For sure electric is nice inside - Home depot has 4500 watt 240v elements for like < $30 - they are low density as well which helps a _lot_ to prevent burning. Two of them comes in at around 40 amps, 9000 watts - not bad really. You can get 1/2 couplings (1" 304 stainless) from fastenal for like around $5 each. Weld or hard solder them in and you got a nice screw in port for the element.
For propane, the stove tops are like 4000 - 8000 BTU - just won't cut if for even a 5 gallon brew. I have a 65000 btu turkey fryer which does work, but not as well as the 100000+ burners you can get...
Jmac that's a cool idea - turn the keg upside down - I wonder if there's like a special ferrule type fitting you can get to drain with, or if a person would need to make something? I've seen bottom drains made by welding a regular copper elbow to a hole in the bottom of the keg - then copper out through the handle of the lip to a ball valve... I suppose these both make using propane more tricky though? Or maybe not, perhaps propane heating a bottom drain would not be a problem? Be great for electric only use though...
