These may be factory seconds, given that the price has been so low, however, I am writing this assuming that there is a standard quality they should meet in order to be packaged for sale. The unit is not bad, by any measure. It functions and functions as described. That having been said, the Chocolate coloring is not paint (and I think we all know it isn't stain) but actually a PVC or poly-vinyl coating that has been sprayed on like paint. As such, there are some hairs and fibers, dust particles, etc. that will be permanently under this coating that you will never be free of, as with many products of this type. It is no worse on this unit than any I've purchased of this type and may actually be better on that front. The PVC however, does scratch easily and, therefore, will arrive with scratches due to the standard Ikea type packaging of each piece separated only by a thin sheet of foam fabric or a waxy type of tissue paper. It etches, has oddly sticky places (due to melting) and the like, and the scratches are random in that some pieces were packed to keep the right side more protected but some were not. These imperfections can be cleaned gently with water and the pad of your finger and then a microfiber cloth (remember it is PVC so standard abrasives and even paper towels are out) or they can be left alone which is probably the safest option. Either way, you will see them up close but not from far away or even a few feet away if the room is not in full sunlight. Oddly, the instructions say to keep the unit out of full sunlight (presumably to prevent PVC melting), so this shouldn't bother you too much. The unit is easy to assemble, if you use a tool to pre-poke the holes as the PVC coating is over/covering and inside the holes (which makes it nearly impossible to put the bolts into them without some cleaning out and scraping) but once you clean those tiny holes, they end up being the right size and the bolts will fit. All told, it is very similar to an Ikea kitchen cabinet base or bookcase with lots of bolts screwing into lots of holes, followed by lots of screwing tight those little circular gripper fittings on the receiving side/piece (that probably have a name but I've never bothered to learn it.) If you follow directions, you'll get it done in anywhere from one to two hours. (I took two, but I'm rubbish so figure on one to one and a half, two if you're drunk or have the flu, basically.) The pieces are differentiated, well enough, and marked, well enough, that they can be easily counted and sorted and a little screwdriver is included so you'll be able to work inside the tiny spaces you'll have to get into once it is mostly but not completely assembled. If you forget and close the little door after placing the magnetic strip but without installing the knob (like I did) just stick the knob's screw into the hole and pull the door back (and it will open so you can install the knob). That having been said, installing the knob first is better. The casters are sturdy, all four roll well even on carpet, but they are not large casters so you have to go slowly or they'll catch up and the unit will tilt. The front two do lock, the back two do not and, for balance, given that they are staggered with the wide casters in front and the narrow arrangement in the rear, the unit has been designed very much with those magazines in the picture in mind. If you put no books, it feels a bit unstable, leaning back. If you put in smaller books, to the rear of the storage compartment, it starts to lean back, not enough to fall but enough to be nervous that it might fall. If you put books to the front of the unit or large books that occupy the entire space, then the unit feels very stable and doesn't lean. Put plainly, the books or magazines or files are meant to pull the weight forward a bit as it is back side heavy. Overall, though, with all of that having been stated, this is the safest, most stable, and most attractive option I've come across in years of searching, buying and returning, even with a PVC faux woodgrain finish. This is a high quality, for the money, standing desk for under three hundred dollars. It is strong, well built, does not lean too much or fall over and does not place a laptop in a precarious position on a bending metal arm and is actually mobile without having to pick it up and carry it with you, so, already, it wins against the competition. The only other issue is the mechanism for raising and lowering. The bars are not drilled for the tightening knobs that hold it it place. It is designed as a pressure system, with little knobs pressing a blunt end screw knob into the rod to hold it in place. As a result, you don't have to look at unsightly holes but, rather, unsightly scrapings and scratches that form over time. Pre-drilled holes would have been nice but, again, it is still the best for the money and, most importantly, will not put your laptop at risk. Also, being adjustable, it allows you to sit when you feel like it, which I do about thirty percent of the time so, maybe you might too. Good luck in your starter standing desk search.
