Newbie - What problem do bubba pucks solve?

[curioffl]

     I was reading about bubba pucks even before I got my Bradley and got my yardandpool.com set even before my bisquettes arrived from amazon.  I have been using them and they work fine, but I am sort of wondering now what problem they solve?
   
     I see that you have to add two extra bisquettes when you run the machine (presumably in order to push the last bisquette up on to the burner) but couldn't you just reuse those bisquettes the next time?  (Just curious.)

     Thanks.

[squirtthecat]

The bisquette next to the heating element will start to scorch..   That's why we use the aluminum bubbas to kick the last of the pucks into the water. (or some people do it by hand w/ a screwdriver)

[curioffl]

     Cool, thanks.  I bought a set of 3 on yardandpool.com's advice and the bubba puck ending up closest to the burner does indeed look a bit 'cooked'.

[3rensho]

... and the bubba puck ending up closest to the burner does indeed look a bit 'cooked'.

So have my fingers after picking one up off the burner plate.  Doh!!  ;D ;D

[DTAggie]

Made that mistake myself 3rensho - but only once!

[ArnieM]

I haven't used bubba pucks - yet.  But then I didn't think I'd need a PID either.

I set up the SG with the required number of pucks for n hours of smoking and set a timer for n hours.  At the end of the time I turn off the SG.  I have about a 50-50 chance of reusing the puck closest to the hot plate as a pusher again.  That equates to about 18 cents loss over time or about $1.80 for every ten smokes.  I couldn't cost justify the bubba pucks.  But, I might get some anyway and some frog mats.  :D

[CLAREGO]

 ;D yeah nothing like smelling flesh on the burner lol

[elweezo]

Found a cheaper version on ebay. Type in bradley woodsaver pucks

[classicrockgriller]

Read this by sailor who was a fire/arson investigator.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=15797.0