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 , and to a first triac driver and a second triac driver ; the first and second triac drivers being further connected to the first and second triacs , 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 , and to a first triac driver and a second triac driver ; the first and second triac drivers being further connected to the first and second triacs , 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. <EOS>