Rather, those that took away stars or panned this stand in their review either (A) did not read the description and/or directions or (B) do not understand what it means when something is purposely manufactured to be ADJUSTABLE.
There is something inherently wrong with criticizing an item because it is exactly what it is described as being and has been built to be - but that is what has happened here with the negative reviews.
This food bowl riser is DEFINITELY NOT "flimsy," nor "cheap," nor "poorly constructed." Rather, it is ADJUSTABLE, meaning that it will fit a wide range of food bowls of varying size.
Given that it is adjustable, that means there MUST be a certain amount of play between the different parts.
If it were not so, it could not be adjustable.
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I have used this riser to feed what is now my very large, 1 year old puppy dog for more than 6 months - 2 or 3 meals per day every day. This food bowl riser is the perfect height for him and as I said, it easily adjusts to fit whatever bowl he eats from.
Even as enthusiastic as he gets at mealtime, it has never, not even once, tipped over, been knocked over, nor even slid across the floor. It has steadfastly survived each meal with him eating the food, licking the bowl, licking the riser legs, licking the floor under the bowl/riser, and dancing around the kitchen after finishing the meal.
This is made out of sturdy bamboo. It adjusts with 1 hand, folds flat using the included Allen wrench in seconds (well, as long as you do not lose the Allen wrench - it is 4 mm if you do lose it, by the way), and when closed to its smallest footprint, takes up very little room.
If you need to lift your dog's food bowl off the floor to make it easier to eat, this very-well-build riser will do it for you.
Very highly recommended.
P.S. The large silver ball (Omega Paw Ball, ASIN: B0028QHN3G) is there to slow his eating and prevent bloat.
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P.P.S. For those that do not like that this riser has a little play between the moving parts, you can always size it to fit your specific dog bowl and then permanently secure the slats together with super-glue, nuts and bolts, clips, or whatever, and that would certainly make it more solid ...
... but then it would no longer be adjustable, would it?