Average Reviews:
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For a little shy of a year this gate was used to block off our fireplace and we never had a need to open and close the door of the gate. When we moved to a home without a fireplace, we stuck the gate in a closet and didn't use it for a few years. Then we moved again, and we needed to block off an odd shaped passageway from our 16 month old. In this new location, the door of the gate was getting moderate daily use. After two months, one of the vertical bars on the gate broke off from the top horizontal bar. This exposed a sharp jagged metal piece.
I realize that the gate is a number of years old, but in terms of actual usage, it is quite new. At the time, I paid over $200 for the gate. I would have expected better performance.
I called the company to alert them of the problem. They seemed to not give concern to the problem as a real safety issue, and they informed me that as the warranty only covered a year, they cannot help me. I wasn't looking for a free replacement gate, but I would have thought that a company of their reputation would care about the problem.
A number of years ago I had a safety concern with a product from a major children's manufacturer. When I called the company with my concerns, they asked if they could take the damaged toy back so they could research the cause of the problem. A few weeks later they followed up asking questions in detail about how my child was using the product, my child's size, etc. They really wanted to get to the bottom of what went wrong. (I happened to notice, two years later, the same toy, totally redesigned. I wonder if I was a part of it.) I was very impressed with how they handled the problem and would not hesitate to buy their products again, despite my initial bad experience.
In contrast, Kidco displayed a complete lack of caring in terms of identifying, or perhaps rectifying a potential hazard. Luckily, in my situation, my baby did not get hurt. But I could easily see a child poking out an eye, or getting their head trapped between the bars.
At the very least then the manual should include a warning such as: "Do not use this gate for more than six years - you must buy a new one if you plan a second child a few years later" or "The door of this gate is not meant to be used. Opening and closing the doorway of the gate will cause it to break."
Click Here to see more reviews about: Hearth Safety Gate
The Hearth Safety Gate has five wide interlocking sections measuring high that adjust in 10 degree increments. Constructed of strong tubular steel with a black non-toxic, heat resistant finish that is easy to maintain. Included with the 5 piece set is a walk-through gate section that opens in either direction with a simple one hand adult release.
