Ilsa Heat Diffuser, Made in Italy from Cast Iron, Flame Guard for Simmering, 7-inches

The Ilsa 7-Inch Cast Iron Heat Diffuser appears to work very well. I ordered two, based on other reviews, and they arrived today in time to use in cooking two meals. I love the convenience of not needing to worry about food burning and sticking and not having to "fine tune" the flame height. Also, the burner most convenient to use, based on its location on the cooktop, is the second most powerful burner, but now we can use it without worries of over heating the pan. When searching for this item on Amazon I couldn't remember exactly what it was called. Since we had a Dacor "dual fuel" stove in our previous house (electric oven, gas cooktop) and had the Dacor plate that came with the oven, I went to the Dacor web site where I was reminded it is called a simmer plate. I was amazed that Dacor wants about $85 for a simmer plate when the Ilsa is $15. Although the Dacor simmer plate was probably 8 inches and the Ilsa is 7 inches, the main difference is in heft. The Dacor plate is much heavier. But not $70 heavier! The 7 inch Ilsa simmer plate is much better for us than a larger size, due to the configuration of our gas range. It is a 5-burner with two medium sized burners on the left side, a large burner in the center, a medium large burner at the lower right and a small burner at the upper left. If we had gotten a larger diameter it would not have allowed us to use two adjacent burners simultaneously, so the 7 inch model is the perfect size for our range. Even though I've only used the simmer plates twice, I am already very pleased with it. Since they are new, for me durability is still an open question, but I would guess that they will last plenty long enough. (I eventually had to wire brush the $85 Dacor simmer plate and repaint it, so that sort of thing is probably inevitable with any similarly constructed simmer plate.) Out of the box, the Ilsa simmer plate is great. I think if you put the correct side up (the side with the little "feet") the chance of it blistering as shown in another review would be near zero. Also, I would never put the burner on the highest setting when using a simmer plate. If you need that much heat to start with then start without using the simmer plate and when you are ready to turn the heat down then slip the simmer plate under the pot. So, yes, I highly recommend this simmer plate. The risk/reward ratio is very favorable -- big reward (utility, better cooked food, etc.) for very little risk (the $15).

I have a gas stove, and even the smallest burner turned down low is sometimes too much heat for simmering. I bought two of these diffusers to use when I make apple, peach or pear butter, or when I can tomato sauce. These foods need to be simmered and reduced for hours at a very low temperature to prevent scorching. Before I bought the diffusers, I had to stir almost constantly to prevent burning. I just made peach butter this last weekend, and I'm happy to say that my diffusers worked like a charm! I brought my puree to a boil, stirred it well, then set it on the smallest burner turned down low, on top of the diffuser. It simmered nicely an entire day, and I only had to stir it 4-5 times. I've also used it to cook down tomato sauce from our garden tomatoes. It worked just as well as before - the sauce simmered gently without splashing all over the stove or scorching on the bottom. I'm a big fan of cast iron cookware (and now I'm a fan of this diffuser) - it lasts for generations, it becomes non-stick after seasoning with oil, it doesn't warp from heat, and it evenly disperses heat to prevent burning. The painted side of this diffuser washed easily and didn't get flaky or bubble like some reviewers have said theirs did. I don't recommend putting this diffuser in the dishwasher or even soaking it in the sink, as cast iron will rust. After I wiped mine down with a damp sponge, I dried it and wiped a little bit of oil cooking on the unpainted side (then wiped off the excess) to protect and season it. I also don't recommend using this on a glass-topped stove, as it will almost certainly scratch the surface. A side note: the handle shown in the photo is removable. You only need to use it when you are removing the still warm diffuser from the stove top. You don't leave it attached when you're cooking on it. I look forward to using this diffuser for decades. I love it!

UPDATE: 10/24/17: So, in all fairness I've upped my star rating. Although the inaccurate sizing is severely annoying, I was in a time crunch. So, I put the ILSA cast iron diffuser on the smaller of the electric burners. It "hooked" securely due to the small lip on the underside (NOTE: OF COURSE, the enamel side goes UP -- and there might be some discoloration after use, but really, who cares?). Set my hell-fire stove top on a "3-4" (medium low heat) and fired that baby up. I have to say it performed beautifully. I returned home an hour later to my (seriously, you have to try this thing) Black Clay La Chamba stew pot bubbling merrily away. Falling apart tender Moroccan chicken stew to die for.... This diffuser worked very well apart from the fact that it only fits one of my burners (at the far back of the stove -- of course). I do not understand why they don't make an 8" one WITHOUT A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE (those are for gas stoves) -- on an electric burner (if you use the 8.5" one with a hole in the middle) you will get a supreme hot spot guaranteed to burn a Hole of Darkness into your culinary efforts. So, yes. the ILSA works well. It's just too small for my front/larger 7" burner, and the ILSA is NOT 7" in diameter. BTW, the other thin aluminum or metal diffusers sold on Amazon are a joke. Don't even bother. (I found they actually did the opposite - intensified the heat -- which makes a sort of sense if you think about it. But I'm no rocket surgeon.) So -- the ILSA works. Just make sure you understand the 7" is actually 6.5" (top surface area) and thus will only fit a 6" burner (the small one on an electric stove top). But that, it does well. ********************************************************************************************* 10/20/17 So by "seven inch" (7") they mean six and a half (6.5") inches. What this means is that if you buy this to fit the larger 7" electric stove top burner -- it will not cover the outer ring of the coil. Essentially -- it is useless. I'm guessing you need to size up to the 8.5 inch one -- but that will produce an overhang. Plus the 8.5" one has a hole in the middle which reviews suggest creates a hot spot. Not happy. On the plus side it fits the small burner (6 inch) perfectly. The little ridge running around the bottom (the non-enameled side) hooks over the last ring of the coil securely. Literally cannot jiggle/move it. Which would be great. If I didn't need it to fit the larger burner (at the front of the stove). Not happy.

