Ameriwood Home Jacob Laptop Cart, Cherry

I just got, and assembled, this cart. I opened the directions where they tell you to go on the internet to get help also. The paper they send you is a lot better than their internet site. I think they ought to have a video of someone assembling this unit. They do not on YouTube either. Not thoughtful. Again, i've not used this unit but i can tell it deserves 5 stars from me. I never even considered the side deal as something to use for a mouse. I assumed the little table was for a drink or something. Funny, i now see the picture shows a mouse. I use the keypad only. From carpet to first tilt is 25 inches. Without the wheels i imagine first tilt would be 23 inches. I wanted 26 inches and find i love 25. Second tilt is 23 but i'm afraid the computer might slip off but it probably wouldn't. There was a very tiny chip on the surface on the bottom side otherwise i would have returned it. Extremely small but no defect is acceptable to me. The 'vinyl' covering seems to be quite adequate in that it will wipe easily and last a long time. When i got it i did what they suggested. Sit on the floor, check each item to make sure everything is in the kit. I didn't even take the screws and bolts out of the little plastic windows until they were needed. I took a deep breath because the task of assembly looked daunting but i just did one little step at a time. You need to get your own 'Phillips head' screwdriver because they don't include that. Otherwise, everything you need is supplied. After checking each item , which is numbered and pictured , the assembly takes place one huge picture at a time step by step. Words aren't even necessary. I just sat and looked at the picture. There might be about 20 pictures. The assembly process went without one hitch, smoothly, maybe taking 45 minutes. One must concentrate on where the holes are pointed and things are fitted. I made sure all was tightened well. The thing is level, doesn't wiggle, slides wonderfully. Someone mentioned they took the wheels off. I would have taken the wheels off if the desk top weren't low enough to my liking. I imagine, with wheels off, you'd have more sturdiness but wouldn't slide about. I NEVER CONSIDERED PURCHASING THIS ITEM TO HOLD ANY APPRECIABLE WEIGHT. I didn't read what the manufacturer said the table would hold. I could tell by looking at it that it has a delicate nature and would take some minimal finese. When i got the box with the stuff in it i thought 'no way' will this thing be sturdy or hardy, NO WAY. Wrong. I assembled this exactly as directed (that's important) picture by picture no skipping any detail. The pictures are all very well detailed and not any word is needed. All bolts and screws and equipment work great. But, do assemble 'in order' as detailed. I am 'squeemish' about putting a 10 lb weight on the table. 12lbs no way wouldn't think of it and would never purchase this thinking i could put much weight on it. I'm getting a 6lb computer to put on it but THE WEIGHT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED over the entire surface of the flat board. I know, if the weight is distributed, not centered, this will work great. This unit isn't 'too delicate' as i thought but it does have 'movement'. With a 6lb object whose weight is distributed or a few books and such this unit will be more than adequate. I use the side table, which is swell, for paper and cups and such. No way is this unit meant to be leaned on or pressed down on. This is not a 'TV' stand or anywhere close to that type thing. This is not a 'flimsy TV' tray. If anything it's between a 'flimsy TV tray' and a sturdy hardy TV stand. Yes, it 'wobbles' but only when it's pushed or moved in a way it isn't meant to be moved. It is not a 'table'. It's not as sturdy as a podium. I find it excellent for my needs which will be to eat off of and play on the computer. The unit has 'give' but it's not 'wobbly' or unsturdy. I'd trust my expensive computer to it. The structure is plenty solid for it's intent. Again, i wouldn't go past 7lbs or so. I placed a 10 pound weight on the unit and i WOULD NEVER PURCHASE THIS FOR A 12.5lb laptop or probably any 'gaming laptop'. I'm getting a 6lb computer and i think that's about the maximum weight i want to put on it. And, that's because the weight is distributed over the entire surface. It's a tricky unit. I can see why some don't like it. I suggest thinking hard about what it's going to be used for. There is a 'delicacy' to it. A certain 'give to it'. Within the 'giving' perimeters of the unit it's perfect. Would be a great 'TV' tray for eating but NEVER a TV stand no matter how small the TV. Fine podium or reading 'stand'. And, an excellent computing station.

I have been looking for a while for an affordable laptop cart that wasn't expensive but wasn't garbage either. When you go to the big box stores, most often you find these carts for well over $100 and many times they are very poorly made. This product though is just the right price and you don't sacrifice quality to get it.Pros - Priced right. Overall finish of the product is very nice. I have dark wood furniture and wood floors and the cart looks at home in my living room, not cheap. I have had friends comment on how nice it looks. Relatively sturdy. It is not solid as a rock but I don't find it teetering, squeaking, rocking, or wobbling while I use it. It has great height adjustability. I am a taller guy and have a taller chair that I use with the cart and with where it is currently set I still have another 5 inches of travel I could increase the desk height. Wheels are adequately sized for maneuverability while the cart stays in place as I use it. Assembly was straight forward. All parts were labeled and tools supplied with the exception of a Philips screw driver which most people should have. Instructions were simple to follow.Cons - The tilting mechanism for laptop desk isn't the most sturdy. It is adequate and stays in place but overall kind of sloppy. I don't have any worries that it would fail because is uses solid metal components but overall just kind of sloppy in play if you purposefully move it around. It hasn't been and issue though when typing.Overall I would recommend this product. It also was shipped fast and arrived a few days early.

At first I gave this four stars. It was obviously not real wood, which makes me wonder why they didn't make it a little thicker, if only to make it LOOK sturdier. It's sturdy and stable enough for my 15" laptop or a good-sized book, and it works well without the casters if you have a decent rug or carpet it can slide on.* I say this because I had to remove the casters for it to fit under my sofa. Now for the downside--after just a few weeks, the vinyl coating on the table top (or whatever the wood grain pattern is printed on) began to peel up along the bottom of the back edge. I might have rubbed the bottom front edge with my legs because I angle the desk toward me, but the back edge hasn't come into contact with anything, so it must just be a case of a poorly applied finish layer, or just not enough glue. I decided to glue it back down with some Elmer's, thinking that should be benign enough, but after letting it dry and removing the painter's tape, some of the wood grain printed on the back edge of the underside peeled away like a thin outer layer of paper, revealing some tan colored particle board or whatever. It's on the underside so not really noticeable, but a little disappointing. Also, if you're fussy you won't love the fact that the two table tops don't line up exactly when in the center position, but you can't tell that when it's tilted. Lastly, the two knobs you tighten on the vertical shaft to fix it at your chosen height, are mounted through holes on the outer shaft into threaded holes on the inner shaft, so you have to completely remove both screw-knobs to change the height, then put them all the way back in to tighten. Long slots instead of holes in the outer shaft would have allowed it to slide when the knobs are loosened, but I guess that would have required a couple of washers. Sounds like a lot of negatives I know, but I still gave this 3 stars "It's Okay" because the $40 price tag is impossibly low, especially considering the free shipping, and it doesn't look NEARLY that inexpensive. *NOTE: If removing casters for use on carpet or rug, you MUST reverse the four (4) nuts and bolts so that they protrude on TOP instead of underneath the horitontal legs, where they would catch in a rug or gouge/scrape a harder surface! The small plastic cross-shaped fitting that hides the four (4) nuts and bolts will not sit as flush with the legs, but I promise your friends will never notice. I took a few pics to illustrate the reversed bolts and the not-quite flush, cross-shaped fitting, in case any of this wasn't clear. Hope it helps.