MantelMount MM540

Works as it should. Not easy to install, but I wasn’t expecting it to be. It seems sturdy.

I am using this unconventionally to mount my TV above the bay window in my living room. I could not find anything else as fully featured that would allow the TV to drop BELOW the center of the mount. This is really important because I only have a little over a foot of clearance between the top of my window and the ceiling. Pros: The mount is sturdy, has good range, is easy to adjust up and down, and was extremely easy to put together. Slick accomodations for a bottom sound-bar is nice. Cons: The angle of panning is weak. It is very expensive. It is fairly heavy, by itself. WARNING: If you are using this mount for a similar purpose as me, you need to know that you have to open the lowering arm BEFORE you mount it to the wall bracket. It took a lot of strength to pull the thing away from it's neutral position in order to put a lock in it in order to keep it open so it can be safely mounted. This is a two person job, it requires lots of strength, and it is definitely not meant to be opened without first being mounted to the wall. Also note that even with this lock, the top of the arm will rise just a little above the wall mount bracket. Room for improvement: Please, please, please make this easier to open without being mounted. The resistence is turned pretty much all the way up out of the box. Wider pan and tilt angles would make this mount literally the best mount available. Also it would be real nice to be have the ability to adjust the vertical stop so you can set the maximum height. While this mount is expensive, it is definitely worth the money. I imagine it would be even nicer if I were using it for the intended above-mantle purpose, but just keep in mind the difficulties of following in my footsteps if you choose to buy it for that purpose.

Overall I'm fairly satisfied with the product so far. I've only been using it for a day, but so far I'm happy with the decision to buy a mantel mount. A few details: I hung a 75" LG TV with a Samsung soundbar. This TV is approx 75 lbs + the soundbar (several lbs). I used the lag bolts into studs on my wall. I have amateur DIY skills. I'm also a technical writer (this will become apparent in my review style). Here are my notes: - Before Installation section -- it should have mentioned to check that you don't have a wall outlet that conflicts with the center line of your mantel. While you can position the wall plates (horizontal bars) off-center, the wall arm has to be centered on your wall. I couldn't go higher or lower to avoid my wall outlet (due to TV size and wall space), so I ended up installing the arm 2" to the left of center. In the end, it wasn't that noticeable being off-center. (this refers to section 2.6 in the manual.) - How hard is it to pull down? Definitely not something my 10-yr-old will be able to fully do. When it's fully upright against the wall, you have to apply quite a bit of downward angle pressure to move it. Marketing materials oversell the ease of positioning. Once it's down, you can adjust the position easily enough, but when it's fully upright, it's hard to pull down. - Before Installation section -- it should indicate what type of soundbars are compatible. If your soundbar has the screw mounting holes on bottom (like my Samsung soundbar) rather than on the back, you'll need to order special brackets to fit on this mount. (I ordered these brackets: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085Y64NMS/). You'll also need screws and washers for your special bracket. - Time required for installation -- I started at 10am and was done at around 4pm. I needed help from my wife and kids to position the mount arm on the wall and to hang the TV onto the mount (about 10 min. total help). The mount arm is heavy. I'm a measure-twice-times-cut-once-kind of guy, so for more experienced people the installation could be much faster. I was worried about drilling the holes in the wrong place on my wall and not having enough space for the TV, but the placement worked well following the instructions. - Instructions are decent. The guide aims to be brief but sometimes lacks more elaboration. I'll call out specifics here. Given the difficulty of adapting to lots of different TVs and scenarios, it's a tough task and the instructions do a respectable job. Notes from the guide: "1.3 Select Screws and Spacers:" There are A LOT of extra bolts and spacers are provided here to accommodate different versions of TV. You will have a lot left over (like 30 pieces here). "1.8 If Installing a sound Bar, attach the Sound Bar Wings" -- due to the jutted-out angle of brackets to adapt my soundbar, I had to add the soundbar partly after hanging the TV. It worked all right but was a guess as to the right angle for these wings. Note that adding the handle/heat sensor becomes more difficult with the soundbar positioned there. My soundbar extends below the handle. I thought maybe I wouldn't need the handle, but you definitely need this handle to pull down the TV, especially when the TV is 75". "3.2 - Verify the Positioning of the Mount with Stud(s)." This was definitely the most helpful step. This is where I realized that the paper template lacked information about the wall arm mount's position, which conflicted with my wall outlet. I didn't realize this conflict until I put the mount arm + wall plates there and was verifying the placement. Verifying this saved me from error here. BTW, the arm + wall plates are heavy and I needed help from others to mark the wall and check the level while I held it in place. "3.7 - Attach TV Brace to the Lifting Arm." The TV brace piece seemed wobbly and insecure. Given how sturdy the arm mount is, this piece where the arm connects with the TV feels kind of precarious to me. "4.4 Attach TV Brace to Vertical Braces." My vertical braces extended to almost the flush edge of the TV brace (see pic). This makes me fear that someone could knock it offline and might make the TV come off or something. The screws holding the TV brace to the vertical brace seem pretty insignificant. I wish it were attached in a more secure way here. I have a fear that the TV will slide off and hurt someone, but so far this is only in my head. I thought that the TV Vesa mounts were standard screw holes so am confused why the pic in the guide shows about 3 inches on both sides of the vertical brace. "5.1 Adjust the Lifting Force for the TV." Re "It may take multiple revolutions to reach the desired tension." For my TV, it took about 10 minutes of revolutions. Think 50-100 revolutions, not just "multiple." I didn't have a deep socket extension so had to reach in from the side at an odd angle with my socket wrench. BTW, here is where if you don't have the right tools, you will regret it. Skinned my knuckle reaching in through the side to turn this bolt. "5.3. Adjust the Bottom Stop positions and Level the TV, if necessary." Couldn't really figure this part out, but didn't seem to be a problem so skipped. Turning the screws didn't seem to do anything for me. "5.8 Install the Wall Place Covers." I was unaware that I'd have to drill my own hole here with a special bit. So far the cover is kind of useless. With such a large TV, the mount is entirely hidden anyway so I am not concerned about this. Even so, it asks for a unique drill bit attachment here that might be unexpected. Overall, the instructions aren't bad at all. I just wanted to pass along my notes and experience in going through them.

