I bought two of these in hopes of protecting some new furniture and my kitties took to them right away.  I love to hear them scratching away on their scratchers and NOT our new leather couches.  I was actually surprised by just how heavy and solid these scratchers are.  They're exceptionally sturdy!  The only minor drawback is the little pieces of cardboard/paper that have to be cleaned up pretty consistently.  Easy to clean up, though, with just a dust pan and brush!