The BBQ-Toro Dutch Oven Premium is a cast iron braising pot with a lid for briquettes, grill grate or oven. On Amazon it costs approx. €45 (as of October 2026). In our grill accessories category, that makes it the cheapest of three Dutch ovens; the other two are the Petromax ft6 and the ft12.
Our sources are the product page and seven guide articles from BBQ-Toro (operated by CS-Trading GmbH & Co. KG from Brauneberg) as well as the Amazon detail page, all retrieved on 14.10.2026, plus the Amazon catalogue entry as of 5.10.2026. Notes on care and safety are on the product page and in the guides. We have not cooked in the pot. Where we calculate or infer, we say so.
The pot without legs: DO45P and DO45PX
The ASIN B07QBCVQ3Y is not the DO45P with legs. Amazon writes “(DO45P), Topf ohne Füße” (pot without legs) in the title and enters the model number DO45PX in the catalogue. The heading of this page follows the Amazon title and says DO45P. However, BBQ-Toro sells the version with legs under that name, and in the manufacturer’s shop on 14.10.2026 it costs €39.95. The DO45PX is priced there at €44.95, which matches the Amazon price. Both were available on the same day.
In the text we therefore stick with the DO45PX. We mean the version whose pot has no legs. The lid does have them (only the smallest size, the DO1P, lacks them), and turned over it serves as a grill pan or serving plate.
If you want to stand the pot directly in the embers, you are better served by the DO45P. According to BBQ-Toro, many Dutch ovens have three legs so that they can stand directly in the embers.
Cast iron, lid with legs, thermometer port
Pot and lid are made of cast iron and seasoned at the factory, called “preseasoned” in the catalogue. The Premium series is not enamelled; for the enamel coating, BBQ-Toro has a series of its own.
On the lid, the manufacturer describes three things. Its rim is tapered. The contact surface of the lid on the pot is ground smooth so that the pot closes better. And it has a thermometer port through which you can check the temperature without lifting the lid; according to BBQ-Toro, this is the most important difference from the Alpha series. In our assessment the port has practical value: every time you lift the lid, steam and heat escape and ash on the lid can be stirred up.
For dimensions, BBQ-Toro lists the inner dimensions, 23.5 cm diameter and 9.5 cm height. Amazon enters 23.5 x 23.5 x 9.5 cm, so the same figures, and these are not outer dimensions. If you plan a space in the cupboard or on the grill grate based on them, you will come up short, because the handle, wall thickness and lid are missing.
The manufacturer gives the weight as 5.8 kg. The Amazon catalogue says 12.79 pounds, which converts to 5.80 kg as well. For carrying, according to the series table, the pot has a carrying handle suitable for a swing grill; in the product photo it is a wire bail.
In detail: briquettes on top, briquettes underneath
In the fire, a Dutch oven has two heat sources. Embers or briquettes under the pot heat the base, and the food sits on the base. Briquettes on the lid heat from above, similar to the top heat in an oven. BBQ-Toro describes the principle like this: glowing coals, embers or grill briquettes go on the lid and under the pot, and the high mass of the cast iron evens out uneven heat.
That is true, with one qualification. Cast iron conducts heat less well than aluminium or copper. What it does well is store it: the heavy wall buffers fluctuations in the embers, for example when one briquette burns down earlier than another. The downside we derive from the construction; it has not been measured: a pot with that much mass takes longer to heat up and still gives off heat when the embers are already weakening.
How many briquettes go where, BBQ-Toro answers with a rule of thumb: the diameter of the pot in inches times 2 gives the number of briquettes, as a guide for roughly 160 to 180 °C. The distribution depends on the cooking method. For boiling and simmering, such as soups and stews, one third goes on the lid and two thirds underneath. For baking it is the other way round: two thirds on top, one third underneath. For braising, the briquettes are split half and half, and for searing they all go under the pot. The manufacturer advises starting with a few less and adding more if needed. What follows from that for this pot, we work out in the questions below.
That more heat belongs on top when baking is plausible: bread and bakes need heat from above for the crust, a stew mainly needs heat from below. That is our interpretation of the distribution; BBQ-Toro does not explain it. How you light and top up briquettes is covered in our Dutch oven guide.
Is the pot big enough for five people?
According to the product page, yes; it states 2 to 5 people. The same manufacturer’s guide, however, assigns this size only 1 to 3 portions. We would plan with the more cautious figure, so with three diners at most.
