Surface Cooking

•To minimize the possibility of burns, ignition of flammable materials and spillage, turn cookware handles toward the side or back of the range without extending over adjacent burners.

•Never block the vents (air openings) of the range. They provide the air inlet and outlet that are necessary for the range to operate properly with correct combustion. Air openings are located at the top and bottom of the oven door, drip tray, drip tray handle area, vent area, and area immediately surrounding the top burners (burner pans).

•Always turn the surface burners to OFF before removing cookware.

•Carefully watch foods being fried at a high flame setting.

•Foods for frying should be as dry as possible. Frost on frozen foods or moisture on fresh foods can cause hot fat to bubble up and over the sides of the pan.

•Use the least possible amount of fat for effective shallow or deep fat frying. Filling the pan too full of fat can cause spillovers when food is added.

•Use a deep fat thermometer whenever possible to prevent overheating fat beyond the smoking point.

•Never try to move a pan of hot fat, especially a deep fat fryer. Wait until the fat is cool.

•When using glass cookware, make sure it is designed for top-of-range cooking.

•If a combination of oils or fats will be used in frying, stir together before heating or as fats melt slowly.

•Use proper pan size—avoid pans that are unstable or easily tipped. Select cookware having flat bottoms large enough to properly contain food and avoid boilovers and spillovers and large enough to cover burner grate. This will both save cleaning time and prevent hazardous accumulations of food, since heavy spattering or spillovers left on the range can ignite. Use pans with handles that can be easily grasped and remain cool.

•Do not leave any items on the cooktop. The hot air from the vent may ignite flammable items and will increase pressure in closed containers, which may cause them to burst.

•Keep all plastics away from the top burners.

•Do not leave plastic items on the cooktop—they may melt if left too close to the vent.

•To avoid the possibility of a burn, always be certain that the controls for all burners are at the OFF position and all grates are cool before attempting to remove them.

•When preparing flaming foods under the vent hood, turn the fan on.

•Grease is flammable. Let hot grease cool before attempting to handle it. Avoid letting grease deposits collect in the container under the cooktop burners. Clean these areas after each use or boilover.

•For proper lighting and performance of the cooktop burners, keep the burner ports clean. It may be necessary to clean these when there is a boilover or when the burner does not light, even though the electronic ignitors click.

•After cleaning, it is important to make sure the outer cap/burner port is properly aligned with the burner base. Incorrect alignment will produce poor burner performance. Never operate the burner without all burner parts in place.

•Clean the cooktop with caution. Avoid steam burns; do not use a wet sponge or cloth to clean the cooktop while it is hot. Some cleaners produce noxious fumes if applied to a hot surface. Follow manufacturer’s directions.

•If range is located near a window, do not hang long curtains that could blow over the surface burners and create a fire hazard.

•Be sure all the range and/or cooktop controls are turned off and the appliance is cool before using any type of aerosol cleaner or cooking spray on or around the appliance. The chemical that produces the spraying action could, in the presence of heat, ignite or cause metal parts to corrode.