Benjamin Ladder-back Chairs, 2-Pc Set, Walnut

These chairs were inexpensive and easy to assemble. I read a lot of reviews talking about difficult assembly but that was not the case for me. I purchased 8 of these chairs to go with the dining table my husband made for us. They are a beautiful addition to the dining room. I had no problem assembling all 8 chairs in an evening by myself. I would highly recommend these chairs.

Out of 6 chairs, 1 assembled as described in the instructions, 1 assembled with force, the other 4 were a blend of incorrect sizes, misaligned screw holes and poor quality fabrication. I have no idea how sturdy these chairs will be as it appears there will be undue stress placed on weak spots that are sure to be exposed over time.

First, after reading some of the reviews, let me set the record straight. I’ve bought 2 sets of 2 chairs each. These are all solid wood. There are absolutely no plastic parts. Even the bracing under the seats are solid wood. Nothing is a laminate or “wood product” (which usually is sawdust all glued together). All solid wood.Furthermore, they add one extra of each of the hardware for each chair, so you actually end up with 2 extras of each part by the time you assemble both chairs. Very helpful.Assembly tip: while they give you an Allen Wrench for the hardware (you will need your own Phillips screwdriver for 6 of the screws, however), you are better off with a drill/driver and a hex-key driver bit. MUCH easier. And obviously, a Phillips bit would help, too. The hardware is a good quality steel; not cheap, flimsy, or soft (aluminum). They are well-machined and often fit very snugly in their receiver-nuts. It can be quite a little task to get them properly tightened by hand. Save yourself the struggle and use a drill/driver.The reward for a little extra effort in assembly is a very high quality chair for a relatively low price. Completely worth it.Ever hear your grandparents say “they don’t make ‘em like that anymore” about furniture? Well, these chairs ARE made like they used to. I’m pleasantly surprised and more than pleased with the quality. I’ll update after a year or so and confirm what I am sure will be excellent durability.

These chairs definitely match the cost, by which I mean expect flaws.I ordered 2 sets, and there have been finishing and manufacturer defects in both. All the chairs that I put together had small unsanded areas that I could feel when handling them, one chair had a slight gap between the top slat of the backrest and the supporting leg, and one of the threaded inserts stripped out of another chair with very little pressure from the bolt.They're easy enough to put together, and the final product looks decent from afar, but the seats are flat and fairly uncomfortable without a cushion, which then brings the price up further. The quality of the parts and manufacture makes me think they're not going to hold up too long. None of these issues are worth returning the chairs over, as they are priced in a fairly budget conscious way, but I cannot recommend them as worth purchasing if you know what you're getting into. Buy from a local retailer or furniture dealer instead, and spend the money on something better finished.Edit: only a few months in, and most of the chairs are already separating at the loose joints, the backrest slats are coming out, and one support has cracked from light use. I can't possibly recommend these to anyone.

They do look very attractive. BUT, screw holes are not well-aligned, one of the legs created a big split while the screw was only half-way in. On the other chair, similar problems occurred as well. I ended up using duck tape to bind the damaged leg. If you want to buy these good looking chairs, good luck!Eventually I disassembled and returned them, no way I am paying $95 for two defected chairs.