Clarinets basically fall into three categories. Student, Intermediate and Professional.
A Student Clarinet is generally made from plastic or resonate, this reduces the costs and produces an instrument requiring little maintenance apart form the annual service. It is also not affected by the climate.
There are a number of student instruments on the market today some good and some not so good. As a rule the cheapest is not always the best value, if you can, pay a little more for quality. Check this out in your market place. Talk to your teacher. Speak with your local music retailer. What do the manufacturers offer on warranties. You may also find a good used instrument.
Here in Australia we offer a number of ways to assist parents and they are,
Rental/ Second hand/ payment plans/ cash prices/ Internet prices.
We prefer to only deal with proven products, which have performed over a period. In conclusion this is a good motto to follow.

"Quality remains, long after price is forgotten."

If it has any unusual odours, we would first suggest the following
1.Make sure you use the recommended cleaning procedures, pull through, after every playing session.
2.Remove the reed from the mouthpiece, and place in the reed guard after each playing session.
3. Air and deodorize the case with a scented spray (without the instrument in it) leave open to the air for a short period and this should fix it.
By following the final step you should eliminate the problem.

1. For resonite Clarinets, these are not affected by moisture, which is the common cause of cracking in grenadilla (wood) instruments. To prevent damage to the pads, it is recommended you use a pull through either chamois or cotton style after every playing session.
2. Use Cork Grease on all the cork joints to preserve the resiliency of the cork and to make it easier to assemble and disassemble.
3.All friction points should be oiled regularly, however its probably a good idea for this to be done by an experienced serviceman, if you start getting oil on or near the pads it will not be good.
4. Check the small register holes regularly to see that they are not clogged with dirt. Clean them with a pipe cleaner or a feather.
5. After each playing session the mouthpiece should be cleaned to dry any excess moisture. Using a pull through specially designed only for the mouthpiece can do this.
6. From time to time dirt and dust etx. This can collect around the posts, springs and under the rods. Use a small Camel hairbrush to gently remove any of this matter.
7. CAUTION. Do not use chemicals or household solvents to clean your clarinet.

Finally use extreme care when you assemble and reassemble your clarinet! It is a precision instrument. The joints will fit together easily if you grip them firmly, without squeezing the key rods, and gently but firmly screw and push the joints together. To avoid jamming of the bridge key, hold the upper joint in your left hand and press the ring keys down as you assemble the body.