Well this just became the ultimate Christmas gift ever.  This came shipped to my garage in a mini-pallet in a smartly packaged tri-wall box.  Assembly was as simple as turning the 4 screws needed to complete the stand.  The kamado is bout 200 lbs, so get some help lifting if you need it!  The material quality is top-notch and built to last...and that reflects in the cooking qualities of this system.  I've cooked several meals so far and I have yet to be disappointed, as everything has turned out perfectly cooked, or smoked...with more flavor that I anticipated.  I look forward to years of cooking on my Kamado Joe Classic I!