We currently rent a flat which has a large open plan kitchen and dining area. When we moved in the landlord had provided one of these dining sets from Ikea. Whilst it's not the most stunning piece of furniture, we realised it was so cheap and so handy that we have ended up purchasing a second one to use as a desk. We keep it in the spare room, and when we have dinner parties (which is quite often) we bring the table and extra chairs in to make a large dining table.

The table and four chairs currently cost just £89 for the lot at Ikea. Obviously if you're paying this price then you can't expect it to last forever, and it's not going to be the most amazing quality in the world, but at that price if this lasts us for a couple of years until we're settled in our own home and ready to make long term furniture purchases, then I'm happy.

Getting the table home from the store was relatively easy as it's flatpacked, like most Ikea products, and it's not too big. We have quite a small car (a Skoda Fabia) and it fit in there easily, so unless you've got something really tiny or you've got other things in there such as car seats, then you should be okay. Putting it together, though - not so simple! As usual, you get picture instructions instead of words. If you lose them, you can download them from the Ikea website, which I think is a great idea. It might not be useful to everyone, but if you threw them away and then you wanted to take it apart to move house or something then it would be handy to be able to download them on the computer.

The instructions tell you that all you need is a flat head screwdriver to put this together, so there's no need to run around trying to find anything out of the ordinary. A small spanner type tool was included along with all the other bits and pieces. The chairs went together really easily, but you do have to watch how you go with them. The bars across the back and some other parts that go around the seat are only treated on the upward and outward facing parts of the wood, so if you add a piece upside down, you'll be able to see the exposed wood.

The table was a bit trickier. It's too hard to explain in a review but there are some small parts that have to screw into some other parts in order to attach the legs to the table top. We tried for ages and ages but the thread just wouldn't take at all, the parts just kept spinning round. This was extremely frustrating! We were lucky though as we already had a made up table to use as an example, so after a while we worked out what we were doing wrong. We took apart one of the legs from the table we already had (which was risky - what if we couldn't get it back on!) and we could see from that what we were doing wrong. I wouldn't say the instructions were wrong or misleading, exactly, but I do think they tried to consolidate them too much. They put too much into one picture, and it would have been better as two separate ones.

Once it was all up and running, we were pleased with the results. The table doesn't look very solid or sturdy, and it certainly isn't heavy, but it does look nice. It's made of solid pine, and treated with what Ikea call 'antique stain' and an acrylic lacquer. I was glad of this because I'm not too keen on pale wood, and I like the look of this. It goes quite well with the furnishings we already have.

The table seats four people comfortably, but I don't think it's quite spacious enough to seat another person on each end to make six - that would be a real squeeze. When we put the two together, you can easily sit eight people and you could possibly manage ten, at a push. It's a good height for dining at, and most people seem to find it comfortable to sit at. The chairs all tuck under very neatly, so when you're not using it it's well out of the way and doesn't take up too much space. I have to say the wood isn't especially hard and it will scratch quite easily - it wouldn't be difficult for a child to make a deep line in the table using a pen or some cutlery. However, that might be a good reason to get it - at least they are ruining something fairly cheap!

The chairs aren't that comfortable, and sitting on the hard wood with only a little bit of support often makes my back ache (I already have back problems, though). We purchased some cushions that attach on to the chair seats at Ikea as well and this makes it a lot more comfortable, but it's an extra expense that you should factor in if you want to purchase this.

We move our table around quite a lot and it's nice and light, same goes for the chairs. Of course this is also a downside, because it means it isn't made out of an expensive, solid wood, but this is really a budget product. It's advised that after a couple of weeks of use you tighten up the table and chairs again to make sure they are completely safe, and we haven't noticed any kind of wobbling or anything like that. Whilst they don't feel super strong, they easily hold quite large people, and they can hold a person sat on another person's knee, too. At our house they've only had the occasional strain like that, though, so I don't know how they'd hold up on a daily basis.

We've had the table that we bought for about three months, and we're really pleased with it. The one that was already there has been there for well over a year, and that doesn't have any marks on it and doesn't show any signs of wear and tear - I can't even tell the two of them apart, usually. This is especially impressive because I viewed the property before the last tenants moved out, and they did not look after the place at all!

So, down to the nitty gritty - would I recommend? Well, yes, and I'll happily give this four stars out of five. It's not exactly an investment piece, and your grandchildren won't be enjoying it in thirty years time, but it serves a purpose. It's perfect for young couples getting started, who need something to set them on for a couple of years, or a family who wants something cheap to go in a playroom or something. It would also suit someone furnishing a buy to let property or someone who wanted a smallish separate table for children to eat at, or someone who wants a dining table but doesn't have much space for one. The list goes on and on! Basically, unless you're looking for a dining table that is fantastic quality and will last you upwards of a decade, then go ahead and buy it. At £89, including the chairs, I think it's an absolute bargain.