Flame Tamers and Asbestos Pads

On a gas stove with a very flexible heat control, you may put a sand pot directly on top of the burner grid with little risk of its cracking. If the gas stove does not allow for fine, supple gradations of heat, or if you are cooking on an electric stove, then you should put an isolating Flame Tamer or asbestos pad between the pot and the coil or flame. These are inexpensive, 8-inch disks of pierced metal or metal-rimmed asbestos, usually equipped with a rubber-coated handle of heavy-duty wire. There is also a heavier, handle-less model that looks like a metal Frisbee and is somewhat more expensive. Whatever the variety, the heat-taming barrier insures a gentle, diffuse heat under the sand pot and safeguards it against cracking.