It’s not that there is superior heat output, it’s that there is superior heat collection and observation.
Not familiar with the meme directly, taking your attached picture example I can guess why they think it’s better:
It’s trapped closer to them.
Heat, that you recognize exists but usually rises out of reach of an uncapped candle, to the ceiling, is now trapped near the observation area. The pot is trapping it and radiating it much closer to the person thinking they’ve just solved the universe.
It’s observable. Like people who don’t understand the need for vaccines because they’ve never personally seen the disease the vaccine helped beat down, a majority of people struggle to grasp theory, and direct observation is all they understand.
The good ol’ Red Scare.