I sold my charcoal grill after a similar scare about five years back, and I've noticed a bigger pattern where people trade a bit of that classic flavor for peace of mind with gas. You see it in all kinds of gear these days, like people choosing electric leaf blowers over gas ones because they don't want the smell and noise bothering the neighbors. It really comes down to whether that smoky taste matters more to you than the quiet confidence of turning a knob instead of lighting a fire.

Man, that sounds rough but I gotta say I kinda disagree. I've had a few cheap kettles fall apart on me and honestly it forced me to upgrade to something better. The plastic handle snapping off is basically the universe telling you to get a stovetop kettle instead of those flimsy electric ones. I switched to a simple stainless steel one with a riveted handle and never looked back. Yeah it takes an extra minute to boil on the stove but it won't break on you mid pour. You could also try those glass gooseneck ones with a metal band around the handle, those hold up way better. Maybe I'm just unlucky but every electric kettle I've owned eventually gave out after like a year.