Build quality is excellent, I have had my eye on one of these since seeing them on a visit to the Woodlore shop a year ago. I debated long about whether to buy this 1.6 litre size or the next one up, which is 4.5 litres - and twice the weight. It's a shame there isn't one available midway between these two sizes. Curiosly there is a mention of a 3 litre on page 202 of 'Wilderness Chef.' Anyway, I've opted for the 1.6 litre. Probably a good size to learn on. The day it was delivered I made a spelt loaf in the home oven as I was keen to try it out. Very good result. Outside, I've done a coffee & walnut cake which looked and tasted good. The loaf was cooked directly in the camp oven while the cake was done in a tin. Be forewarned that many recipes specify cooking food in a container placed in the oven, not directly in the oven. Lakeland do a 15cm springform cake tin which is a perfect fit inside this smaller camp oven. I am looking out for a pie dish of similar size.

Fantastic.
Although not used on embers yet we can see that this will be an excellent pot to use.

Cooked Rays Lamb shoulder this evening. This Dutch Oven is so versatile, use on the campfire, gas cooker or in the oven at home. Looking forward to baking a loaf. Outstanding

Great addition to my camping kitchen equipment, cooks everything to perfection, great quality and service as always .

Another great piece of kit from Woodlore. This is a very sturdy and roomy cooking pot, heavier than I expected so not something you will throw in a backpack but brilliant for car or canoe camping, and excellent if you have a long term camp. I look forward to trying out some recipes in this.

What a great product. Already used it twice. The sheer quality shines through. Will be able to pass this on for generations.

Great product, quick delivery. Does exactly what's expected and more.

Perfect. I'm cooking like I never knew I could, its everything I needed or wanted and a lot more. Boil, broil, bake, roast, fry, saute. Over flame, in the flame, on coals, under coals, or just stick to what you know and use it in the modern kitchen in the oven or on the hob.
100 percent satisfaction with price, quality, delivery and service.
Your food will taste and feel better when cooked with this. Everyone who sees it wants one, anyone that tastes it realises what they're missing.
Thankyou.

Just what I needed for baking sourdough bread, I finally found one here after several false starts at buying a petromax Dutch Oven without feet elsewhere and being out of stock almost everywhere. It arrived within 2 days of placing the order. Very impressed.

Excellent quality item which ticks all the boxes. Thought it might be worth mentioning that the lid should be aligned where the recess is to allow steam to escape.

What can I say, it's a solid lump of cast iron. FT3 is the Perfect size for 1 or 2 people I would say, absolutely no more. I'd considered buying the smaller FT1 from other sellers but glad I didn't seeing the size of this, it would just be too small I think even for solo which I had planned for. Very good quality item, great that it doesn't have legs you so can also use in the oven at home as well as camp. I can see this item lasting many years. Would buy again.

Awesome piece of kit, wish I'd bought one sooner. There are cheaper ovens out there but I'm really pleased with the quality of this. We baked a cake and roasted veg in it first time out, which made a nice change to our usual camp menus that are based around just a BBQ. Can't wait to try baking bread next time out. It's a heavy item, indicative of the quality and thickness of the iron. Should last for years if cared for properly.

I've cooked Beer Bread, Bannock and Pizza all in the woods so far in this Dutch Oven. I am impressed with it's cooking ability. Half expected the breads and pizza's to be burnt but no, they've all turned out gorgeous! Will be looking after this with great care with lots of cooking for years to come.

It's Thursday evening, the sun is streaming through the hazel stands of Dernwood farm at the end of our third day of camping. The FT3 has just produced some very welcome toad in the hole after a days canoeing on the Medway. It has been a busy few days for the little dutch oven. Roast potatoes on Monday to go with the roast chicken in its big brother and vegetables in the FT1, a white loaf yesterday and rice pudding last night. I really like the little gap that allows a thermometer probe to gauge the working temperature accurately. The fit and finish of the Petromax ovens are superb. After a lid full of embers is brushed away, the oven rinsed out and a coating of oil applied it looks brand new fantastic patina. Thanks Woodlore for a great product and fast service once again.

