I had been slightly nervous about ordering this stool because of a few negative comments, but since it was exactly what I wanted, I went ahead. It arrived promptly in excellent condition, with all parts and instructions. I had ordered the wooden one, which looked exactly the same as the photo in the description. The wood is a combination of birch and pine, which is almost the same as appearance as some maple bookcases that I have from Room & Board. The wood is finished, and nothing about it looks cheap.It takes about 20 minutes to assemble it using the clear instructions and provided tools (with spares). Is it easy? Well, ummm, yes, almost, sort of. Difficult? Not at all; just fiddly - logical and never tricky. It will be best done by someone who has a little experience of such things, or by somebody who has looked at the video above. It does NOT need somebody with strength or with an engineering degree!It is extremely sturdy, and I recommend it very strongly. As long as you are prepared to spend the 20 minutes to put it together properly, you will be - I think - as happy as I am.

Aside from the fact that there were two left-side A-frames in the box, it's a pretty good stool. Very nice looking (wish the bolts and screws were black, which would match the black color of the stool, though). I could not find anything as good looking as this, for a small step stool.I was able to assemble the stool despite to left-side A frames. I just was not able to connect the right side of the step to what is supposed to be the right side A-frame (which is really a flipped left side, with an exposed hole).Pros:- Nice looking design- Smooth black finish (mine is black)- Sturdy wood and big bolts- Nice touch with the felt pads and accessories box that can attach under the stool- Handy grab-hole on the top and rounded edgesCons:- I got two duplicate left sides in the box, so maybe packing/handling quality- A little awkward to put together, but instructions were clear- bolts/screws don't match color of the stool (they're silver)

I have used this stool around the house and for a photoshoot as well as a footstool under my desk. Has held up well and still no knicks on it. It was a tiny difficult to put together but that is just being picky. Great buy

I have this in my closet so I can reach a very high shelf with stored items. The height is great for this. Assembly was a pain; the pre-drilled screw holes had been filled with wax and need to be redrilled.

I needed something to reach kitchen cupboards. This was a good choice. The gray color fits in well and it feels very solid. Good price for a product that works for me.