Less fire management. Without one, if you are running a stickburner (offset), you'll build a small fire and have to maintain it every 45 minutes or so. With a basket, you just fill the basket with charcoal, light about a half chimney, pour the lit either into one corner, or directly on top, or into avoid in the center of the basket. The lit will continually light the unlit as it works across the basket, giving you pretty consistent temp control for hours, whether it be a UDS, cabinet style or offset. You can either mix in wood chunks throughout the charcoal or just place small splits of your favorite smoking wood on top of the lit areas for the smoke. I use on ein my 150 gallon RF offset pit, works great.