Very sturdy - would recommend. We sit on it (I've even stood on it briefly to catch the random bug, and it felt solid under me, but I wouldn't make a habit of it). It holds my 1 yr olds toys in our living room. He and his little playmates open and shut the lids all day long, and the no-slam mechanism is a dream! The lid on our large bench does have a tiny bit of an "over bite" - hands a little forward on the bench - but I'm the only one that really notices. The linen looking fabric also looks and feels very nice and good quality. For those wondering, the screw-on feet for the mini ottomans take a bit of work so it's not like you can quickly whip them off and stow them away in the larger bench at a moments notice.