We can’t say enough good things about this. There was really nowhere else our tv could go but above our fireplace, but we hate having to crane our necks to watch tv. This is so functional to be able to move it up and down for watching and for storage! Extremely easy to move up and down, seems very secure and I’m not scared of our tv falling!

First of all this is a pretty hefty and extremely well built mantle mount that allows you to put up the TV when not using it away from your fireplace and then bring it down over the mantle in front of the fireplace for a better view. The TV you're looking at is a 65 inch LG and the milk handles that without a single issue. I do suggest if you are not mechanically inclined to have somebody professionally install it it is a lot more difficult than you think. Other than that, I still give it five stars because it has really made watching TV a lot more enjoyable for my neck lol

The MantleMount is pretty much as advertised. Well constructed of good materials and very stable. Three issues, none of them deal breakers. I have a Samsung 65734UHD so pretty popular model and pretty new. The combination of screws and washers that came with the mount, while extensive, did not accommodate my TV. A trip to the hardware store for different length screws did the trick. The installation to the wall was pretty straight forward. The one thing that's a little tricky is determining the mounting height above the mantle. The instructions make you refer back and forth in the process which gets a little confusing. Initially I mounted it about 1/2" too low and the pull down handle scrubbed the mantle as it passed. Moved the whole thing up 1" and all is well. The other thing that's a little disappointing is the effort required to pull the TV down. I can do it without much difficulty but my girlfriend (about my size) and 17 year old (100LB) daughter can't. I tried adjusting the gas shocks for more assist but then the TV wouldn't stay in the down position, instead it would float up from where you left it. Not the end of the world but not ideal. ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... OK it's a little over a year later and I have a good reason to check in again. About 3 months ago our Mantle Mount got stuck in the middle and wouldn't go up or down. Now that sounds bad but it turned out to be great! I called Mantle Mount and after I answered just a couple questions the very helpful lady on the phone said she was very sorry for the problem and would ship a replacement arm right away. A few days later the new arm arrived. I put it in a day later and it not only works. It works better than the original ever did. In summary I think I may have had a defective unit initially that eventually failed (can happen to any company). The good part is that in failing nothing fell or got damaged so it was still a safe product. The great part is Mantle Mount's customer service is killer. And with the new lift arm functioning properly, my girlfriend and daughter can both operate the lift with very little effort. Thanks Mantle Mount!

This mount is a beast! With careful measuring and a very good stud finder the installation was pretty straightforward. I feel like like my new TV is quite secure, even when I'm pulling it down or tilting to the side. Since I'm old and my TV is huge, it takes a little effort to pull the TV down, but the handles make it easier.

This TV mount is perfect for installing above a fireplace. The quality is excellent, and it feels very sturdy. The price is a bit on the higher side, but it’s definitely worth it for the quality and functionality. I had it installed with the help of an experienced handyman, and now we’re enjoying watching TV at a comfortable eye level. I’m very happy with this purchase and would highly recommend it.

Works well, very sturdy, and very adjustable. Some of the bolt locations are truly terrible - you may have to jump around in the order of the instructions to make assembly easier

