Ok, this shower bench is pretty nice for the price, it looks sleek and I love the fact it can be raised and that unlike built-in shower benches, there are no corners for water to collect and eventually seep through causing water damage over time. You can leave it in the down position if you have the room or just close it when you're done. Here's the thing, this is best suited for new showers or if you're getting your old shower redone because it NEEDS to be anchors to the studs behind the wall and also in order to install it exactly where you want it you may have to add blocking or extra studs. I'm a tile installer by trade and did our own shower over about three years ago so I had pictures and measurements of the studs in our shower saved so I knew where I could and could not anchor it. I question the 500lbs rating, but have no way to prove that wrong, but it seems sturdy enough for most people, I'm a big guy and it supports me fine. The teak wood looks nice, it's a clean minimalist design. For the price I think it's a good deal. Will update this review if need be.