A rattan-front dresser like the GarveeHome 6-Drawer ships flat in hundreds of small parts, and how it goes together determines whether you end up with a piece that looks like the listing photos or one with drawers that stick and overlap. We read through 153 reviews to find out exactly what separates a smooth build from a frustrating one — and it comes down to a few specific, avoidable mistakes.
What the reviews actually say
We read through both the critical and positive reviews specifically discussing assembly.
Where it goes smoothly
Reviewers who took their time and used the right tools describe a genuinely manageable build. One buyer assembled it solo while pregnant: "Easy to put together... Super cute in room and good quality." Another specifically credited the power drill: "Definitely need a power drill because it comes in a lot of pieces. Quality is nice for how much it cost." A third finished it in about an hour with help: "Really impressed with the quality of this dresser. It was actually very easy to put together (took about an hour between my husband and i)."
Where it goes wrong
The defect reviewers report most often is drawer misalignment discovered only after the frame is fully assembled. One buyer: "When it was time to put the drawers in I was super disappointed. There is something off on the alignment of the top 3 drawers. The middle drawer overlaps the end ones. I tried switching them around and it didn't make a difference." Another described a similar outcome after a difficult build: "The drawers move smooth but struggle to stay closed and don't line up evenly so they get caught on each other." A third reported hardware problems: "Sliders didn't even fit and there were gaps between."
How to avoid the misalignment problem
Use a power drill, not a hand screwdriver
This is the single most-repeated piece of advice across the reviews. One reviewer put it bluntly after doing it by hand: "USE. POWER. TOOLS!!!! Doing this by hand took days and a sore hand. Make sure you have a power drill for the screws because you have to do about 100." Hand-driving that many screws also makes it easy to under- or over-tighten unevenly, which is part of what throws the frame out of square.
Assemble with a second person
Several of the smoothest builds in the reviews involved two people — one buyer finished in about an hour with her husband, another had her 15-year-old daughter complete it solo but noted most reviewers found it easier with help. A second set of hands makes it much easier to hold panels square while screws go in, which is exactly the step that goes wrong when drawers end up misaligned.
Test-fit drawers before fully tightening the frame
The recurring misalignment complaints all describe discovering the problem only once the frame was completely assembled — at which point fixing it means disassembling the whole piece. Reviewers who reported smooth builds didn't mention this step explicitly, but the failure pattern points to the same fix: slide the drawers in for a test fit while the frame screws are still slightly loose, and adjust before final tightening rather than after.
The reviewed product
GarveeHome Rattan 6-Drawer Dresser
The most-bought genuine dresser in the rattan-dresser search, with a real assembly learning curve reflected in its 3.9-star average. Reviewers who used a power drill, worked with a second person and checked drawer fit before final tightening consistently reported smooth builds; those who rushed or worked alone by hand were the ones most likely to end up with misaligned drawers.
Check price on Amazon →Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to assemble a rattan dresser?
Based on the reviews, it ranges widely depending on tools and helpers — as fast as about an hour with two people and a power drill, up to 3-5 hours working alone by hand. One reviewer described it as "an all day event" without the right tools. Budgeting a full afternoon and having a power drill on hand is the safest expectation.
Do you need a power drill to assemble the GarveeHome dresser?
It's not strictly required, but reviewers overwhelmingly recommend it. One buyer who assembled it by hand described the experience directly: "Doing this by hand took days and a sore hand. Make sure you have a power drill for the screws because you have to do about 100." A drill also helps keep screw tension even across the frame, which reduces the risk of misalignment.
Why do some rattan dresser drawers not line up after assembly?
Based on the review pattern, this happens when the frame panels aren't seated perfectly square before the screws are fully tightened -- a small offset in the frame becomes a visible overlap or gap once the drawers are installed. Reviewers who discovered this issue found it very difficult to fix without disassembling the piece, which is why test-fitting drawers early, before final tightening, is the recommended approach.
Can you assemble a rattan dresser alone?
Yes -- multiple reviewers did, including one who built it solo while pregnant and another whose 15-year-old daughter completed it by herself. That said, several reviewers found it noticeably easier and faster with a second person to help hold panels steady while screwing the frame together.
What's the biggest mistake people make assembling rattan furniture?
Based on the complaints in the reviews, it's fully tightening the frame before confirming the drawers actually fit and slide correctly. Every misalignment complaint describes finding the problem only at the very end, when it's hardest to correct. Checking drawer fit early, and using a power drill for even, consistent tension, are the two changes reviewers most associate with a smooth build.
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Prices, ratings and review counts change on Amazon in real time — figures above were accurate as of the data-capture date and may have shifted since. Always check the current price on the product page before buying.