SauderShoal Creek Dresser, Jamocha Wood Finish

So pros and cons about this dresser:It’s a pretty decent dresser once put together. (See pictures)I love the drawer space and the size of the dresser.I wanted a solid black dresser but this dark brown color is pretty cute and close enough.ConsThe leg came broken I called the phone number and they ordered me a part without any complications (Pro). Only issue is that the part came a week later (shipped via USPS) so my dresser was not put together right away.Some other pieces (front of the dressers) had chips in them, however, I did not want to wait for those parts to ship.Some parts did not come labeled correctly (See attached pictures) so I had to guess and which part went with what.In the direction booklet it gives you a link to the video and a QR code. I am unaware of how to use the QR scanner, however, I went to the link and there was no how to video presented on the website.Things to know:I read the previous reviews and this dresser was NOT easy for me to put together by myself. At some point the parts were backwards and the dresser was on the wrong side (in the front instead of the back) Which for me took multiple turns to get it right. Very frustrating. The drill works WONDERS just make sure to not overpower the screws.Do:Invest in a drill. If you do not have one already understand why they label “do not use a drill” in their instructions however there is NO WAY I would have been able to screw the screws in by myself.This dresser will take TIME. Especially if you have no help.I pieced pieces with pieces before beginning (I placed all the parts per drawer in six separate piles away from the dresser)Other:I saw these knobs on a different review and decided to order them as well (GoodtoU Dresser Crystal Knobs). They are not as tight as I would like them but still cute and add a personal touch.

I loved this dresser in so many ways. It is beautiful, just the right size with nice deep drawers, well made drawer pulls, and feet that give it enough clearance to both balance out the look as well as vacuum underneath. I didn’t even mind how long it took to put together. But it is too heavy for the hardware that holds it together! It started to fall apart the second or third time it was moved. The top started to lift up. The laminate came off. The back warped and pulled off. The inside is particle so the bottom supports and sides started to crumble at the fastener locations. Having said that, I haven’t found anything at this price point that fits my needs and is not the same level of trashy construction, so I’ve had it for ten years. It’s now supported by books (because it bows in the middle - the middle foot came off almost immediately and the whole thing sagged so bad all the drawers were too crooked to open), has had half a dozen fix attempts with new nails etc, and all bedroom furniture reorganizing has to be CAREFULLY considered around whether or not the dresser needs to be moved again. If you get it - get sliders for the legs, immediately reinforce ALL the corners with brackets or something, and just be aware that it is HEAVY and probably should not be moved much.

So there’s things I love about this dresser and things that I don’t. The drawers are a good size. It does look a little darker in person than the online photo. I ordered the espresso one. It took a very long time to put it together and I’m pretty handy. But I also like to take my time making sure everything is right so that nothing looks off or crooked. And even though I did that, one of the drawers is still slightly crooked even with adjustments. Will have to deal with it. It’s not really noticeable but I’m a perfectionist. I’m not a fan of the fact that it doesn’t have a front support bar underneath, only in the back. So the dresser can slightly rock if you move it hard enough. It is very heavy though for engineered wood. I couldn’t move the box inside and had to empty it from the porch. I do love the look. And couldn’t imagine trying to return it now. With all that weighed in, my feelings for it are neutral. Because I decided to keep it, I bought the side tables because I need my pieces to match at least and the furniture isn’t horrible. Those were much easier to put together and are sturdy and work well. It brought the room together too.

I'm not exactly sure what the people who posted bad reviews of this dresser were doing but they certainly made mistakes putting this together that were their own fault. If you follow the direction carefully, it absolutely will NOT fall apart or lean when you stand it up. I am a small, young woman without a ton of experience with furniture and was able to put together 99% of this dresser alone in a few hours. Some tips: use a drill and a screwdriver because it will save time and make everything tighter. Follow the directions extremely carefully and slowly. Look over all the steps before beginning. Allot enough time (several hours) so you don't rush. Handle the pieces carefully because the paint can scratch off. Toward the end, you put together frame of the dresser. Do that step with the back of the dresser facing up so you can immediately tack on the back piece without having to flip the whole thing. Don't force the drawers to shut before trying to adjust their height on the runners with a screwdriver. Have a second person help you stand it up.Overall this is a nice, solid dresser for the price. It's steady and heavy. The drawers slide nicely. It fits a lot of clothing.I did take off one star for two reasons. First, the top piece of my dresser arrived damaged in the box. I called Sauder and they sent a replacement quickly which is great customer service. Still, I lost a couple days use while I waited for the replacement piece to arrive. Second, the paint was a little worn off one drawer corner. It seems like if the drawers are bumping into each other, the paint will wear off fairly quickly since it's laminate and not solid, stained wood. But that's what you get for this price range.

I was a little worried about this dresser after seeing pictures with the crooked and droopy drawers. While assembling the drawers I realized the reason people are getting crooked drawers is that when the rails are installed there is a little plate in the center with a Phillips-shaped slot in it. You have to screw that with a Phillips screwdriver to get the ends lined up correctly. It sort of moves the rail up and down as you screw. To be fair the directions don't point this out, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist.Overall I'm happy with the dresser. It is heavy like others stated, but I was able to get it up the porch steps (3 steps) and into the house on my own. If you've never been trained on how to lift heavy objects without messing your back up, don't try this.One thing I did not like is there is a gap between the back of the drawer face and the center divider. I don't know why they thought this design was a good idea, but that divider should have been farther out toward the front of the dresser. You can see the light-colored wood on the drawer sides from certain angles, and I just don't like that.