My first hive (of 3) was one and I highly recommend it as it worked for the money and taught me how a hive goes together which was invaluable when I bought second hive (assembled) from another company which was a shambles.
I wouldn't have known the problems they had created without my knowledge from building my own.
Just make sure you put the hive together first before nailing as the timber is still fluctuating a bit through drying and may have expanded or contracted in it's packing.
The smoker, hive tool, jacket etc all work fine.
I agree with the gloves as I use disposables, fresh pair each hive for disease. however if I didn't have the gloves when I took my bees for the second hive on wild comb I would of been in trouble.
There were around 30-40 stings I picked and washed out my gloves that didn't make it through at all.
I still use them occasionally whilst I am trying to manipulate the wild comb into something I can monitor that resembles frames. Very rarely though.
They are worth having just incase.
Funnily enough the jacket is nice and thick an good quality but in that occasion when collecting the wild colony I got stung about 10 times on the head through the jacket, but that was only as I was up a step ladder, very hot and working with my hands above my head due to comb location. Was picking lumps out of my scalp for about 2 months!!
Worth the money in my book, I only havnt bought again as I havnt had time to build my last 2 hives.