I bought this chest with great trepidation due to the negative reviews that I saw on . However, after months of searching I decided to go ahead and order it as it was exactly what I was looking for. I received it and put it together the other day, and will say that I was pleasantly surprised! Not only did the product arrive totally undamaged, but all parts were accounted for as well. Although Ive only had it for 2 days, here are my pros and cons at this point:
Pros:
1. As I stated, the product was received in perfect condition. I was not expecting this based on the reviews that I read.
2. I found it extremely easy to put together, although tedious. A lot of things that need to be screwed together, but pretty simple. I guess it took me about 4 hours putting it together by myself.
3. I was surprised to find that the back piece was thicker than expected. It is 1/2 inch particle board. I thought it would be more like the thin cardboard that is used as backing on bookshelves and other types of cabinets.
4. Once screwed together it seems pretty solid. The drawers do jiggle a bit when pulled in an out, but nothing too extreme and not unexpected for this price point.
5. The drawers are large and very roomy. I bought this to store my various electronic accessories and it works perfectly.
Cons:
1. Whereas the back panel was heavier than I expected, the bottom of the drawers is much lighter than expected. The drawer bottoms are basically a thick piece of cardboard, so you need to watch the amount of weight you put in them. Unless youre in the habit of dropping things into drawers however, I do not expect that this will be a problem as long as I keep the weight limit in mind.
2. Although the instructions did not call for it, in order to add more support to the drawers I used glue in the groove to attach the drawer bottoms in addition to the screws provided.
3. Overall the assembly was very easy; all of the pre/drilled holes where where they should be. The one thing it was lacking however were holes for the finishing nails to use on the drawer bottoms. Rather than spending five minutes trying to tap in each nail, I drilled holes which made the nailing job easy.
4. The rails the drawers ride on are metal but they have a plastic wheel. Only time will tell how well this plastic wheel will hold up.
5. Be sure to pay attention to the instructions when they say not to over tighten screws! I put a small crack in one of the drawer sides over tightening. I also put a small bulge in the side panel by hammering the wood dowel in too hard. This was my bad, but keep it in mind.
6. I thought it was a bit pricey for the money, but it had the exact dimensions that I needed. If I had a little more room to play with there were other options that were cheaper than this product.
All things considered, I am very happy with this purchase. Hopefully there will not be a problem with the plastic wheels on the drawer glides in the future.
Pleasantly Surprised!
I bought this chest with great trepidation due to the negative reviews that I saw on . However, after months of searching I decided to go ahead and order it as it was exactly what I was looking for. I received it and put it together the other day, and will say that I was pleasantly surprised! Not only did the product arrive totally undamaged, but all parts were accounted for as well. Although Ive only had it for 2 days, here are my pros and cons at this point: Pros: 1. As I stated, the product was received in perfect condition. I was not expecting this based on the reviews that I read. 2. I found it extremely easy to put together, although tedious. A lot of things that need to be screwed together, but pretty simple. I guess it took me about 4 hours putting it together by myself. 3. I was surprised to find that the back piece was thicker than expected. It is 1/2 inch particle board. I thought it would be more like the thin cardboard that is used as backing on bookshelves and other types of cabinets. 4. Once screwed together it seems pretty solid. The drawers do jiggle a bit when pulled in an out, but nothing too extreme and not unexpected for this price point. 5. The drawers are large and very roomy. I bought this to store my various electronic accessories and it works perfectly. Cons: 1. Whereas the back panel was heavier than I expected, the bottom of the drawers is much lighter than expected. The drawer bottoms are basically a thick piece of cardboard, so you need to watch the amount of weight you put in them. Unless youre in the habit of dropping things into drawers however, I do not expect that this will be a problem as long as I keep the weight limit in mind. 2. Although the instructions did not call for it, in order to add more support to the drawers I used glue in the groove to attach the drawer bottoms in addition to the screws provided. 3. Overall the assembly was very easy; all of the pre/drilled holes where where they should be. The one thing it was lacking however were holes for the finishing nails to use on the drawer bottoms. Rather than spending five minutes trying to tap in each nail, I drilled holes which made the nailing job easy. 4. The rails the drawers ride on are metal but they have a plastic wheel. Only time will tell how well this plastic wheel will hold up. 5. Be sure to pay attention to the instructions when they say not to over tighten screws! I put a small crack in one of the drawer sides over tightening. I also put a small bulge in the side panel by hammering the wood dowel in too hard. This was my bad, but keep it in mind. 6. I thought it was a bit pricey for the money, but it had the exact dimensions that I needed. If I had a little more room to play with there were other options that were cheaper than this product. All things considered, I am very happy with this purchase. Hopefully there will not be a problem with the plastic wheels on the drawer glides in the future.