Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Reading some of the other reviews here, I had to wonder what some of those folks were expecting for this type of gate. A few of them, I think, were being totally unreasonable in their expectations and they certainly didn't seem to understand how these types of gates function. All of that being said, I've raised 5 kids and had 5 different dogs and know exactly what to expect with the Supergate III - It gets a 5 Star rating from me, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a child/pet gate. First of all, the gate is made of heavy grade plastic that feels substantial, is of a grade that should not easily crack, and cleans easily with a damp cloth. I think this is much more desirable than the wooden framed ones, and it only cost a few bucks more than them. Though a bit stiff when brand new (...I suppose a little silicone spray would resolve that fairly quickly, if you can't wait for it to loosen up on its own through use), the gate is easy to operate: Slide it open to fit where you want to put it, then rotate the lever to one of 3 locking positions. To unlock, push the lever in a bit with one finger and pull out past the locking notch with another finger, then rotate the lever. The locking lever acts as a cam that engages teeth on the gate, so it more or less has an infinite adjustment within its operating range, as opposed to having only pre-set notches, and makes for a snug, secure fit. I've used the gate on a variety of painted and wooden surfaces and have not had problems with scraping or any other damage. I've had the dog push on the gate and even jump up on it with his front paws to look over the top and it's never come down. The gate can be used five ways: As a pressure gate for mounting in doorways or halls, with attachable sockets to give extra holding power, with rail sockets to allow to be used between metal (or wood) railings, with hardware that allows for use as a swing gate, and using a combination of sockets to use between wall and railings. For those who care about such things (....and you really SHOULD care!), North States Industries is a private company located in MN, with at least one branch in WI, and the gate is proudly made in the USA with an American Flag clearly visible on the packaging. They have a very good web site with product descriptions & manuals and, from what I've heard, they have very good customer service, though I have yet to need it.