The 4.2 litres in the heading are made up of 3.1 litres in the pot and 1.1 litres in the lid. For braising, the pot is what counts. The manufacturer calls the lid a grill pan or serving plate; it is not a second pot. In its sets, BBQ-Toro lists the size as “4.5 QT”; in US measure that is around 4.3 litres.
A calculation of our own: a pot filled to the brim would give 620 millilitres per person for five diners, and a good litre for three. Hardly anyone fills a braising pot to the brim, so real portions come out smaller. If you regularly cook for more than five people, you end up at the next size up, in our category the Petromax ft6.
Gas grill, oven, grill grate: where the pot without legs stands
For pots without legs, BBQ-Toro names grill grates, gas grills and the oven as particularly suitable. On a gas or charcoal grill, the pot is usable according to the guide. On a gas grill, according to the manufacturer, it stands either directly over the burners if you want to sear, or in the indirect zone if it is to braise or bake bread. In our explanation, indirect means: the pot stands over an area of the grate with no burner lit, and the heat comes from the sides with the grill lid closed.
In the oven, the rack or tray must safely carry the weight of the pot, writes BBQ-Toro. For braised dishes, according to the guide, you preheat the oven to 200 °C and then lower it to around 130 to 150 °C. Whether a grill grate will carry the filled pot, you clarify with the manufacturer of your grill.
We would not stand the DO45PX directly in the embers. The legs on which many Dutch ovens stand in the embers according to BBQ-Toro are only on the DO45P version. In our assessment, a pot lying flat on charcoal cuts off its air. On a grate above the embers the problem does not arise, and the manufacturer expressly names grill grates as a place of use.
What else is there? Two pots and a pan
| Model | The difference | Price | Our rating | Pick this one if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBQ-Toro Dutch Oven Premium (this one, version without legs) | 3.1 l in the pot, 1.1 l in the lid, 5.8 kg | approx. €45 | 8.4 | you want to braise on a grill grate, gas grill or in the oven and cook for two or three people |
| Petromax Feuertopf ft6 | 5.5 l in the pot, 9 kg, three legs on the pot | approx. €75 | 9.0 | you regularly cook for more than five people and can carry 9 kg empty |
| Petromax Feuertopf ft12 | 10.8 l in the pot, flat base, 13.91 kg | approx. €105 | 8.9 | you cook for a club event or a big family celebration |
| Lodge L8GP3 grill pan | open pan with grill ribs, Ø 26 cm, 2.78 kg according to Lodge | approx. €49 | 8.7 | you want to fry meat, vegetables or fish with grill marks and do not need a pot with a lid |
Prices and ratings come from our individual reviews; the prices are guide values and not up to date by the day. The technical details in the second column are given there with their manufacturer source. The rating is our editorial assessment, not a measurement result. You will find more accessory reviews in the grill accessories ranking.
Seasoning, cleaning, storing: what BBQ-Toro writes
The pot is seasoned at the factory, and BBQ-Toro writes that it can be used straight away. Additional seasoning can strengthen the protective layer further according to the guide, but is not mandatory.
If it becomes necessary, the product page gives these steps: clean the pot with hot water and rub it with a neutral-tasting vegetable fat; coconut fat is given there as an example. Then it goes upside down into the oven at 200 °C for an hour or, as it says there, better outdoors in a hot kettle grill. Remaining fat is then rubbed in, and the treatment is to be repeated regularly so that the pores fill and the pot is protected from rust. We read it like this: upside down, excess fat runs off instead of collecting in the base of the pot, and outdoors the smoke from the heated fat is not a nuisance.
For cleaning, hot water is enough according to the product page, and coarser residues are scrubbed off with a brush. The sharpest sentence there is: “Benutzen Sie niemals Seife oder scharfe Reinigungsmittel” (never use soap or harsh cleaning agents). According to the product page, both destroy the layer of fat, after which the pot must be re-seasoned. In a guide it sounds softer: washing-up liquid or aggressive cleaning agents should be avoided where possible because they can attack the patina. We would follow the product page and, because of the ban on soap, clean the pot by hand only. For stubborn residues, BBQ-Toro names a stainless steel ring cleaner, and in the article on use also a brush or wooden scraper. Afterwards the pot is dried thoroughly and rubbed lightly with a care product; for this the manufacturer lists its DOPFHELD oil and DOPFWUNDER paste.
