Safety 1st Tot-Lok Starter Set
by Dorel Juvenile Group
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List Price: Our Price: $9.00 You Save: $6.99 (44%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Baby Product See more product details |
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Baby Products Reviews of Safety 1st Tot-Lok Starter Set
Customer Review: Best Childproofing Lock
Summary: 5 Stars
We tried the tab and hook kind, where you push down the tab to disengage it from the hook, but those still allow your kid (and you) to get your finger smashed in the drawer, and kids figure them out pretty quick. Even the small gap needed to get your finger in to depress the tab is like a mile wide gap for small hands. Installing them is a bear, with lots of trial and error, and usually no templates to help you. They also tend to collect grime, and they break or loosen up a lot over time.
These are great! The doors/drawers remain firmly shut until the magnetic lock is disengaged with the "key". The directions are good, and they include a sticky template for each lock. I will say that you need to read the instructions and make sure how your hardware is supposed to be lined up. I screwed up the first one I ever did, which was more me hurrying and screwing up some spacial relations as far as what direction things needed to be in than bad instructions. After that the rest (we have quite a few of these installed) went smoothly.
The sticky templates are especially helpful making sure everything is where it's supposed to be. If you have thick doors (we have really thick, hardwood cabinet doors) they have extender slugs that effectively lengthen the magnetic catch. Even if you have to have a handyman install these they're well worth it!
One note: It does take some trial and error to get the hang of what spot you have to pass the "key" over to disengage the lock. But you get the hang of it quickly.
Customer Review: Works great! Very pleased!
Summary: 5 Stars
I saw a few negative reviews on these locks that made me hesitant to purchase them, but when my 18 month old son came in the living room holding the freeze off wart can, that was it! They have such little arms and fingers; he reached right under the sink that had the traditional plastic child proof locks. I bought the 2 pack to try it and was so very careful because as some of the reviews said, you can drill right on through the cabinet and that is quite true, I almost did it on the first one I did. I blame my husband for distracting me, but I was holding the drill. Take it slow and BE CAREFUL! Consider turning the speed of your drill down so it doesn't get away on you. It's worth it, and as long as you use the little magnet extenders they give you, it will work awesome! As for being tricky, yes you have to read the directions. The first one took me about 30 minutes to figure out, but then it was easy! I ordered more and I just now put 2 more on, in about 10 minutes and they work super! If you need extra keys like we did, consider buy another couple of 2 packs, you pay $7.99 for an extra key and only get the key. For 3 bucks more you can get 2 more locks and the key and put them maybe in the kitchen where you have more cabinets. Just stick the key on the fridge, high up away from little fingers and you always know where it is! I'm very impressed with this safety lock system and won't use anything else.Customer Review: Qualified "yes!" -- but get the 4-lock set
Summary: 3 Stars
These locks are the best solution I've tried, for many applications, but compared to the others they are also VERY DIFFICULT TO INSTALL. I am a carpenter but don't mean to say you can't install them with modest skills -- yet there are many opportunities to mess up by misaligning the pieces, tearing up the wood, stripping the screws, or drilling through the drawer/door front -- it is necessary to drill from the back to within ONE EIGHTH INCH of the front. Sure you can do it, with care, but care takes time and we all have bad days. I think they should give you a drill bit and stop, or at least sell one alongside the locks.
They should insist that EVERYONE GET AT LEAST TWO KEYS (i.e., get the 4-lock starter set not this one) because you *will* either lose one (perhaps to a curious toddler) or, my weakness, lock the key in the cabinet or drawer. Next, the locks are not very adaptable to the many drawer and door configurations out there for lack of a surface to mount, clearance to moving parts, or tight quarters difficulty maneuvering the drill where it needs to be. They also don't need to use these irritatingly small screws (#4's?).
When these magnetic locks work right, they are a dream. We have one on the hallway medicine cabinet that has been working flawlessly for seven years. But being the best is not always enough, and it is on installation that these stumble.
Customer Review: The best locks out there!
Summary: 4 Stars
Yes, the installation is cumbersome, tricky and frustrating at times (I had to leave the house with the baby while my husband worked through his frustration) BUT--- totally worth it in the end! (Even my husband thinks so)When properly installed the cabinet doors don't even budge when pulled on. Initially my son tried every door and drawer and quickly lost interest. This is a huge bonus when we visit Grandma, family and friends as he just assumes all the doors are locked!
The unlock feature is wonderful. When we entertain we can quickly disable the lock to the garbage so no key is needed, and then quickly re-engage it when people leave.
We bought LOTS of keys and put them everywhere so that it was convienent for us but out of reach for kids. If it's a hassle, you'll just get mad everytime you go to throw something away.
We even installed these in all of our bathroom cabinets. It's so nice not having to worry about my child getting into things whether it's glass dishes, cleaning supplies, or my fingernail polish in the bathroom! Think of the messes we'll prevent.
These aren't cheap, but totally worth my peace of mind and now pinched fingers (adults or kids) from the plastic kind that opens the door an inch or so.
Put these on right away-- don't wait until your baby is crawling. You'll have more energy to adjust to them and won't be rushed to install them all.
Customer Review: Works Great, Once Installed Properly
Summary: 3 Stars
If you are the least bit mechnically inept, don't even bother trying to install these. I do retrofit home renovations for a living, and was initially baffled by the horrendous instructions included with this product. I have read instruction manuals translated directly from Japanese that were easier to comprehend. Throw the "1,2,3,4" portion of the instructions away, as well as the sticky tape template, and figure out the measurements yourself. This will prevent you from losing your mind.(And drilling 7mm holes in the wrong location of your one-year old cabinet doors.) The locks work great on modern particleboard kitchen cabinets, but you may have a problem with other cabinets. My antique Art Deco dining room hutch was a problematic because the doors are curved and lack a sufficient frame to mount the hardware. I had to install wood blocks to accomodate the latch.
Do not attempt to install with a toddler anywhere in the vicinity.
I didn't realize that this was a Safety 1st product, as I would have hesitated in purchasing this. The package I bought lists the manufacturer as REV-A-SELF. I have had nothing but poor performance from Safety 1st products (and poor customer support)
Good product so far (two weeks old), but dreadful instructions. Thus, 3 out of 5 stars.
Good Luck!