Why does a new oven smell like burning plastic when it’s first used?

You may be wondering why your new oven is smoking and giving off a strong burnt plastic or chemical smell upon initial operation. If so, you are not alone. The good news is that this burning smell and smoking process is completely normal for new ovens. In fact, if you read your appliance manual, you will see that this is addressed in the manual and is commonly referred to as the “burn in” period.

What is “burn in”? 

Your new oven is being exposed to high temperatures for the very first time. During this initial exposure to heat, oils used in the manufacturing process are being burnt off and the insulation enclosure is emitting an odor as it heats up. Typically this burn in process takes around an hour, but can take more or less time depending on the specific appliance.