An electric liquid heating appliance comprises a primary, higher power, heating means for bringing liquid in the appliance to boiling, and a secondary, lower power, heating means for maintaining liquid in the appliance at boiling for a predetermined time after it has boiled, a boiling sensitive control for switching from said primary heating means to said secondary heating means upon liquid in the appliance boiling, and a thermally sensitive control responsive to the temperature of the secondary heating means or heating means associated therewith for discontinuing boiling of the liquid in the vessel after a predetermined time.