Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Unfortunately for my co-workers, I brought this to keep in my office. I cannot make this up: As I am typing this review, my colleague arrives and as he is opening his door across from mine says, "You must be toasting again. I can smell it all the way down the hall." Sometimes when I read Amazon reviews and someone complains about a product, I assume that person must be exaggerating. Let's face it, humans like to complain. Therefore, I assumed that when I read the reviews about this toaster saying it "smelled bad" that there was likely a mild smell, but it could not possibly be that bad. It is THAT BAD. And before you go telling me to "read the manual and follow the instructions," know that I have and I did (I am one of those annoying people that almost always reads a manual in its entirety before using something for the first time). I have yet to put actual food in it, because it still smells terrible...like chemicals that you certainly do not want to breathe in, much less allow to contaminate your food. The instructions indicate that you have to let the smell burn off and you can do this toasting a whole bunch-a-nothin' for several toasting cycles. I have done this. I have had this toaster for a couple of months and almost every morning, I walk in to my office and push the toaster button down, hoping that it will FINALLY be free of the terrible smell. To be completely transparent, I have not done it every single day, but for the sole reason that I am trying to avoid pissing off my colleagues or alarming people with the smell (the first few times I used it, a couple of people in my office were worried that something was on fire). But, it is fair to say that I have toasted a whole-buncha-nothin' at least a few dozen times and the smell is STILL HERE. Bottom line, if I still had the box, I would return it. Save yourself the trouble, and the smell, and just spend a few more bucks to get a toaster that doesn't smell like the inside of a chemical factory. Because I cannot return it, I will continue to try to use it (assuming I am not fired in the meantime)...I will report back if the smell finally stops, but I am not holding my breath on that one (although, perhaps for the benefit of my health, I should).