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You do get what ya pay for..

However since you are on a limited budget...then we got to make do and be creative.

For my 2 cents I would go down and buy the 2 biggest Terra cotta pots and start from there. Remember thin metal dissipates heat very quickly. Also ease of refuling without distrubing the cooking process is very important. The idea is to creat a stable temp at 200 to 250 over a long period of time.

I too started off with a Brinkman Watersmoker..paid $39 for it and when I left S CA I left it in S CA. It did a good job for what it was worth, and one really doesn't need more. It was the water pan that retained the heat to creat that stable temp envirnoment.

Also start checking Craigs List and other local penny saver type of advertisers. U never know what you might find as a bargain.