I had always understood that it was perfectly safe to use metal baking trays in standard oven.

This one has a large black turntable (not sure what it's made of) and two metal racks of different heights.   After my first use of it tonight, I'll be using a baking tray.   Frozen fish and frozen chips ended leaving grease and sticking to turntable and I had to clean it carefully so as not to scratch.  Plus instructions said to turn food halfway through cooking.   Found this difficult reaching into hot oven and food sliding round turntable.  Food tasted ok though.

Since I can bake in it too (hopefully) I'll certainly need to use my metal cake tins.  Somewhere in my 'googling' I saw washable liners you could lay on turntable as long as you had something to put on top and hold them in place, so I'll look at these.

Devongardener

You can use the convection option exactly as you would a normal oven, with any type of cookware including metal trays.  Use a tray for chips, and anything else, on top of the supplied rack.  I have a round tray with holes in for things like pizza and pies to allow the heat to circulate.   Most ready meals will have instructions for both microwave and convection cooking so chose either.   Mine has the option to combine microwave and convection cooking and I use metal trays for this as the level of microwave power is very low.    I sometimes microwave something and finish it off under the grill option.   One thing to note is that you might need to cook at a higher temperature using convection. 

TELLIT01

When we did our kitchen we ended up with a combination microwave/cooker jobbie.  There was a setting for using the 'jobbie' i.e. not the microwave for pizza.  I followed the instructions to the letter, using the rack with the pizza directly on rack.  The result was the soggiest pizza I've ever seen and I've only ever used is as a microwave since.

getmore4less

Metal accessories are fine in combo microwave if you follow the instructions.

Foil can be an issue but often ok just to protect small areas.


Many of the preprogrammed use both microwave and convection/grill on racks.

Some come with a crisper metal(composite) plate that is heated with microwave.

Our combo(Samsung) is great on some programs for things like chips and wedges.

We use the hot blast(fan) a lot.
Pizza come out great on the high rack.


We put the turntable glass platter metal crisper and racks in the dishwasher if they get grubby.

Be_Happy

Thanks for all information.   Very useful.   I had become used to using the lower heating for my fan oven, so did find that I had to use the higher heat when I cooked this evening.   Did find the cooking times given in the instruction book quite a bit out eg frozen fish and chips said 15 minutes but mine took 25 minutes, although I did save time over previous oven by not requiring pre-cooking warm up.

As I've been able to clear some worktop space by changing from free-standing microwave to this built-in combi I do have room for smallest size air-fryer as so many people are recommending to me, so that may be next buy.

outtatune

As far as the instructions for ready meal packaging goes, some packaging can actually go in a conventional oven, but assume they can't unless the instructions in the food packaging says otherwise. But my preference is to use proper ovenware not least because if the plastic is going soft then there must be some transfer of material into the food.

getmore4less

What model is this built-in?

Unless using a preset function for ready stuff we use the fan oven settings on the packaging+ a bit if we don't pre heat

We rarely use manual combination options.

Be_Happy

It's a Bosch.

I think I'll follow the instructions on the packages as I've done in the past.  Was surprised this morning when heating my cereal that the 900 watt microwave took the same time as my previous small 800 watt model.   Expected to be able to reduce the time.  I'll have to watch what happens when packaging gives 2 different timings for 900 or 800.

Beginning to get the hang of all the buttons and choices on the control panel but haven't faced using the many pre-programmed settings yet.