Tool
Dutch oven size picker
Most home cooks need one Dutch oven, and getting the size right matters more than the brand. Start from the people and the job.
Short answer
Allow about 1 quart per person, with 2 quarts as the minimum. A 5.5 qt round pot suits 3 to 4 people, 7 qt suits 5 to 6, and 9 qt and up suits 7 or more or batch cooking. Size numbers like 24 or 26 are the diameter in centimeters.
Find your size
Suggested size
5.5 qt
About 1 quart per person, with 2 quarts as the minimum.
- Le Creuset roundsize 26 (5.5 qt)
- Staub roundsize 26 (5.5 qt)
Capacities from the makers' own listings. Size numbers are the diameter in centimeters.
Size numbers and quarts
Le Creuset and Staub name round pots by their diameter in centimeters, so a 26 is 26 cm across. The two brands do not hold exactly the same at every size, because wall shape and height differ.
Rules of thumb
About 1 quart per person, never under 2 quarts. A 5.5 qt round is the usual family pot for 3 to 4 people, 7 qt suits 5 to 6, and 9 qt and up suits 7 or more or a week of batch cooking. For bread from about 500 g of flour, a 4.5 to 5.5 qt round or a 6.75 qt oval works. A 4 to 5 lb chicken needs at least 5.5 qt round; an oval fits it better.
Going in the oven? Check the knob with the oven-safe checker.