Anyone tried using a heat diffuser on their camping stove?

Something like this -> https://www.doitbest.com/product/629111/norpro-8-5-in-tin-wood-cookware-heat-diffuser-629111

I just had a brainstorm this morning about how to avoid hot spots / scorching for example when I make pancakes, fry up fish fillets, etc. and thought of this but haven't heard of anyone trying it on a camp stove.

Anyone done it?

Personally, I cook over the open fire whenever possible, so this doesn't really apply to me very much, but I wouldn't use something like this. It wouldn't work as anything but a deflector.

Maybe if it were smaller and cupped around the stove, so the gas ignited above the diffuser instead of below, it would work, but the current design would just cause you to waste more fuel by deflecting it away from the pan. You are better off holding the pan above the stove and moving it constantly, or just buying a thicker pan that would distribute the heat more evenly, like cast iron.

There have been discussions about this, especially for stoves with smaller, more focused heat sources. The diffusers were smaller than that linked above.

Four Dog Stoves sells a very light titanium diffuser which is recommended by the Fry Banks pan manufacturer.
https://fourdog.com/titanium-heat-diffuser/

You could make your own from a #10 can, but it would not be as light.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBV9qQ41FK0

I have not tried it yet, but will be using one this summer for slow cooking and baking over a MSR stove.

Long time ago, back when the Pocket Rocket first came out, I used a wire gauze with a ceramic center as a heat diffuser. Commonly used in laboratories for Bunsen burners and glass beakers, it worked well but ultimately found it not needed. Something similar to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_gauze

I have occasionally used a diffuser for biscuits. I had a Coghans camp toaster from Fleet Farm and removed the arms so all I had left was the flat disc. It worked pretty well and was cheap.

I have used them over the years but never was convinced they helped that much. You are better off having a stove that can regulate its own heat output. Moreover, when camping I simply cook hot most of the time anyway. My wife liked them but to get things down we often removed the heat diffuser. So good luck, give it a try and go from there.

I use one like this, works perfectly. I tend to only need it for things like pancakes. It’s very light and has a foldable handle.

Heat diffuser