# Question about brinkman ECB smokers



## dribron (Apr 19, 2010)

I was in lowes the other day and seen the brinkman gourmet,(green one) and the smoke n' grill. From what I can read on the box they have about the same specs, but the price is about double for the gourmet. What is the difference between the two?


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## glgoodwin (Apr 20, 2010)

All I know is I use the crap out of my ECB!!!!  Its been a great little smoker...


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## meateater (Apr 20, 2010)

I had a ECB then went to a UDS. The TBS was the same but the UDS works better. Either way make sure you have BEER!


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## dburgette (Apr 20, 2010)

I second the UDS.  Spend a little time and make yours.  I smoked a pork shoulder yesterday for 9 hours and a whole chicken.  I let the temp go after I finished smoking the meat and it went on at temp, about 235 or so, for 13-14 hours.  That is about 9lbs, at the beginning only, of charcoal with a set it and forget it.  I had the ECB and it is a pita to keep at temp and refuel compared to the UDS.  GO with the UDS!


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## bustintires (Apr 20, 2010)

my first store bought was the cheap ecb. i needed more space a couple weeks later and picked up the gourmet version. the later is a much better way to go, plus i found that if you stack the cheapo on top of the gourmet it makes a great unit especially for smoking fish. but if you have to choose one get the gourmet charcoal. it does a great job.


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## dribron (Apr 20, 2010)

So do you feel that the gourmet holds temp better than the cheaper one?
 I do like the ides of building a UDS but just do not have the tools, or skills needed to pull that off.


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## dburgette (Apr 20, 2010)

Believe me, you have the skills!  If you have a drill and a home store, you can do it.  Trust me.


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## dribron (Apr 20, 2010)

We'll I don't really belive that that is true in my case. Regardless I just do not have the room for a 50lb drum. But who knows maybe one day before I am done in this place...lol


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## jclind1966 (Apr 20, 2010)

I have the gourmet and it holds temp great but you have to modify it. If you are not able to build a uds you might have trouble with the mods.


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## dribron (Apr 20, 2010)

We'll maybe it is not for me then...


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## jclind1966 (Apr 20, 2010)

The WSM would be perfect but the price is around 300


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## dribron (Apr 20, 2010)

Maybe in a year or two, just a bit over what I can even pretend to afford. lol


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## jclind1966 (Apr 20, 2010)

If you are ever in Appleton WI I would be glad to do the mods to the gourmet for you.


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## dribron (Apr 20, 2010)

Nice offer, very kind of you. I really do not get out there well, ever. But thank you.


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## glgoodwin (Apr 20, 2010)

Ecb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## rdknb (Apr 20, 2010)

hey dribon, do not not know if this will help, but I have a vertical gas brinkman from home depo and love it. I now it is not the top of the line but I get good smokes and everyone loves what I make.  I would love to have a uds, but where I live it is agaist the law to even do the burn out.   It is a big fine to burn leaves much less a barrell.  So get what you can afford and enjoy.  Good luck


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## csmith2884 (Apr 20, 2010)

My smoker started life as a brinkman gourmet also have had several ECB's the air flow into the fire is much better with the gourmet better yet if you do a super simple mod of adding an extra grate to lift up the coals a bit and let in more air. I like that you lift the whole thing to add fuel on the gourmet and if you want to upgrade later a propane kit like mine, link in my signature line, can't be beat. 
 This is a great portable or starting smoker (I want a bigger one) I take mine camping and it stores in a small space in the garage. Get one a experiment with it you won't be disappointed at all.


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## gargra03 (Apr 20, 2010)

dribon,
I have a green brinkman gourmet , it was my first smoker and I actually have done a few mods to it over the paster year and it chugs along pretty well.  I looked at both like you did and felt the gourmet was built a little better , just my oponion though. It is a great smoker to start out with and I did several great smokes on her as I was learning. hope this helps

Gary


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## dburgette (Apr 20, 2010)

Hell, if you lived close to me, I would give you my ECB.  I can't imagine even using it again after using the uds.  All you would need would be handles and an aftermarket temp gauge.


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## dribron (Apr 20, 2010)

Picked up a drill today, and plan on picking up the gourmet tomarow. It might take me a while to get the needed mods done on it, simply because I do not know what was used to cut out the holes for the vents, or how to make a vent cover like many I have seen done. Hopfully in the end I will pull it off without completly distroying the gourmet....


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## dribron (Apr 20, 2010)

Csmith was it pretty easy to install the atomic gasser into your gourmet? I kinda like the idea of that. How hot can it get? Does it hold temps in the higher as well as lower range well? How does it do in colder temps like in winter?


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## jclind1966 (Apr 21, 2010)

Here are the mods I did to my gourmet, the top vent is from a weber and can be ordered online to seal the lid I used a BGE gasket also available online.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=91073

good luck 
contact me if you have questions


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## dribron (Apr 21, 2010)

What did you use to cut the holes for the vent??


