I'm only giving this 4 out of 5 stars simply because I haven't used it yet, so I can't speak on how it retains heat/grills/smokes.  That said: my order arrived surprisingly quick. My inspection of the parts showed no dents or dings, no missing parts or distorted fittings. With all of the expected parts to this I anticipated it taking me a while to piece together; I think it helps that the inner mechanisms for the charcoal tray were already installed, and the barrel itself came pre-hinged.  That said: it took me an hour and a half to assemble alone, and that's with me doing a bit of social media-izing during the process. I do have some concerns about the tightness of some of the seams, but that's why the 4 stars instead of 5. Overall it's a sturdy grill, a great size for my needs and was simple to put together.  Excellent value for the price.