The umbrella was trivial to assemble, looks good, appears to be sturdy (though only time will tell).  The crank to open and close it works well, and the tilt mechanism that I hadn't planned to use is helpful and works well.  I like the attached tie strings that let you tie the umbrella closed in preparation for a windstorm (not sure if this is necessary but its a precaution) or for storage.

We did not buy a stand for the umbrella.  Our patio table is sturdy and has a good mechanism to hold an umbrella in place.