177
people found this helpful, as of 2023
ranked #195,149 most helpful
out of 571,544,897 reviews
★★★★★
I can understand the bad comments - here's the solution:
First off: when assembled properly, this thing is great for the price, and exceptionally attractive.
That being said - I understand the bad reviews, meaning "I think I understand what went wrong".
I hope this helps future buyers:
I'm glad that I had a 4 year stint assembling cheap furniture for a retail store way back in my college years. I learned some tips and tricks then that really helped out here.
This particular dresser relies (RELIES) on one particular post-and-cam hardware, and if you don't get that properly installed and tightened, this thing will fall apart, the drawers will fall apart - all the complaints you've read.
It need not be. It's fine. Do this:
This post has a tapered metal shaft inside that plastic sleeve. It's designed to pull TIGHT, wedging itself inside the plastic, pushing the plastic out, intentionally deforming the plastic to lock solidly into the pre-drilled holes. If you do that, it'll hold securely and firmly!
-- Make sure the post is seated properly and fully. Tap with a light rubber mallet or your fist - if you understand what 'gentle' means.
-- When you assemble, turn the cam a FULL180 degrees - you'll feel it click, and finally stop.
-- Turn the cam with a medium FLAT HEAD screwdriver. Yes, it's shaped like a plus. That doesn't mean phillips - those are flat grooves, you will NOT get the leverage you need with a phillips screwdriver, you will NOT get the cams to pop, to fully lock. The only "pop" you'll feel is the screwdriver tip popping off the cam before it's tight!
Also-
-- Add just a dab of glue to each dowel and make sure they are fully seated.
-- Do the same to the other end of each dowel as you assemble the pieces together.
This will safeguard your furniture - it'll stay together even if that post-and-cam hardware gets loose.
Regardless of the reason - if you DON'T fully turn the cam, you in turn DON'T drive the metal post up, you in turn don't cause that squeeze-out on the plastic bit, and you don't lock the plastic into the pre-drilled holes. Since EVERY panel is held together with this system... Well, you can see the photos from the complainers of what you end up with.
If you mitigate those risks as I described, you'll wind up with one sharp looking dresser.
Only real criticism of the finished product that I have is that the laminate seems thin, likely somewhat easy to scratch - fortunately my cheap furniture experience has taught me to fix scratches as well - and they do include a pen to dab and smear should you scratch it.
June 2017 · Home and Kitchen · verified purchase