I really like this abacus. I bought this version, 2 bead and 5 bead (Chinese), over the 1 bead and 4 bead model (Japanese) because a friend of mine said it was easier to learn on. The one I received is very sturdy and stained in a light color.

I use these to teach my kids math so I'm not losing manipulatives. I think I will be getting a variety of abacus because my older child is starting to master this version so I may upgrade him to the more efficient 1 & 4 version. My younger child is really struggling with the concept of the 5 bead, so I may also get a Danish abacus that has 10 beads.

This abacus is very basic. It does not have alternate colors for 100; 100,000; 100,000,000; etc., nor does it have a reset button. However, it's sturdy, easy to slide the beads, and a cheap experiment to teach my kids math.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this purchase. It's very basic and affordable for those that want to test the waters using an abacus.

This item is well made and works. It would also make a good conversation piece.

Not overly fancy but certainly functional and fun to learn on. I'm fine with the quality of this for the price.

I bought a couple Japanese versions (4+1 beads, as opposed to the Chinese 5+2) for our older son to use, since I figured it would be easier for him to learn on. I don't see 3rd-graders needing the hexadecimal capability of the Chinese abacus, but for my own use this is just fine.

Bought this along with the Paul Green book, which has been a great guide. I don't see the need to buy the Japanese version in addition though as I expect the concepts are the same.

Have worked my way through addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Division next! I think the abacus is a great way to go not just for students but anyone who enjoys math and learning new concepts (new to me, at least--it's pretty cool these things have around for centuries!).

I did not expect to get much for what this item was listing at. Possibly just a decorative "feng shui" piece. However, I received an item which could very well have been intended for daily use! I have used this item along with my children with surprising accuracy and it has held up!

This is a fantastic item to learn math on. My kids think of it as a toy of sorts, and after explaining the "rules" to them, they thought of it more like a game than actual math. My 8 year old was performing quadruple number additions within 15 minutes after "learning" the rules. Scary thing was, she was faster and even more accurate than I was... Oof.

For those who are curious, the abacus was an ancient "calculator." Its applications are still valid today (you can find Youtube videos on its applications). It doesn't need electricity to work, so your businesses can run even when the power is out! It is a nice thing to learn and a cool skill to have. Also, it could be looked at like a fidget toy, except this one is significantly more substantial and worthy!

Highly recommend!

I was going to get a more expensive one but then thought my child would lose interest or break it. I purchased this one. It came and was nicer than I thought it would be. My only wish is that it would have had instructions. I downloaded a workbook for her to use to learn it