Trying to Decide Between HotRod Heat Stick or Kettle Mounted Element

I'm in the process of planning out a conversion to electric and was pretty much set to do kettle mounted until I saw the HotRod heat stick. Wondering if anyone has input on using a heat stick vs. element installed in kettle. I'll have 30a with GFCI breaker available and plan on doing 5500w element and 10 gallon batches.

Currently I have 2 vessels. 17.5 gallon Penrose kettle and a Coleman cooler. I heat strike water and boil in the Penrose. I collect first runnings into a bucket until my batch sparge water is in the mash tun, then transfer first running to boil kettle. At some point I would like to add a third vessel as a HLT.

The Hot Rod seems appealing since I could just swap that between the HLT and BK during the brew day. I don't do any back to back batches so heating both would not be a concern.

I am moving from a 10 gallon built in 120v element to help the stove out to the HotRod in a keggle in the basement. Mine is wired in like the method shown in the electric brewery, however I never liked having the cord and element permanently attached for cleaning and storage.

Having TC connection to remove the element is nice....the nice thing about the hotrod is its easy to pull out if you want to whirlpool.

I don't think I would like having things attached to my kettle. I was very close to mounting an element but i built a 1500w 120v heatstick instead. I couldn't bring myself to drill a hole in my new kettle so soon after buying it. It's nice to be able to move the heatstick from one vessel to the next. The Hot Rod w/ 2000w 120v is going to be my next major brewing purchase. Then I can hopefully just use the two heatsticks instead of having to use my electric stove to supplement one. I built my heatstick because nothing as high quality as the Hot Rod existed at the time.

Here's a thread from a few days ago that might help...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/submersible-heating-element-vs-drilling-465420/

Maybe I am too scared of electricity, but even though this product is off the shelf, submerging 5500 watts just seems dangerous to me. The downside risk is you toasted.

I have had elements mounted with wires on my keggle for about 7 years and the wires have never been an issue. Cleaning is not an problem as who cares if the leads get a bit wet after you are finished brewing? Just my 2 cents.

I have triclamp mounted elements. There is no way I'd want the element bolted to the kettle. Removing them to clean is a really great feature.

If you have a coupling welded to the keg the elements thread in and out pretty easily.