Just got a new Cosori air fryer last week and every time I run it, there's this strong chemical/plastic smell coming out. I've preheated it empty a few times but it's still pretty noticeable. Is this normal and safe to cook in, or is something actually off with the unit?
Don't worry too much - that plastic and chemical smell is totally normal with brand new air fryers and usually comes from manufacturing residue and the heating of new components for the first time.
Running it empty a few more times at high heat should help clear most of it out, and honestly once you actually start cooking food in there the smell tends to fade pretty quickly.
I got one a couple years back and had the same thing happening, and after maybe 5-6 empty runs plus actually cooking a few meals, it basically disappeared. Just make sure your kitchen's well ventilated while you're doing those empty runs and you should be fine to use it normally.
The smell should fade after a few more runs, but if it's still strong after 5-10 uses or smells acrid rather than just plasticky, you might want to contact Cosori's support since a defective heating element or insulation could theoretically off-gas something worse than typical manufacturing residue.
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