Keter Eden

This bench was more than I expected. It was quite easy to set up and is sturdier than expected. My Dad and I are both 200 lb. and we sat down together and leaned against the back with no problem. I couldn't picture how much 70 gallon capacity would hold. However, I put in 2 folding chairs & table, small toolbox, dog dummies, sprinkler, kneeling pad, etc and it isn't even half full. It really cleaned up my patio and allowed me to keep some things handy that I used to go inside to get. I was concerned about how water-proof it will be, and it hasn't rained in the week since I got the bench. There is a channel beneath the back seat hinge that should capture water, but I'm not sure where that will drain when full (maybe I'll put the hose to it and find out). If there is a weakness it may be the floor. It is a corrugated plastic which sits off the ground about 1/2". I may put a thin board underneath it for added support. The floor was the only difficult part to install. I could have used a second person for that. I had one small part arrive defective ( a foot cap) and the company immediately sent out a replacement. After considering many different patio storage options, I am most satisfied with this choice. It has plenty of room, is functional as a bench and looks nice.

After moving from a big house to a small apartment, my every day life got really messy.I spent a lot of time looking for storage items that served multiple purposes... ie. storage boxes that were decorative and could be DISPLAYED (instead of thrown in a closet), a sofa table that held lamps and speakers AND had drawers.. etc. But none of those things could fit bigger items like my boxing gloves, lawn chairs, house cleaners. Then I discovered the storage bench.There are SO many of these options all over the web and can very easily be $$$$. Water proof, water resistant, plastic makes it look ugly, needs to be treated, weight limitations etc etc. I chose this one because it fit my budget and did not appear to be super ugly. My only concern was that it would look too plastic-y thus look CHEAP.Low and behold, it doesn't. But note, I am also not a fancy-pants decorator. This sits out on my patio and is very visible from my living / dining room / kitchen but looks pleasant and nice. I keep it relatively clean so it stays in excellent condition. I love that it holds so much stuff and I can comfortably sit on it with my dog without worrying I'll break the darn thing. Also, the lock option is great. I don't use it regularly but I like the option.Only small drawbacks are...- assembly. It was difficult for me to piece it all together alone as the parts were fairly large and awkward to move around. One part was half-way assembled incorrectly which meant I had to grunt and sweat to UNdo it, then redo it the right way.- bottom. The bottom of this bench that all my crap sits on feels like just sturdy cardboard with not much support under it. Thus there is no way I would attempt to move this bench unless it was empty. Also, I am careful with what items I toss in there as I don't want to damage it.

(See pics I've submitted for reference.)I purchased this with plans to put it on a deck or large dock. I also have a couple of Suncast 50 gallon deck boxes, so I have something to compare this to.Pluses:-Great Value: Other smaller outdoor storage benches usually cost about 20%-50% more-Large storage: 70 Gallon-Comfortable: first time my wife tried the bench, she remarked that she could sleep on it! :)-Lockable (you provide the lock)-Looks very nice-Durable (seems like the heavy plastic used for some outdoor kids playsets...should last many years unless you're a really, really big and rough kid).-The open-slat back allows you to add on outdoor cushions (see pic I uploaded). Suncast and some others have solid backs, so you can't use the same cushions. This was another reason I chose this model.Minuses:-Plastic isn't as nice as the Suncast (as noted more like the kids' play set plastic), so it doesn't seem as 'classy'-A lot of flashing on some of the pieces. Flashing is plastic overflow during the molding process. I used to build a lot of plastic models and flashing was usually a sign of lower quality/older molds used. Not a big deal to me since I just trim it out with a knife and most of it becomes hidden during assembly; however the Suncast product didn't have any of this.-Bottom floor of box doesn't seem very strong. Since the floor is made of something like a big sheet of plastic corrugated cardboard (and screwed in on the edges with small screws), I wouldn't suggest putting in too many heavy items. Perhaps they should have used some metal slats to help support the floor. This isn't a problem for me (will use it for life jackets...great idea for a dock), but something to note for others.Regarding some people mentioning it not being water tight, etc. I wouldn't suggest sealing the bottom since water may then accumulate inside. I believe it's better to allow water drainage in case water does make it's way inside.Time to take a nap on the bench. :)