Quote Originally Posted by lilphatboi88
However, if I get one of these hot plates, I've never used one before, won't it run up the electricity bill?
You aren't running it that many hours per day. Moreover, many stuff you can cook a little bit more, like two or three portions, and microwave it the following days. Quite a few foods are no worse the next day, some are even better.

However, will cooking in the room taint the air, make everything smell?
No, it doesn't. Unless you cook something really strange and make a habit of cooking for all of those 29 strangers as well (that is, open a restaurant in your apartment). Just open a window to change the air during and afterwards.