Most camping stores sell Dutch Ovens, and many companies online also sell Dutch Ovens and accessories. If buying online, try to find a company offering free shipping. Cast iron is heavy and shipping can be quite high if paying per pound.
In considering which Dutch Oven to purchase (and there are a lot of models), think about the following:
1. Size – The bigger the Dutch Oven, the more expensive. On the other hand, a really small Dutch Oven will end up living in the garage if it won’t hold enough food to feed the group. In most cases, size 12 is a good bet.
2. Legs – If the Dutch Oven does not have three legs on the bottom, avoid it unless you plan to cook indoors in your home oven. It’s hot and irritating to try to wrestle a Dutch Oven around in hot coals when balanced on rocks. The legless model could be used with a tripod hoisted over the fire, but again this is much more work than the three-legged approach where the pot sits in the coals.
3. Lid Loop – Make sure the Dutch Oven has a small looped handle in the center of the top. This should be part of the casting and not added on later. If you don’t have a loop, then it’s almost impossible to lift the lid and check and then serve the food.
4. Bail (wire handle) – In addition to the lid loop, a Dutch Oven should have a wire handle that fits like the handle on an Easter basket and is used to carry and lift the pot. Imagine hugging a big, old, greasy black pot against your chest, and you’ll see that the wire handle is essential. The handle should be anchored and not detachable. I’ve used one Dutch Oven designed to slip the handle on and then off. It was hard to use and dangerous. The handles were constantly slipping out and dumping the Dutch Oven sideways.