Heat Conduction Plate | Kitchen Essentials Cooking on a gas stove with a nonstick pan can create hot spots, and tougher cleanup. This heat conduction plate, also called a heat diffuser, helps spread heat more evenly by creating a barrier between the flame and your cookware. More even heating can help reduce scorching, and can help protect cookware from direct-flame darkening, and everyday wear. If soup or sauce boils over, spills land on the plate instead of going straight into the flame, which