I purchased this for 2 reasons: 1) to keep my 2 1/2 yr old daughter out of certain areas & 2) to keep my 10 month old pug puppy out and in certain areas. When you first get this item, you will probably think that yours is defective. It probably isn't. Apparently, they leave a large gap where the latch connects to the gate. When you pull it out of the packaging you will really notice this. They make it this way so that when you tighten the gate against the door frame, the gap shortens and everything works properly - so don't freak out until you actually try the gate! And definitely try the gate in the door frame before you install the cups just in case it doesn't work for some reason, though it probably will. We just bought a "new" house which was built in 1939 and has numerous "projects" still in process. For example, the bathroom on the main floor is connected directly to the laundry room. There is no door in between, but the laundry room itself has a door - so you can shut the door to the laundry room to have privacy. However, my dog is not allowed in the bathroom because he chews on everything, drinks out of the toilet, and licks the inside of my daughter's training potty (EW). So we put this gate between the laundry room and bathroom to separate the two. The doorway is just drywall - it doesn't have wood like the doorway in the photo. BUT the gate still works great and doesn't damage the drywall in anyway. We did install the cups for better stability - we tried without the cups, and it wobbled. We would have to tighten the gate so much that the gap would shorten too much and the gate part wouldn't work properly. With the cups installed, it's very stable and everything works great. We also are going to install the other gate in the kitchen doorway which DOES have wood around it like the one in the photo - to keep our daughter out while we're cooking and to keep the dog in when we leave. We'll probably install the cups for this gate as well. All in all, this is a very sturdy gate but I do recommend you use the cups. They provide more stability and ease the mind. My daughter and my dog run into the gates all the time and nothing happens. The gate mechanism is fairly easy to use as well. I've only had the gate up for 2 days and I can already open and close it one-handed. My dog chews on it and it hasn't scratched the paint. The gate is also much taller than I expected (I'm 5'4" and it comes up to my collar bone) which is great because the dog can jump over the standard height gates. The gate opening is kinda small, so if you're a large person or have large people in your house or large people who visit, it might be a problem depending on how often they will need to go between rooms. I am average sized and I have to walk through the gate at a slight angle to avoid hitting the opening sides with my arms/shoulders. I am extremely happy with these gates and I recommend them to everyone with kids or pets! (WARNING: make sure that you periodically check the pressure of the gate. I check mine every couple days because normal use can cause the gate to loosen slightly.)

Product met expectations, however it was installed at top of stairs with spindal posts, we zip tied one side due to the feeling if the baby pushed hard enough it would eventually give. Door opening is also a bit snug when carrying the child in one arm.

This gate arrived very quickly, and I found it very easy to set-up. I ready thru the instructions a couple of times just to get each step fixed in my mind before beginning. The outer box it was delivered in was beat up and torn, but the product itself was in great condition. I am using it to keep cats separated, and my smallest one got her head inbetween the gate opening and first rail, so I taped a large bathtowel around that post, and now she can't get her head stuck. I also had to place another small wooden gate over that one since the cats have springs in their legs, so the handle mechanism necessitated my placing the second gate a bit higher than I really wanted to in the door frame. This set up works just fine so far though.

I've had three different gates before this one, and this is by far the most sturdy gate. Neither my kids nor my boxer can knock it over, and I really can open it with one hand. **I used different screws to install the gates because the screws included, I felt, were too short**

We just got a puppy (large breed) and she was able to get over the smaller tension gates we bought but this gate stopped all of that. The walk-through design is perfect for keeping her in 1 area and away from the other animals but still allows us to move around the house freely. As she gets bigger she will probably be able to knock the gate down as we did not use the mounting cups but rather just the tensioner rods to avoid putting holes in the doorway. Overall a great buy!

Using this gate to separate the spaniel and the siamese. We installed just outside a doorway (as you would if door was at end of hallway)so it does not interfere with the closing of the door or the use of the doorknob. Easy to set up.(my eighteen year old put together and set in place in under 5 minutes without even reading the instructions). We did not use the plastic caps that were provided because the walls are paneling/brick. We've had it for a couple weeks and use it daily. Sturdy and easy to open and close although it does take two hands to open. Love the height, latch is at a level that requires no bending for those over 50. Shopped around alot and this is the best gate for a great price. Price ($42)was less than half of most gates. I would highly recommend this gate.

This was exaclty what I needed. I use it for my dogs. It separates my Shar Pei and Belgian Mal from my Chow Chow, Border Terrier and Chihuahua. None of the fit through the bars. It is perfect and sturdy. I would absolutely buy this again! Great for barriers for dogs.

I bought this item to keep my puppy from going into the living room. I put it up at the kitchen divide. I chose this one because of it's highth as my pet likes to jump high! The gate opening is narrow, so if you are overweight it may be a problem. Otherwise this is a good durable product.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Installation took only about 15 mins. Mark where you want the cups to go before putting in screws as they can move easily. Must be square to operate properly. Note, you will have screw holes left in door frame when you remove it, so if you have a rental or that will bother you when you are finished with it..

I'm using it for a dog, not a baby. Its probably better suited for a baby. When my dog gets bigger she's going to be able to knock it over easily. The tension system and rubber holders isnt the greatest. It looks nicer than the smaller wooden ones but I think those have better rubber tension grips. Overall, so far so good!