First, I've only had the set for a week so my experience is limited when it comes to longevity, but I'm  pleased with the look of the furniture and quality of the materials thus far. It made a very nice addition to my deck. Assembly wasn't too bad at all. They could have marked a few more pieces to make it easier to determine what went with what, but I was able to figure it out.  I did use my own screwdriver which had the allen wrench attachment to make things go a little faster. I wouldn't suggest a drill, but if you decide to use it be very careful and go slowly as the screws will easily strip.  I live in GA, so was a bit disappointed initially that my delivery would arrive by freight and what seemed like a very long wait/ trip from California, but the set arrived ahead of schedule and was worth the wait.