Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I did a lot of research before purchasing this gate. I had a long list of criteria I wanted a gate to meet and this one fit the most on my really long list. I should say that I have not found ANY gate that meets all my requirements, but this one has worked well so far. This gate is used on the bottom of my really long, steep, wide staircase. My gate is for use with kids, not dogs which is a major distinction. My son is only five months old but this gate has been getting lots of practice for the past 8 months with my nieces and nephews and friends kids, along with my husband and myself. Pros The height is great at 34 inches tall (note, it's only 36 in at the top curve of the walk through portion). Mine is mounted on the first step of my staircase, so when the kiddos approach mine, it actually stretches to 44 and 46 in respectively. One of the few that could fill my wide staircase opening of 47 inches. The bronze color is attractive and blends really well with my decor. The metal gate feels very sturdy and shows no wear despite being bumped and banged into repeatedly with luggage, snowboards, vacuum cleaner etc. The latching mechanism is easy to maneuver with one hand. Great when I have an arm full of clothes or my son in tow. It is safe as it has stumped even some adults who have come to my home. Most people need to be shown how it works in order for them to open it. Big plus for me trying to keep kids from opening it. I should note that pushing the black slider on the top latch is not enough to open the gate. While many adults have simply done that and been able to yank the gate open, no child under the age of five has been able to do the same. The bottom latch has remained engaged until someone has come and lifted the door to get it to open. The added height has made it near impossible for the younger kids to maneuver both the latch and the lifting the door requires to get it open. The gate is easy to adjust and tweak to keep it working properly. This is huge, especially with kids constantly jostling, yanking, and pulling on it to try to get through. I should note that it annoys me to have to adjust it, but I know all gates need to be checked and tweaked occasionally in order to keep them performing their function. The walk through opening is wider than a lot of gates I looked at at 17 inches across. My 6'4 husband fits fine through it. It automatically swings shut and locks. Big bonus as I have it at the base of the stairs for a reason, to keep my the younger kids from climbing the stairs. Cons I don't like the bar that stretches across the bottom of the walk through portion. It is only 1 inch high, but it is a nuisance to step over. It is also a reason I would not mount this gate at the top of my stairs. I tend to be clumsy. :) The walk through opening is only 17 inches across. This is a pro for me in the sense that it is wider than most I've seen, but still would like it to be wider. The gate is noisy when it slams shut. But it latches and locks so I don't mind this so much. And my infant son is now used to the sound so it doesn't disturb him when he is asleep. Overall, I would highly recommend this gate for both form and function purposes. It has been up in my home for 8 months, and with only minimal tweaking, has stood up to the punishment of five rambunctious kids and their little friends. I will admit to searching for a different option for the top of my stairs since my banister poses mounting issues and the bottom bar of this gate scares me as a tripping hazard. But, since none have meet my rigid criteria, the search continues. :)