The reviews that said this was sturdy were not lying. Even though it's laminate it is a solid piece of furniture. Assembly was a BREEZE for me and took about 1hr. The instructions are very clear (both words and pictures and the occasional joke thrown in) and made the process very simple. Unfortunately two of the pieces had damage but they weren't going to be visible so I just went with it. I think it's a bit darker than the picture shows but the wood grain is still very prominent so it doesn't bother me. The top divider panel slides very easily and the door is straight. I mainly wanted a cabinet to hold my huge subwoofer and this does the trick. The adjustable shelves are great and make storing things easier. Overall very happy.