Ash should be removed from lid and pot straight away because, combined with moisture, it promotes rust. Food leftovers should not be stored in the pot. For storage, the product page advises greasing the pot with good cooking oil, placing a sheet of kitchen paper inside and not closing the lid fully. We read it like this: the paper absorbs residual moisture, and air reaches the iron through the gap.
On safety, the product page has three notes under “Produktsicherheit” (product safety), which we reproduce in full:
- The Dutch oven is intended for preparing food over an open fire or on suitable cooking areas outdoors.
- It may only be used on a heat-resistant, stable surface and must not be left unattended.
- It gets very hot and should only be handled with heat-resistant gloves.
Two guide articles add to this. With charcoal or an open fire, the pot may only be used outdoors, and never over an open fire in enclosed spaces, because dangerous gases are produced. With embers and briquettes this means above all carbon monoxide; that is a general rule and not a manufacturer statement. The manufacturer says nothing about balconies; whether a charcoal fire is allowed there is governed by your tenancy agreement and house rules. If you have no outdoor space, according to the guide you can use the pot in the oven, where no coals are involved.
Accessories, running costs and gaps in the manufacturer’s information
The manufacturer lists a lid lifter made of lacquered steel in the scope of delivery, and the Amazon title says “Bräter mit Deckelheber” (roaster with lid lifter). The Amazon scope of delivery field nevertheless lists only “Dutch Oven”. The heat-resistant gloves that the safety notes call for are likewise not listed there.
What BBQ-Toro offers on top costs the following in the manufacturer’s shop (as of 14.10.2026): the carrying bag for 4.5 QT made of polyester (Ø 31 x H 15 cm, 700 g) €14.95, the DOPFWUNDER care paste at 250 ml also €14.95 and the ring cleaner (12 x 12 cm) €10.95. Together that is €40.85 according to the shop, only €4.10 less than the pot itself. None of the three items is mandatory: for seasoning and storage, the product page names vegetable fat and cooking oil with no brand requirement.
What neither BBQ-Toro nor Amazon documents:
- Operating instructions or data sheet to download
- Outer dimensions including handle and lid, wall thickness, individual weights of pot and lid
- Maximum temperature of the cast iron (the Amazon field “Schlafsack Temperatur 800 Grad Celsius” (sleeping bag temperature 800 degrees Celsius) is an obvious catalogue error)
- Material and load capacity of the carrying handle
- Position, diameter and material of the thermometer port
- What the factory seasoning layer is made with and how
- Briquette count for this pot, heat-up time and burn time
- Minimum distances from walls and flammable materials, wind advice, suitability for balconies
- Suitability for induction, dishwasher and microwave (Amazon enters “Nur Handwäsche” (hand wash only) and “Kein Ofen” (no oven); the second contradicts the seasoning in the oven that BBQ-Toro describes)
- Food safety and test marks
- Manufacturer warranty
- Origin and place of manufacture (Amazon enters China as country of origin, which is a seller statement)
Who the DO45PX suits and when it does not
The heat source decides first. If you have a gas grill or a charcoal grill with a grate, or you braise in the oven, the pot without legs is the version BBQ-Toro names for these places. If you cook at a campfire directly in the embers, you need the DO45P with legs. If you are really looking for a pan for grill marks, you are better served by the Lodge L8GP3 from the table: the Dutch oven is a closed pot, the Lodge an open pan with ribs.
Next comes group size. For two or three people the pot fits according to both manufacturer figures. For four or five, the product page and the guide contradict each other, and we would then only plan dishes that do not need the pot filled to the brim. From six people, it is worth looking at the Petromax ft6, which costs around €30 more.
On the dish: BBQ-Toro lists boiling, frying, braising, deep-frying, steaming and baking as possible preparations. For tomato dishes, sauces and braised dishes, however, the manufacturer recommends its Enamel series, which also comes in 4.2 litres. Whether the Premium series tolerates tomatoes or vinegar, it does not say. For a stew with a lot of tomato, we would ask the manufacturer before buying or choose the enamel variant as soon as it is available.
On top of the weight of the pot, a brim-full fill adds 3.1 kg of water (1 kg per litre, our calculation). If you regularly carry it far, take a look at the carrying bag from the accessories.
The pot is wrong for anyone who wants to clean it with washing-up liquid: BBQ-Toro rules out soap and requires re-seasoning afterwards. The same goes for anyone who simply wants to put it away after the meal, because it has to be greased before storage. For getting started with a gas grill or oven, the DO45PX is the cheapest route in our comparison; for campfires and larger groups, we would choose one of the others.
