Update to my comment last year. We loved our Canadel table, chairs and counter stools that we had for 20+ years and when we downsized last year, I was hesitant to buy any more Canadel products after reading the reviews. However, we decided to buy a small Canadel table for our new kitchen to match the counter stools (from 20+ years ago) that we took with us to our new place. So glad we did! The table is wonderful. Even better, we were able to get the same wood and black finishes to match our old counter stools. Most companies do not maintain the same colors and woods over the years, but Canadel does. We've had the table now for about 7 months and it is holding up well with no scratches (we use placemats). One of the swivels on our 20+ year old counter stools finally stopped working properly. The furniture store where we bought the new table contacted Canadel for us, who provided us with the name of the manufacturer of the metal swivel piece. We we were able to order a replacement swivel directly from that manufacturer, put it on the stool and it's now like new. Our experience with Canadel has been good and we are very pleased with their furniture.

I used to "sell" Canadel in our store. I say "sell", because it couldn't hold a candle to our other line, Saloom. In two years we didn't take a single Canadel order, while we were selling a lot of Saloom. We finally sold one Canadel set for cost, and couldn't even sell the other. My wife and I then bought a new house and wanted a set fast, so we took home the remaining set. The chairs are so top heavy that if you throw a coat over the top it could tip over. Last year when my son was three he'd push against the table, tilting the chair backwards. We kept telling him to stop but several times he'd send it flying back. It didn't take much. And yes, he hit the floor. Thankfully he has a hard head and the floor is several layers of vinyl:-). He has since learned not to do that. ....... When you have a Canadel next to a Saloom, like we did, there is just no comparison. The Canadel just looks cheap by comparison. Canadel is birch, Saloom is maple. To me its like something being stainless vs. sterling. Canadel chairs slap a piece of foam over a board. Saloom seats use laminated foam and have cut out bottoms. One sit and you'll immediately tell the difference. We brought in Canadel because at the time it was about 25% less expensive. But nobody wanted to buy something not even close for just 25% less. Its all moot now anyways, Canadel is about the same price as Saloom. Check them out at www.Saloom.com.

I live in Ohio and just purchased an Amish made dining set. Great quality. I looked at Costco and our local large furniture stores. Quality was just not there. Also looked at comparably priced Canadel dining sets. Looked nice but reviews pushed me away. What I learned is that most of the Costco Asian made furniture, as well as large furniture stores, are made with rubber wood. Malaysian oak is rubber wood. It is significantly inferior and explains why so many Costco reviewers complain about loose screws. Screws pull out of this inferior wood. Also, reading about rubberwood furniture explains why so many people complain about strong smells from their furniture. Rubberwood is loaded with insects and must be heavily fumigated. It takes several years for the gases to be released. Rubberwood has a great marketing campaign, and misleading blogs to enhance the image. Hope this is useful to someone.

Even after reading many reviews on Canadel, I'm still not sure what to do. Perhaps it depends on the color/finish on the table. Some options offered are stains, while others look more like a painted finish. The other brand we looked at is Gascho, Amish, made in America. Altho it appears we have lots of space for a table, we have only about 7 feet between the island and where the carpeting starts in the family room. We need to have the table close to the island in order to have "good traffic flow".