I'm new to dutch ovens. A couple months ago at a "truckload sale," I bought several dutch ovens they offered. They say "American Camper" on the lids, and they were $10 for the 10-inch model and $20 for the 15-inch model. The smaller ones have the rimmed lid but no legs (that wasn't made clear in the flier for the sale), while the larger ones have legs. I figured for the price, I couldn't go wrong. I will say that the walls seem to be a bit thinner than other brands I've handled.

Getting the wax off was a patchy job - I tried soaking/scrubbing them, then got them hot over the grill (conflicting suggestions as I surfed the Web). After the cleaning, I had them stored in the basement for a while, and one of the small ones developed a 2-inch-long crack at the rim. I know I didn't drop it, handle it rough or "shock" it with cold water. So yes, even low-tech cast iron implements can be done poorly.

That said, I have tried out the intact smaller one in the back yard (a "dump cake" - pie filling, then cover with cake mix that you moisten with soda. Pretty tasty).

The next time I buy one, I think I'll splurge on Lodge.