The year is 2007. Frank Cox has just built a new house, and the deck is crying out for a barbecue pit...

So he gets online in search of plans to build a wood smoker… and comes up mostly empty-handed. Realizing no one had yet cracked the code on DIY cooker design (or if they had, they weren’t sharing!),  Frank set out to build his own from the ground up — and he hasn’t stopped building since.

SmokerBuilder® was created in 2010 with a singular goal: to build the best damn barbecue pits possible. After helping thousands of people fabricate their own pits with his DIY smoker plans, in 2012 Frank pivoted to custom-building cookers for pro pitmasters.

Now occupying a 25,000 square foot shop located along Route 66 in Rolla, Missouri, SmokerBuilder® has grown into the most comprehensive and in-depth resource for barbecue smoker and pit design, prototyping and fabrication.

Serving a global audience, SmokerBuilder® has influenced businesses across the barbecue industry, from smoker production and construction to restaurants and food trucks. 

From Draftmaster™ drum smokers and traditional patio offset smokers to unique custom builds, SmokerBuilder® designs cookers for both home and commercial use that are built to last a lifetime.

Frank Cox, Founder
A lifelong barbecue lover with a mechanical background, when Frank’s not tackling sales and marketing or wrangling one of his many websites, he’s driving around in his truck recording the PitMaster Secrets podcast. Frank’s favorite SmokerBuilder® build is the open offset style smoker, like the 250 Gallon trailer build they recently built for Kenny M. of Long Island, NY. because of the authentic smoky flavor it imbues. His meat of choice? The tri-tip, seasoned to perfection with a homemade Santa Maria rub.

Tom Heath, Head of Production & Fulfillment

The driving force that keeps the SmokerBuilder® fires burning, Tom dove head first into building his first pit after an old high school friend invited him to a backyard barbecue. The obsession took hold swiftly and fiercely, and in 2014 he joined forces with Frank to take SmokerBuilder® to the next level. Tom’s secret to barbecue magic? Cooking everything — from the brisket to the cornbread to the cobbler — on an offset smoker for a hint of that authentic smoky flavor.

Seth Grisham, Master Smoker Builder
The man with the magic hands, Seth and his team hand-builds each and every SmokerBuilder® cooker from start to finish. When Seth’s around, sparks fly — literally.