Fantastic. Only 4.5kg and happily fits 2 red spuds, 2 sweet potatoes, 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 chicken breasts (browned off in the lid first.) garlic, herbs and oil. Fantastic for 2 people, fantastic for baking sourdough bread in. Very happy with this dutch oven (and lets be honest, it's on the Ray Mears website so you'd expect it to be a quality item and this certainly does not disappoint.)

Tech side. The oven comes pre seasoned, although I gave it another seasoning prior to its first use. The seasoning is pretty decent out of the box, a quick wipe and it is ready for immediate use. The handle is decent and strong as expected. The lid handle is a little small, but works perfectly (nothing a bit of ashwood cant fix). The lid and feet make a perfect frying pan or griddle and work very well. There is also a small steam vent which is very handy when cooking soups or stews and prevents the lid from rocking side to side.

All in all, very well built and very handy. My only downside is, I wish I had of brought the FT4-T for baking bigger loaves, pizzas and BBQ ribs, squirrels and fish.

The FT3-T is perfect for 2 people to cook an entire meal in, unless you are incredibly hungry. Due to its weight it is also very portable (for a dutch oven) and makes up 1/6th of my pack weight for 1-2 days.

I would not recommend this for trail use, only static camping or short trips. A 16cm Zebra Billy Can is my preferred choice should I have to leave the baby Dutch oven.

An FT4-T would be ideal for 2 to 4 people or 2 to 3 hungry people.

Absolutely excellent. Well worth the money and will clearly last a lifetime. I also use it as an every day pot on the stove and in the oven.
I have also found out that the FT9 is the perfect size to fit the FT3 inside it. I know this probably isn't recommended protocol but it is very helpful when storing them for longer periods when not in use.

I had never used one of these before, and it is already a favourite. Have used it inside and out. On a fire you'll need a shovel for embers, some form of meaningful hand protection, and possibly a hook to get the lid off. Stews are simply great. We dry roasted half a chicken for two of us. A medium sized chicken just fits in a FT4.5. The skin came out dry and extra crunchy, the meat was juicy, and we also added a whole bulb of garlic with its skin on but didn't allow it to touch the bottom of the oven. We had tried single garlic gloves previously but they have tended to char through especially in contact with the sides. The garlic bulb soaked in water before cooking and was nicely caramelised.

This is a good size pot for 2-3 people for cooking on an open fire or on a stove. Made to the typically high standards that Petromax are famous for, this pot should last a lifetime. The lid fits well and has a marker to indicate where the steam hole is should you need it. The handle on the lid is small and if you have to handle the lid with big fire gloves then it becomes a bit of a challenge to not drop it while handling so I would suggest that you use some sort of hook from metal or even better from a fallen branch. The oven comes well packaged and seasoned ready for use after a quick rinse. The instructions and small recipe booklet are good but ensure that you read the instructions before use so that you dont wreck the patina. The main handle is sturdy and folds down out of the way easily if you are not hanging the pot.
I prefer these pots without the feet on the bottom as they can then be used on a stove. The lid has a good sized lip and some fins to allow easy stacking of coals to cook from the top of the oven and also allow stacking of pots should you need to.
All in all a good addition to the camping equipment that should last a lifetime.

Ray Mear's website is my go to site for top quality products, especially the Petromax dutch ovens. This is my third one (of different sizes). They are superb quality, good enough that I can imagine them being passed down through the family as we get old and die. My wife was initially reluctant as she was only interested in lecrusset cookware, but I convinced her to try them. If nothing else I could use the Dutch ovens when Bush rafting, but they get used for most meals now indoors and out.
Great service guys thank you!

What a great piece ok kit! Have been wanting to try a Dutch oven for ages. With all kit from Woodlore this did not disappoint. As stated suitable for 2-3 people and the quality is amazing! It cooks in such a great way it now gets used in my kitchen! All in, I am very very happy! Also a special mention to the speed of service from Woodlore team.

