My partner is from New Zealand, where having a counter top electric kettle is a MUST. Having lived in NZ for several years, I got used to having an electric kettle, myself. They're great when you want to make plunger coffee, instead of espresso. Also great when you want to make a big, old batch of tea for iced tea. Or for any time you want to boil water.
It's not all that easy to find a good electric kettle (or "jug" as the Kiwis call 'em) in the USA. Most of them are made of plastic, and don't last long. Their automatic shut-off valves seem to conk out after a few months. And they don't exactly...