TLDR version: I'm very happy with this mount, especially the compatibility with a wide range of TV sizes for future-proofing, and the functionality of being able to choose between 60° swivel one-way, or 30° swivel L/R. I don't think the specifications/instructions are clear enough about the actual maximum lowering distance, so please see my notes about that below if interested. Overall the materials seem good-quality, and I'm really glad I chose this mount! Full review: Price - For me it was a relatively big financial commitment that I'd been thinking about buying for a while, but it's still in a similar price range compared to other mounts that offer some degree of both lowering and swivelling; however, in my opinion MantelMount seemed to offer the higher-quality product and with clearer specifications regarding TV size & weight limitations, as well as mount functionality. Versatility - It is also compatible with a wide range of TV weights (9-40kg/20-90lbs) and screen sizes (44"-80") compared to alternative mounts that I found, so because my current TV is 49" and I'm likely to upgrade to a bigger size in the future, I wanted a mount that would be compatible with both my current and future needs. Usage - I wanted a MantelMount not because I actually have a mantel, but because I have an electric piano underneath and I wanted to create a more multi-functional space, which doesn't give so much importance to the TV when it's not actually in use. This way I can: - have artwork displayed where normally it would be hidden by a TV - watch the TV from the sofa when it's down - game from my armchair to one side when the TV is down and swivelled up to 30° - use the piano when the TV is up Why MM540? - I decided to buy the MM540 specifically because I wanted to have the option of 60° swivel one-way, or 30° swivel both left & right. I initially set it up in the 60° configuration because I wanted 0° for TV viewing from the sofa, and 50°-60° for gaming from my armchair. I soon decided that based on the location of my sofa, 30° L/R provides better flexibility for serving both needs and so I switched it back to 30° L/R. In hindsight I therefore maybe would've preferred the MAX1's capabilities of 40° swivel L/R (with no option for 60° one-way), but from what I've seen the MAX1 is at least double the price, and I couldn't even find a way of ordering it to the UK, so I'm still pleased with my MM540 choice. Shipping - I couldn't find anything quite as good on the UK market so I had to somehow order from elsewhere, and MantelMount don't sell directly to the UK, so I had to go via Amazon IT, however I really hope in the future MantelMount will consider selling directly to the UK market. At least in my case ordering from Amazon, any import/VAT/customs fees were included in the price because I didn't have to pay extra upon receipt of the item (although this wasn't 100% clear when ordering, so I had prepared in case I had to pay fees) Some extra things to be aware of: - TV size - Regarding TV size limitations of 44-80", I contacted MantelMount in advance and if it's not important for you that the TV covers/obstructs the entire mount from being seen for aesthetic reasons, you can totally go for a TV even smaller than 44" BUT the important part is the weight, as it must be between 9-40kg for the mount lowering & raising to function correctly. So for example, you could probably use a 40" TV from 10 years ago because they were generally heavier than they are today. - Maximum Lowering Distance - The Bottom Stop Screws are 'only' able to stop the TV between 18-22" so in reality the TV has to drop at least 18" before a stopping position can be achieved, and if you want it to go lower than 22" then you have to remove the Bottom Stop Screws altogether. Please note that according to the instructions the maximum lowering distance is 27", however as far as I can tell, this is only possible with the Bottom Stop Screws removed entirely. Without removing the Bottom Stop Screws, its maximum lowering distance is 22" instead. This isn't explicitly stated in the instructions, but checking the troubleshooting section under "TV is not lowering the full vertical travel listed in the specifications" it advises: "if you can comfortably pull down and lift the TV but would like for it to drop below the lowest Bottom Stop Position, remove the Bottom Stop Screws on each side [...] the TV will travel even lower"... 'even lower' meaning it can achieve the full advertised 27" of drop, but then there's a risk you can't set a stop position that avoids hitting your mantel - Fixing to a wall - Because it's an American product, there's a strong focus on fixing to wooden studs, but being in the UK myself, masonry walls are quite common. In my specific case I realised it was probably a dot & dab wall (plasterboard with a small cavity and then masonry behind it) so to be cautious, I decided I couldn't use the masonry fixings provided in the MantelMount kit, and instead I had to buy the Corefix 100 fixing kit. If in doubt when fixing to some sort of masonry, I would say that the Corefix 100 should have you covered, but of course do your own research depending on your individual circumstances. - Installation - There are inevitably many other reviews talking about the pain of installation because the instructions try to cover many different situations and use-cases. Yes it did take me a while, but in my case in the days and weeks leading up to receiving the MM540, I read through the instructions, watched the video tutorial and figured out which parts applied to my specific setup. Some parts of the installation were easier to follow from the video tutorial, whereas for other parts the instructions were clearer for my specific installation, so I would just advise to take the time to make sure you have a reasonable understanding of the installation process from beginning to end, before you actually attempt it. Anyway, hopefully this review is useful to someone out there, good luck with your installations!

What can I say? Definitely a high end TV mount. I haven't installed it yet but I assembled it and it feels very sturdy and worth the money.

I am pretty happy with my MM540 purchase; it does everything I would want it to. It's robust, the lift cylinders work well and are easy to adjust. The installation was much easier than the reviews would have you believe - you can do it yourself (provided you have the tools). I like that it is black, has all the adjustablilty, has paintable mount covers, heat sensitive handles, can tilt, pivot... does what it does well. I do wish it could tilt more though, I do wish that when in the lowered position it was closer to the wall - maybe not suitable for smaller rooms. I'm nit totally sure it's worth the price tag. All in all though great product and would buy another if I the need arose.

We needed a TV mount for over the fireplace and this one is excellent. It is easy to pull down (a little stiff at first) over the mantel and swivels easily. It was a bit tricky to install but well worth the time. It is well built and very stable. Worth the money.