I smoked on an ECB (El Cheapo Brinkman) for the better part of a decade. Made some ****ed fine 'Q. I'd say that I earned my reputation for briskets on an ECB, believe it or not. I also constantly
modified the bejesus out of it. I had 2 of 'em, in fact, and would spray paint cows or chicken stencils on the sides after successful "missions"! It really was that much of an ordeal; I truly earned those combat medals...
Overnight burns were essentially overnight campouts, spray bottle in hand, nursing the beast (and a 6-pack). It's a labor-intensive wild ride--and your results
WILL vary.
I'm a decade older and wiser now. The 22.5 WSM is perfection. Plug and play, really. I now concentrate more on meat prep, sleep better (!), but have to find other excuses to down a 6-pack alone on the back deck in the middle of the night while swatting mosquitoes...
Your call, brother. Experience is a fine teacher!
(Still have the ECB's collecting dust as trophy reminders of days gone by--a few friends have actually asked if they can have them!)