#1 Does this heater come back on by itself after a power outage?
Not sure. Haven’t had that experience os yet. However, really like all the features of this Space Heater.
#2 Does this unit smell like plastic when heating? Will it heat a small studio apartment? And is there a large increase in amount of electric bill?
It does not smell of plastic. Don’t know the size of a small studio appt but it heats my 18’x18’ room. No real impact to electric bill because it’s not on all the time.
Heats my master bedroom great. Don’t know how big the room is
#6 Does the display emit a significant amount of light in a dark room? Does the display dim after a period of time when not actively changing controls?
There is an orange light & the numeric display that’s visible when the unit is running. They are not too bright & are easily slept through.
#7 Is it suppose to make sounds? I can hear the fan on mine
I can hear the fan, but it's not loud
#8 Can this turn on and off automatically when connected to a wall outlet timer?
I presume so, but not sure. It has a remote with a shutoff timer on it. However, I think you have to turn it on instead of just giving it power.
#9 Electric bill has run substantially higher after this. I run 8 hrs/day. Before I decide to return, any suggestion on how to decrease the bill?
There is probably nothing wrong with your heater. It is just that using more electricity increases your electricity bill. The only way I know to decrease the bill is run it for less time or at a cooler setting.