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## jclind1966 (Apr 21, 2010)

I used a hole saw avaliable an any hardware store it will fit any standard drill


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## daddyzaring (Apr 21, 2010)

Have you checked you local Craigslist?  You maybe able to get one used for little or nothing.  I found one for free, but I gave it to my sister when I got my Charbroil.


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## jjjonz (Apr 21, 2010)

dribron.....I have a brinmann gourmet modded out and it is a little smoking machine.If you can't afford a WSM you might consider a char-broil double chef smoker for $69.It is a wsm knock off.I oreded one and it is suppose to be here today.You probably paid that much for your brinkmann.
Check it out at www.brandsmart.com and type in char-broil double chef smoker.If you haven't done anything to your smoker you might get a refund.Check it out .
Good luck......JJ


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## dribron (Apr 21, 2010)

There are a few on craigs but they are not far new prices, and a few over what I can pay new. All are the smoke n' grill. SO most likely I will buy the gourmet, it is only 59.00 at lows. 
  The hole drill? You mean to drill holes's in doors and such? Will that work okay on metal? I guess I'll need just the hole bit, or what ever it is called, some tin, or alunimum, and tin snips. It just might be possible. I'm thinking of picking it up tomarow, and with luck will have it ready for a test run  by friday, or saterday.


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## jjjonz (Apr 21, 2010)

dribron.......I have one that i modified and it is a good smoker,but if you want a WSM check out www.bandsmartusa.com and type in char-broil double chef smoker.I have been researching them and on amazon and it is a knockoff of the WSM.Mine is suppose to be here today .....yahoo!!!!

good luck......JJ


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## jjjonz (Apr 21, 2010)

That should have been www.brandsmartusa.com sorry about that.


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## csmith2884 (Apr 22, 2010)

Follow the link the one you will need is the v-burner great price and super customer service. It drops right in the pan I was lucky and found a second charcoal base so I can do both at the same time, but it would only take about 2 min to change over.  

 Temps it will do most anything 325 is the most I have held (to bake bread camping) In the winter I use a wind block or pile up the snow on gas or propane that is an ECB thing. But I use mine in any weather. I also have a big golf umbrella to keep rain off, cools the outside a lot. BTW the adjustment is top notch I can hold to a degree or two with the needle valve.


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## dribron (Apr 22, 2010)

Nice, I think I might go with that, when funds permit it. That might make for a pretty affordable gasser. Not that they are all that expensive, still too much for me. This way I can do littel by littel untill I have her going. Hopfully before winter I will have a ecb gasser that will pull me threw the winter. I hate not being able to smoke in the winter. But here with temps in the below 10-20 or colder deg, char just will not do. Thought about the gourmet electric, but I reallly do not think it will hold up in the winter, and I am not loving the red color. I'm much more of a dark/earth tone kinda guy... lol I did check the site, pretty nice being able to convert for under 70.00. In the mean time I guess I'll have a littel work getting her modded out.

  Thank you all so much for the help. As I go along I am sure I'll have more questions... Hope to get her tomarow if time permits.


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## dribron (Apr 22, 2010)

How long does a tank of gas last you?


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## csmith2884 (Apr 23, 2010)

Not sure total time has to be 40+ hours at least. Even in the winter, as soon as I think it feels light I swap it out to my camper that has an auto switch over (two tanks). 

 Best tip for when you order the gas unit ..get some wood chunks at the discount rate. I got peach which is hard to find this far north. His chunks fit perfect in a soup can and make great smoke. Very easy to adjust amount of smoke too. 

 Also feel free to pm me with any questions.


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## dribron (Apr 23, 2010)

looking on craigslist yesterday morning I seen a ecb gourmet electric for 25.00, in a town near by me, so I picked it up at lunch. It was still in the box, never put together. Guess it was a preasant that was never made use of.. Shame. I got it together, cured it, the dang thing heats up to over 350.00 with out the water pan.
 I am already looking towards ordering the conversion for it next week. In addittion to the gasssmoker.com what will I need to get it up and running? Also will I need to mod a vent on the top? I'm guessing vents wont be needed on the bottom with gass, or electric. As for temp I have a maveric that works well for the meat and smoker temp.


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## dribron (Apr 25, 2010)

Csmith, did you do the conversion on the gourmet char, or the electric? I ended up with an electric, due to a great deal on craigslist, and am wondering if I will need to add a damper on the top sence it doesn't have one.


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## jjjonz (Apr 25, 2010)

Check this out ....http://home.comcast.net/~day_trippr/smoker_mods.htm


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## dribron (Apr 26, 2010)

Thank you for the link. Not shure if I can do all of that, but I'll give it a shot. Thank you!


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## timberjet (Apr 26, 2010)

That is an amazing link! I will be doing some of those things to mine soon.


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