Our gas stovetop does not have round burner plates so this diffuser works fine, but has tendency to slip around on burner grate if not careful. Diffuser bottom (burner side) has a ridge around the outer edge to surround the gas burner or sit above a glass stovetop. I also use diffuser on a propane camping stove, and the diffuser sits on top of the burner grate and has a tendency to slide if not careful when putting on and taking off pans. Diffuser definitely helps spread the heat over full bottom of pan preventing hot spots so food heats evenly. ITEM WAS DELIVERED BY AMAZON CARRIER -- PAPER SHIPPING BAG WAS TORN -- ITEMS WERE IN OWN BOXES SO NOT DAMAGED.

This is the BEST heat diffuser I have used for Persian rice (Tahdig). Even great for electric stove.

I have a Visions Glass Pot that overheats and causes burning on the stove. This product diffuses the heat as promised. The product is solid and seems to have an enamel coating on the top. Underneath you can see the cast iron and it does not have the same coating. It is made in Italy and mine came with a metal hook that I assume is used to lift the item off the stove. The first time I used it, I noticed some kind of smell after heating which kicked my air purifier on. Be careful when using pots that are not dry. I had just washed my pot and set it on the diffuser without drying. After coming up to temperature, the water between the pot and diffuser started to boil. There is very little space between the two items and the water started to sputter and spit, getting on my skin and slightly burning me like hot splattering oil would. Of course this can be avoided by drying your pot beforehand. But this could also occur if you what I do sometimes and pour something out of the pot and re-place it on the stove leaving liquid dripping down the side and in between the diffuser and pot. I also have gas burner grates that don't seem to be completely flat and this causes my 1920s cast iron skillet with heat ring to be a bit tippy. The diffuser solves this problem! EDITED to add text from product box: Heat diffuser Cast iron enamelled. Made in Italy. In compliance with E.E.C. regulation 89/109. The Heat Diffuser placed between the heat source and saucepan, eliminates the need to mix foods while cooking because it distributes the heat in a uniform and constant manner. When in use, foods neither burn nor stick, retaining intact all their vitamin, mineral, and protein properties. The Heat Diffuser also prevents the external blackening caused by the flame on the pans, preserving them so shining they sparkle like new. It is suitable for all types of pots and pans, fits all burners, is ideal for pans lacking a double radiant bottom and it is indispensible for those in Pyrex and Terracotta. The Heat Diffuser is supplied with a very practical handle.

We bought a new Samsung gas range about a year ago. We actually have propane, not natural gas, and it is my understanding that it burns hotter than gas. Well, I've been burning food ever since! Even on the lowest settings we have hotspots in the pans and I have burned spaghetti noodles while boiling them (they stick to the bottom of the pan)! This was driving me crazy. Recently I was looking at a recipe on the NY Times Recipe site and someone commented about using a diffuser on their gas range (the recipe was about braising in the oven and mentioned how cooking atop a gas range made it impossible to cook at low enough heat which is why oven braising came about). Well, I'm so glad I read that comment and the ones from other people who said they use one too, because I'd never heard of a diffuser for my gas burners and this gadget has changed the way we cook on this gas stove top! I cannot compare this particular diffuser to any others because it's my first but for us, this one has worked great. The one thing I might wish was different is the finish on the top. It is smooth and with some of my pans it's easier for them to move around, so maybe a textured finish would be better but it's not like my pans are slipping off; that has not happened. The handle is removable (squeeze the two sides together to compress it and pull out of the hole, reverse to re-insert it into the hole when needed). I keep the handle in the drawer next to my stove because I leave the diffuser on my second hottest burn all the time. I actually want to buy a couple more but I'd like one bigger one for my hottest burner and I don't think this company makes a larger one. I'll check and if not will buy another brand for that one, but I do plan to get one more 7" diffuser for one of my back (lower heat) burners. I don't use them much so I'll share one between them. Anyhow, this find allowed me to love our new stove now. The oven is great but I really thought the stove was never going to work out. This diffuser made the difference.

Smaller than expected and coating on top allows pot to slid a bit…expected more from price!

The item matches exactly what ordered.

マキネッタや炊飯の時に使っています。取っ手は簡単に外せます。重くて安定していること、汚れが付きにくく、付いてもすぐに落とせることが気に入っています。

Muy buena solución para fuego de gas pequeños que no alcanzan a toda la extensión de las paelleras. En mi caso, ahora puedo utilizar una paella para 5 raciones y el arroz queda igual de hecho en cualquier punto de la misma, pues la placa reparte perfectamente el calor. Lástima que no haya un modelo un poco más grande. Si se quiere limpiar, siempre en frío

This is a wonderful heat diffuser. No more burnt pans. No more having to stir them every two minutes! Little bit expensive with the import duties but worth every rupee! I shall buy one more!

Je l'emploie pour "combler" la grille de mon insert et donc, en contact direct avec les braises ! Ce matin, aussi belle que lorsque je l'ai placée, bref, solidité incroyable, pour un prix aussi incroyable...