A circuit for controlling and protecting an electric cooking appliance, the circuit comprising: a first heating element connected to a voltage line through a first triac, and further connected to a neutral line; a second heating element connected to the voltage line through a second triac, and further connected to the neutral line; a first control knob for selection of a first operating mode of the first heating element; a second control knob for selection of a second operating mode of the second heating element; a microprocessor connected to a memory, to a display, to the first and second control knob (501, 502), and to a first triac driver and a second triac driver (111, 112); the first and second triac drivers (111, 112) being further connected to the first and second triacs (108, 109), respectively; wherein the microprocessor is configured to access the memory to determine a first expected current associated with the first selected operating mode and a second expected current associated with the second selected operating mode; and a first Hall Effect sensor connected to measure a first current reading in the first heating element, the first Hall Effect sensor being in communication with the microprocessor to communicate the first current reading to the microprocessor; a second Hall Effect sensor connected to measure a second current reading in the second heating element, the second Hall Effect sensor being in communication with the microprocessor to communicate the second current reading to the microprocessor; and characterised in that the microprocessor is configured to disable the first heating element in response to a first current reading that is lower than the first expected current, and to disable the second heating element in response to a second current reading that is lower than the second expected current. a first heating element connected to a voltage line through a first triac, and further connected to a neutral line; a second heating element connected to the voltage line through a second triac, and further connected to the neutral line; a first control knob for selection of a first operating mode of the first heating element; a second control knob for selection of a second operating mode of the second heating element; a microprocessor connected to a memory, to a display, to the first and second control knob (501, 502), and to a first triac driver and a second triac driver (111, 112); the first and second triac drivers (111, 112) being further connected to the first and second triacs (108, 109), respectively; wherein the microprocessor is configured to access the memory to determine a first expected current associated with the first selected operating mode and a second expected current associated with the second selected operating mode; and a first Hall Effect sensor connected to measure a first current reading in the first heating element, the first Hall Effect sensor being in communication with the microprocessor to communicate the first current reading to the microprocessor; a second Hall Effect sensor connected to measure a second current reading in the second heating element, the second Hall Effect sensor being in communication with the microprocessor to communicate the second current reading to the microprocessor; and characterised in that the microprocessor is configured to disable the first heating element in response to a first current reading that is lower than the first expected current, and to disable the second heating element in response to a second current reading that is lower than the second expected current.