It was reasonably easy to put together although one of the packaged screws was malformed (not a full X) but I was able to screw it in with my flathead bit. I'd prefer wood for the poles, but the plastic is sturdy so I'm not bothered. It's about the size I had expected, just a bit higher than the seat of my couch, which works for my purposes, but might be too short for other people. I like that it gives you a weight distribution chart. Makes sense that you shouldn't be putting the entire weight load on a single shelf.