We bought this table for our large family as all summer long we eat outside and I hate eating at a picnic style table with an attached bench. I can't speak to it's longevity, but we LOVE it so far. It looks super sleek and classy and fits 10 people around. Yes, it is a bit taller than normal. My husband used a sawzall to take 1.5 inches off on the legs (from the top, not the bottom) and now it's perfect. It feels very sturdy. The ends are a bit less sturdy but so far no issues with damage from kids leaning on the ends of the same or something.