had them a few houses ago- not very comfy and got destroyed within a yr or two...

Some friends have these chairs without cushions. Comfort-wise, they are okay for about an hour; you definitely don't want to linger.

In terms of sturdiness, they are okay provided you glue the pieces together during assembly. One of my friends' chairs practically got disassembled because a guest's fidgeting and odd positions on the chair loosened the screws.

I have a set I use for the breakfast room, with some cushions. (I also use one in my bedroom to put on my shoes). I've had them about 2 years. Granted I don't use them for lingering dinner parties with fidgeting guests or rowdy teenagers; but for normal everyday sit-and-eat use, I'm pleased with them.

i've had mine for about 13 years... still going strong.
they are okay for short periods; probably a good idea to invest in seat cushions

Super classic ladder back. I can't attest to their quality but style wise you can't go wrong.

cushions are adviseable ...
and when you take care to tighten the screws now and then, they are sturdy (honestly, to have one go apart "because a guest's fidgeting and odd positions on the chair loosened the screws" you must have assembled it loosely to begin with, to say the least :-D

i have four of them around my kitchen farm table and they're great. i mean, for $40 each, i'm much happier with them than i expected to be. they match my light-ish old pine table perfectly and they're comfortable enough, even without cushions, to sit around for a bit, which is all anybody ever does in my kitchen. the serious lounging happens in my living room.

oh, and my chairs are extremely sturdy.

We have very similar ones from Ikea and I'm very happy with them, it's been 5 years or so. Same base, just a different style back. Screw them tight when assembling and they will be sturdy. For the time one would spend eating they are fine but for longer use I would recommend cusions. Ours are black and the paint has started to wear, but I'm calling it a "distressed look" and don't mind at all - I'll repaint when the time comes.

Eh.. friends had these and they fell apart fairly quickly.

Ladderback chairs are not inherently as sturdy as spindle back and other styles of chairs. If you like the style you should be able to find much better made chairs for not much more money.

Most places that sell unfinished wood furniture will have some similar style to this.

got mine on craigslist for super cheap. don't know how old they are, but i've had them for a couple years and they're still very sturdy. they're not super comfortable on their own (i bought cushions for them), but most dining chairs aren't.

Don't do it!

if you can spare a bit more cash (i know, tough these days) you may think of investing in the Kyoto chairs from DWR. i have had mine for about 2-3 years. they are wonderful quality and has a nice sit. coffee/black combo is on sale...

http://www.dwr.com/product/furniture/dining/chairs/kyoto-chair-vinyl-seat.do?sortby=ourPicks

Every Ikea wood chair I've ever owned has eventually started falling apart. Make sure to use wood glue and some extra screws when you assemble it.