I use crushed corn cob. It's cheap and goes a long way. It absorbes and cuts down on odor. Feces is easily cleaned up.
The problem is its size. It is very small and can be ingested very easily. It forces me to hand feed eveyone of my snakes. I don't think a piece or two would cause a problem for an adult snake but it could cause a blockage in a smaller one. The other drawback is the face it molds quickly and must be removed if gotten wet. It has its advantages but forces more time spent watching to make sure it doesn't get eaten. For me it works. Your doing the right thing by asking. Get a lot of opinions and decided for yourself.