teakettles

Traveling opens up my perceptions -- as well as enjoying and appreciating a new place, I usually begin to see my own city, my own routines, and my own habits differently. I'm in the midst of a larger geographic-existential reflection which once digested I'll write about -- but more superficially, I'm finding myself repeatedly thinking about teakettles. My friend that I'm visiting uses an electric teakettle, after her years of living in England, and I'm quite enamored of the ease and speed of it. At home I use a standard stovetop kettle and the one we have is in need of replacement (GF and I have said this many times) so it's not pure frivolity to be considering the electric option. However, we really don't have counter space to spare, so it would require rethinking the arrangement of my kitchen. Perhaps the kettle could sit on the table, or the canister of cooking utensils will have to go somewhere else so it could go on the counter.

I'm not sure if there's any health concern about one versus the other, assuming it's not made of aluminum or something known to be bad. I'll have to look them up. But I think having the electric kettle would definitely increase my tea consumption, which is a good thing all around: antioxidants, happier brain chemistry, etc. But since it takes up counter space it feels like a commitment. (Though it would free up stovetop space -- and remove the grungy old rusty one from our kitchen altogether). I'm fairly cautious about household type purchases, wanting to make sure that it's something we really need and will use. So -- votes for or against electric kettles?