Assembly. Yeah, it took a bit of time, but thank the yard gods for the instruction videos on Amazon. Seriously, they're a savior, more helpful than the instruction booklet. And shoutout to Thinkerman for those pics in their review – helped me big time! Now, when this thing first showed up, I thought, \"Is this metal on a diet?\" Seemed a bit thin, but guess what? It's a leaf and grass-eating machine! Handles nuts, needles, and those stuff like a pro, too. And it's light, like \"easy for anyone\" light. My mom could probably kick some yard butt with this thing. Cleaning up is a breeze. Plus, it folds up like a champ for storage. Save room for my already messed up garage. At first, I snagged both sizes 'cause who knows, right? But I'm keeping both now. They're both sticking around. Sure, it takes a bit to put together, but the payoff is worth it.