I would like to add to what DC is saying, the heat he referred to is going to traverse down the distance of the BP. We call the benifit of that heat radiant heat. The thicker steel makes this heat more even than it would be if it were thinner.
Jm2cw
Current Smokers: Backyard RF Offset and Hybrid RF Offset trailer rig with Cowboy cooker and fish fryer, always room for more........
If you could put in a 2" thick BP then you're absolutely correct; it would take most of Saturday just to get it up to temp and the cooker would weigh more than the tow vehicle ….. but it would be the most stable temp smoker you ever operated.
If you read all the posts on this forum and averaged the opinions I think you would discover that a 1/4" thick BP is the best compromise of all the benefits vs. all the drawbacks.
And on the eighth day God created barbecue …. because he DOES love us and he wants us to be happy.
Current smokers: Egor (trailered RF) and Easybake (tabletop pellet drive)