Thermal controls for liquid heating elements

A thermal control for a liquid heating element, the control having at least one wire 512 integrated therein for connection to the heating element, wherein the at least one wire 512 is electrically connected to a contact (510), and said at least one wire 512 is an insulated wire. The thermal control may have a contact plate 501 to which the at least one wire is mechanically attached by welding, such as spot welding 513, soldering or brazing and / or by retention means provided on the contact plate. The at least one wire may be resilient so as to bias the distal end against a cold tail of a sheathed heating element or may be sufficiently malleable to be bent around the cold tail prior to welding thereto.