Review on 🚪 Carlson Extra Wide Walk Through Pet Gate: Small Pet Door, Extension Kit, Pressure/Wall Mount Kits by Joey Makarovski

I have been a fan of various styles of Carlson gates for many years. I like their width flexibility with different size extensions and the ability to install them without destroying the wall. People who have written negative reviews that the latch does not fit when installed need to read the installation instructions carefully. You just need to keep turning the plastic wall nuts to pull out the screw arms on both sides, top and bottom, and the latch will slowly come closer and closer until it clicks into place. I have an old Carlson gate with a lift handle that has a little red latch. Perfect for keeping my boxers out of the kitchen when I'm cooking (safety) while still letting my cat pass if she wants. I love these goals. A finger rises and falls. BUT. I ordered this brand new gate for another room 15 months ago. It had no handle to lift it. It had 2 turquoise buttons on either side of the handle that had to be pushed and pulled back to open the gate. I understand it's probably safer for kids. But for me it was uncomfortable, harder to open. My mother with arthritis could not work at all. I do not recommend this gate for weak or older hands as it requires too much pulling power. However, I handled it well as all other features I expected were the same. But it wasn't that easy to open it. Unfortunately, after 3 months, one of the buttons could no longer be pulled back. You can push it in, but you can't pull the latch back. The other side button still worked so we got through the gate. BUT. Now 15 months later another button has broken, will not retract and the gate is now unusable. I'm ordering a gate from another brand that doesn't use the latch design you see in the photos. Meanwhile, my old, many-year-old lift-handle gate still works great. I think Carlson should either a) offer an old latch with a simple lift and sell it as a pet gate and not a baby gate, or b) use a gate latch product that isn't difficult to use or junk. Since the latch is part of the gate, we need to discard the entire gate. Such a shame. Carlson, please consider upgrading the latch design to make it last longer and be easier to use.