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New Toaster Smell. Normal?

B

bigpoppamac31

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 16, 2007
2,462
447
Canada
So I just bought a new toaster. When I got it home I set it up and turned it on for the first time with no toast or bagel in it. There was a weird, nauseating chemical type smell afterwards. Nothing was mentioned in the manual about this but I looked up other brands and read their manuals and they said to run it through a few cycles before using. After a few cycles with no toast inside I tossed in a couple of bagels and toasted them a couple times each. I did not eat the bagels afterwards. Still the smell remains and my windows are open. Is this normal and even if it is should I be worried about my health??

Edit: New toaster is a President's Choice (Loblaws) brand toaster. Loblaws is the national grocery store in Canada.
 
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bigpoppamac31 said:
So I just bought a new toaster. When I got it home I set it up and turned it on for the first time with no toast or bagel in it. There was a weird, nauseating chemical type smell afterwards. Nothing was mentioned in the manual about this but I looked up other brands and read their manuals and they said to run it through a few cycles before using. After a few cycles with no toast inside I tossed in a couple of bagels and toasted them a couple times each. I did not eat the bagels afterwards. Still the smell remains and my windows are open. Is this normal and even if it is should I be worried about my health??
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As many of us here are experts on toasters, and stinky smells, you definitely came to the right place.

If you're worried, don't use it.

If you're not worried...use it.

If the smell doesn't go away...flip a coin.

But since you were in the same room as the toaster when it was off gassing cyanide...ah...a smell...it might all be moot in 20 minutes.


:rolleyes: ;)
 
Shrink said:
As many of us here are experts on toasters, and stinky smells, you definitely came to the right place.

If you're worried, don't use it.

If you're not worried...use it.

If the smell doesn't go away...flip a coin.

But since you were in the same room as the toaster when it was off gassing cyanide...ah...a smell...it might all be moot in 20 minutes.
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Well I asked it here cause it seemed like this was the "random" section of the forum. Figured someone might have an idea.
 
bigpoppamac31 said:
Well I asked it here cause it seemed like this was the "random" section of the forum. Figured someone might have an idea.
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Maybe it's that plastic packing material inside the slots that you forgot to remove :D

If it still stinks - unplug, put it outside overnight, let it, and your kitchen, air out for a while. Likely you have cycled it several times, but you can try that a few more times - waste a few slices of bread or whatever.
Most toasters have a removable "crumb" tray in the bottom. Remove that, and check up inside the toaster for any stray materials that you (still) might have missed. You never know till you look! :D
Or - failing that - complain at your local Loblaws for a replacement, or refund.
 
Various sorts of chemical bonding agents are usually used when manufacturing toasters, that often emit odors for a short while, upon first use of a new toaster, etc.

Call the manufacture and ask if this (odor) is normal or not... You should be able to find a tel. number on the device, search the model # online, or obtain it from the store that sold it.
 
I may just end up returning it. I've never bought a PC product that was not food. It was only $25 so it's not like I spent a fortune. I had bought a T-Fal toaster a number of years before and I don't recall having this issue. I've read that it can be normal to have smell for the first few times one uses it but this was a bit much.
 
bigpoppamac31 said:
I may just end up returning it. I've never bought a PC product that was not food. It was only $25 so it's not like I spent a fortune. I had bought a T-Fal toaster a number of years before and I don't recall having this issue. I've read that it can be normal to have smell for the first few times one uses it but this was a bit much.
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Does it...smell cheap? :D
 
My current toaster had that smell for a while but it eventually went away. I also noticed a lot of new power supplies have a similar odor that goes away after a while.
 
Get a Breville for an awesome toast experience. I think I remember the instructions suggesting a 20 minute empty cook before putting it to actual use.
 
Typical on any new item with a heating element. Just like when your furnace comes on after being off all summer. Its burning dust/etc off the elements. If it doesn't go away after a few uses then take it back
 
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