When I was considering buying this heater I noticed the reviews largely fell into very good or very bad. The very bd ones were mostly people who couldn't get it to work and this is because it IS tricky to get it to work if, as I was, you are not experienced at working with devices powered by propane cannisters. However, once you get the hang of it, it works very well. I gave it fewer stars on "easy to assemble" because that was the closest summary statistic for ease of getting it to work. Assembly of the heater itself is trivial. To get it to work, you need to connect a 1lb propane cannister. First, for complete newbies, the cannisters ship with a black screwed on cap. Take that off and take off the small black cover on the tip of the heater's connector and you will see that the cannister easily screws onto the connector. Second, perhaps the best advice of all the reviews I read said to light it for the first time IN THE DARK. In daylight it is hard to tell whether the pilot light is lit, making for a very frustrating experience. So wait until dusk to try it. Then, watch the manufacturer's video here on the amazon page and do Exactly what they say. In particular, hold the knob in and 90 degrees to the left for a FULL MINUTE before pushing the starter button and keep it there while pushing the starter button and then for about 15-20 seconds AFTER the pilot lights. Especially the first time, you may need to push the button 15 times before the pilot lights. Make sure you push the button (each time) to the point where it clicks - you have to push it fairly hard. Resist the temptation to let go of the knob when you see the pilot flame. Hold it for another 15-20 seconds to let things heat up. Then release the knob, push in again and turn to catch the whole circle and adjust the level of heat. Once you have done this a few times, you get the hang of it and the pilot often ignites on a couple of pushes of the red button. It is nice and stable with a heavy bottom and puts out a good amount of heat. The one lb cannisters last about two hours. You can use a hose attachment to a 20 lb of propane tank, but I have not done that yet. Enjoy!This was purchased to be used on a patio bar when temps get down into the low and mid 60's.It warms the area immediately around the heater where 2-3 bar stools are located. It is tall enough that it does not block view when talking or watching TV.This was the intended purpose when purchased and fulfilled our expectations.So far no issues, lights without problem every time.*One thing to note is that from other reviews I did not waste my time using the small propane bottles that fit inside. I bought a adapter hose and run it off a 20lb (grill) propane tank located out of the way. It is not bad on propane usage either.However if you are purchasing this to heat a large area or in a strong breezy area I would not purchase.I would say outdoor temp in the low 60's is the limit for use of this heater.I have built/assembled things all my life. The directions on this would baffle the best of them. Huge gaps in the instructions. Some places where they could add some safety warnings (edges are razor sharp (wear gloves), Styrofoam may be clogging vents (clean it out before assembly), which way is UP, etc... The pre-assembled parts were not "straight" out of the box, some screws had to be backed out to put the new screws in place, then tightened back up. Had to realign everything on a second pass.They tell you how to light the pilot, but a picture of where it is so you can do a visual on it would be nice.You have to wonder about the quality when the manufacture plate is falling off right out of the box. I felt no obligation to press it back in place.Once we got it assembled and lit, it produced some great heat. The device is solid and simple. I can see it lasting for years if properly maintained.Would I buy it again. Yes. Would I recommend it to everyone. No. You really need experience in assembling items to overcome the instructions.I'm happy with this heater. For the size it puts out a good amount of heat. I have had no issues with getting the pilot to light. Turn the button to the pilot setting, hit the igniter, and it is lit. I've had it for about four months and no complaints so far.I'm so thrilled with this patio table-top heater!! It's a total workhorse. I tried two different table top heaters prior to this one, both made by DynaGlo, and they both failed within a day. Decided to go another direction and got this heater, it's an adorable mini-me to the taller patio heaters, if you have one of those. It started up on the first click and has done so every day since! What a change in operation. I also hooked up an extension hose with a filter so I can use a 20# tank. Even better -- lasts about two weeks operating for 1-2 hours/day at full blast. That's another benefit of this heater, it actually changes its output when you move the dial. I find it to be a little chilly sitting on the table (it's about 30 degrees outside), but if you put it on the ground between chairs it's amazing. When the weather warms up a bit I'm sure table-top will be perfect. This is a winner!The first one I bought had a defective thermocouple and wouldn’t stay lit.I requested a replacement once it stopped working and amazon shipped a replacement with the usual threat of charging my cc if my return wasn’t received. No problem, I used the packaging from the replacement to return the defective and the process was easy.The second one had the same issue but I reseated the connections to the tip sensor above the regulator and resolved that problem only to have it stop working due to an oil foiled regulator.Something about the high pressure in the hose between the tank and appliance...The small 1lb propane tanks freeze up the regulator and are useless. I also found they aren’t recyclable and have to go to the landfill (BC CANADA) so I purchased a 20 lb refillable tank and adapter hose.If you plan on using this with a 20lb tank make sure you buy an adapter hose with its own regulator at the tank end and/or a filter for the attachment point at the heater.The regulator requires a filter to prevent oil from clogging the regulator diaphragm if using a 20lb tank with adapter hose. The manual doesn’t state this anywhere.I requested another replacement but amazon did not ship it like they said they would so I have no way of returning the defective one aside from taping a waybill to the dome and dropping it off at the post office but I suspect they wouldn’t accept it.Perfect for exterior table. Not as hot as taller one, but just nice temp. Installation is easy, and it wont burn my gazebo even if table is just under. overall nice product. we will see if it resist the time. So far so good after 4 month. i