Has anyone ever tried those magnetic screen doors? My son has one.

Do they really keep out the bugs? He says mostly but not 100%

Do they really close up nicely when you walk through? Or do you have to fiddle with them to close them up each time? Some fiddling, but he is willing because of the increased air flow and that's what he was after.

What about your dogs - do they use them? Any advice please? He has an indoor/outdoor cat and also has a cat *door* on a window which is available year round. When both are available (spring/summer/fall) , his cat prefers the big screen door. Took him about a minute to figure it out.

We had one last year. I'd say it lasted one season. You put it up with velcro. If you stretch it juuuuust right and have it secured in the right spots, it works. Yes, you can walk right through it, but the magnets don't always line back up. We'll probably put it back up this year, but we will have to get new velcro strips. The velcro worked well, but the adhesive that stuck the velcro strips to the door frame didn't stick very well. We used it on our sliding doors tot he back porch. Hope this helps. I think I only paid $14.99 for it at Bed & Bath.

We had one for several years on the door to our garage. In the summer, we got a nice breeze through there but didn't want the hassle of a screen door year round and didn't have room for a swinging door. It worked well for us. The cat was able to come and go as he pleased. It kept out bugs for the most part...it doesn't seal completely like a door would as there's space at the bottom. However, the thing shut nicely the vast majority of the time. We could go through with groceries in hand and such without issue, though you did have to skootch the screen material aside to get through. So, elegant? no. Attractive? no. But practical and an inexpensive solution that works as advertised? yes.

Thanks ladies(guys?). I'm still on the fence about this one but at a low $14.99 (if I can find it at that price) it's a small investment to give it a go.

Sounds like it's worth a trial at that price.

We installed a somewhat more expensive one in front of a single glass door that rolls into a vertically mounted metal tube, white against a white door frame (not exactly gorgeous, but it's really hardly noticed). It's worked quite well for five years for two adults, no kids. Opens and closes easily and securely, does its job, and spends the cool months tucked away in its tube.

Thanks Rosie, I had one of those (invisible screen doors) at my last house. Trouble was, the dog figured out how to nose it open all the time. He'd never close it though! He's adorable but not that smart!

I use one on my patio door during the summer every year. (Mine have only lasted one season each) My dogs use it easily. The magnets work well if you leave a little give in the mesh when you place your velcro strips. I don't want a screen door in that space full time and I want the dogs to have easy access to the yard, so this has been the perfect solution for us. No problems with bugs coming through at all.

Mine didn't last the summer. The magnets fell off. It was cheap though, so I say its worth a try. Maybe mine was especially crappy or we were just rough with it, who knows.

We had retractable screens on our old French Doors. They were more expensive and worked great, BUT the cats figured out they could get underneath them. They were not pet safe.

Anyone know what these $15 items are at bed bath? this looks promising for until we get a more pricey retractable screen door - we're figuring out what type to get but the pricier ones seem to range between $120 and $400 or something and I'm leaning toward a $200 one. $15 sounds even better....

I bet it is pure paradise for people who live in areas where snakes like to go inside to beat the noonday outdoor heat.

Here's the one from Bed and Bath.

Here is a link that might be useful: Direct link to screen door

Thanks natesgram! - I just ordered the Bed Bath one and if nothing else it might tide us over until we can figure out a more permanent and expensive framed retractable screen door solution. At that price point if I like it I'll order a couple as backups.

Many thanks again. By the way, here's the door in question - it's a tight urban kitchen space hence the need for something that doesn't swing in or get too much in the way of going in and out.