I chose Petromax because it is reputed to be of superb quality and I am not disappointed. My wife was reluctant to accept it for home cooking until she used it. We have since then purchased another. I cannot describe the improved flavour of the food cooked in these ovens. Shoulder of lamb, chilli, steak and kidney, and lamb chops so far all transformed from what are usually very nice to dishes which are simply divine. As expected, a very well built Dutch oven which will last generations no doubt. Delivery was prompt as expected, another reason why I buy from Woodlore.
Delivery was prompt as expected, another reason why I buy from Woodlore.

Great way to cook when at base camp just hang on a tripod over your fire and job done, I love making stews in a Dutch Oven always come out tasty, you can make good bread in them too. I brought this one for a friend for Christmas. Happy days, happy cooking.

Bought the Dutch oven without legs as we have broken legs in the past and a trivet works better. Petromax, best there is and comes ready to use. Arrived very quickly and well packed and in perfect condition, so full marks to Woodlore for that. We travel as a pair or as a foursome family, so this size of oven covers our needs. We usually cook on open fire coals and this oven is solid and substantial and so far we haven't burnt anything. Cooks and spreads heat evenly. We did try it out in the garden with bar-b-que briquettes the day it arrived and it worked well with those. You will need a lid lifter, the lid is heavier than the oven. But it has feet on the lid which allows it to be laid upside down as a skillet or, our favourite use, place a fry pan on top to cook eggs and bacon whilst baking bread in the main oven. It's like having an oven and hob in that configuration. As I work in the woods as well as camping, it gets a lot of use rather than resting in a cupboard. So far all I can say is that I wash it without detergent, dry and season it after every use and it still looks like new and nothing sticks. Not an ideal choice for hiking or cycling due to weight, but looks great and travels well in the back of my Land Rover and on our boat. Can't say anything about life of product yet, but as I inherited my former Dutch oven from my grandfather I am guessing it'll be around a long time. It is exactly what I wanted, at a good price from a trusted supplier...good enough for me.

I had looked for weeks for something to satisfy my need in the woods for a small 1-2 person Dutch Oven and I scratched that itch with this oven. The oven is Small, compact, reliable and already seasoned. As with all of Ray's stuff, the deeper I go into the world of Bushcraft the more it makes sense... The kit chosen on this site combines usefulness, style and longevity. What can I say other than many thanks once again Ray, best reliable kit for the woods.

I can't believe I have survived this long without a Dutch Oven. As soon as I received it, it was straight on the fire resulting in an amazing slow cooked lamb curry.
Cleaned easily and the next culinary delight was a loaf that was just about as perfect as one can get.
All in all an excellent purchase and build quality that will last years.

Only used this for making bread but its terrific at doing that, always makes me feel good. I just love the process of using it. I did think I would have trouble with food sticking to it but that hasn't happened. A little on the heavy side but well worth it if you are going to be static for a while.

After much searching and discovering many Dutch Ovens are similar, I settled for the Petromax, which is different to most. The size was a bit of a hurdle, as I needed it for myself and possibly one or two more hungry hippos.
Occasionally there are more of us, but, hey, a man can only carry so much gear. So the small one it was. Excellent price and service from Woodlore. Beforehand it requires pre-seasoning, and this is very important if you want your pot to last and be easy to use time after time. There are instructions in the blurb.
What a pot I got. It really is excellent, and the design features make a big difference. Every piece of kit should have more than one use, and this one has quite a few. I have cooked a mean tangine, but a naan is a doddle too. Bread, cake, roasting, stewing, frying. The lid is champion, but mind your fingers - amazingly, cast gets extremely hot. I've used it separately as a stand, a plate, a frying pan, also as an ember holder to bury the pot in the fire (ensure the little holey is closed on the lid). Usually it is hanging off my home-made tripod, but it has been suspended off a stoutish hanger. Size-wise, did it measure up? Petromax claim it will serve 1-3 people. That greatly depends on your appetite and what you are cooking. If it's an all-in-one-pan meal, I reckon three would go hungry, or require a few naans and a pud. Talking of puds, it has produced a few delightful desserts, e.g. I cut some wild rhubarb and made an ace crumble. The oven is your oyster. On a cold night it also gives off a good bit of heat. The bag it comes in is useful for keeping the rucker clean and keeping home-made utensils in. I would heartily recommend the oven and Woodlore to you.