We love the design and easy assembly, but the durability of the finish and quality control are significant problems. Without those significant shortcomings, this product would be a home run and have been given a 5-star review.
Both the older smooth and the new powder coated surfaces are VERY susceptible to scratching and marking, even by unsharp items like the bottoms of bowls or plastic coasters. The aluminum machining and welding is also poor in several examples we received. There were excess cuts, tags of aluminum hanging off them, gouges, bent metal, and off parallel welding of the angle irons with screw holes to the leg frames. FORTUNATELY, MOST, but not ALL, of these defects are visible only on the underside of the table, but they are still very noticeable from that vantage point.
The first order of this table in "silver grey" that they sent was mistakenly from the "previous generation" (quote from vendor). It was supposed to be "powder coated" aluminum, but was instead smooth finished with a painted surface. It SPONTANEOUSLY developed dark spots (mold???) that nothing (soap, vinegar & water), alcohol, etc.) would remove. Bar Keeper's Friend changed the entire finish to a darker tone, so we're not sure if it worked or just camouflaged the spots. That table was refunded.
The replacement, this time in "powder coated" slate black finish, arrived with one leg's angle iron with the holes for attachment to the tabletop was bent and soldered at an angle that prevented the tabletop from fitting the leg flush, revealing the rough-cut aluminum edge and empty space beneath the aluminum rectangles forming the tabletop. That was remedied by sending us a replacement leg. But in the interim, despite putting it back in its box for safekeeping, the tabletop had acquired several small scratches in the box covered by bubble wrap or during assembly - also done upside down to expose the screw holes on a flat surface with the bubble wrap spread beneath it. These are the only damages we didn't get photos of because we quickly disguised them by using a fine tip black marker, wiped almost clean with a tissue and an alcohol swab, but leaving it stain in the scratch cavity. We had planned all along to cover the table with a plexiglass plate because of the delicacy of the first table. But should this (not cheap) really have been necessary?
The table is described as "durable". I have no doubt that it will scratch VERY easily is a bowl or anything is dragged across it or dropped on it. Those hairline scratches we handled happened, perhaps caused by some grain of dirt or whatever, when the tabletop was resting on bubble wrap! The manufacturer has a great design, but they need to police the cutting and welding more closely, and they really need to cover the surface with lacquer or something to protect the pretty powder coating. Otherwise, the table will look like a mess in short order. We'll see how the protective plexiglass sheet works, but even it will require yet more expense replacing it when, not if, it becomes too scratched.
