The stools were as I expected. One of them has a slight dent on the top but it may have happened when I dropped it as I pulled it out of the box. So they're not totally indestructable but that's not entirely surprising or disappointing. 
Everything came assembled which was a relief since I was burnt out on assembling a kitchen island. They do have a slight odor upon opening but my guess is the smell has faded at this point (although I haven't really investigated). 
The stools helped complete my vision of a kitchen island with stools and it's been great so far! My kids finally come to the table without groaning. :)
If you're wondering about the proper stool height in comparison to your table height, a good rule of thumb is to get stools which are about 10 inches shorter.