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While installing a security system may be one of the best ways to make your home safer from would-be intruders, it can also be expensive and often involve contracts and ongoing monthly monitoring fees. The Master Lock Folding Door Security Bar offers a far more affordable solution to beefing up the security for your home’s main entryways. This 2-foot-long bar is designed to act as a sturdy brace that prevents the door from being forced open or kicked in.
I put this security bar to the test in my own house to see if it lives up to Master Lock’s stellar reputation for making quality locks and security products. I found that while this security bar isn’t a replacement for my home security system, it is an affordable way to shore up the entryways to my home.
Master Lock Folding Door Security Bar: At a Glance
Rating: 4.5/5
SPECS
- Length: 16.5 inches folded; extends from 25.5 inches to 43.5 inches
- Weight: 2.6 pounds
- Material: 20-gauge steel
WHAT WE LIKE
- Easy to set up and works with most exterior doors
- Folds down into a compact size for easy storage or travel
- Sturdy construction provides effective entryway security
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- Locking pins can fall out if user isn’t careful
- The device can fail if not set up properly
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What is the Master Lock folding door security bar?
The Master Lock Folding Door Security Bar is a steel security bar that reinforces hinged and sliding glass doors. It’s made from 20-gauge steel and is adjustable to suit a variety of different entry door sizes and types. It serves as a brace between the door knob and floor that defends against break-ins. The Master Lock security bar also has an adjustable design, which allows it to be folded down to a relatively compact size. This makes it small enough to take on the road for added security in motel and hotel rooms.
Installing the Security Bar
The Master Lock door stopper is ready to go out of the box with no assembly required. Instructions are clear and easy to follow, and the only tool needed for installation is a tape measure to determine the height of the door knob.
The only tricky part of installing the bar was adjusting the bar’s two ends to a length that suits the height of the door knob. Since adjusting the ends involves removing and installing pins, there’s no way to adjust the length while it’s in place unless you have an extra set of hands to help you. Since I was on my own, I had to use a process of trial and error that involved removing the bar, adjusting the ends, then checking for fit. It took several adjustments before I got it right. Still, I had the bar installed in less than 10 minutes. Once it’s adjusted to the proper length, there’s no need to readjust its length unless you use it on a door with a different knob height.
Build Quality
With its heavy-gauge steel construction, the Master Lock compact door stopper folding security bar has a sturdy feel. The mechanism that locks the bar straight or allows it to bend is easy to operate, and the removable pins make extending or retracting the length of the bar on the top and bottom a simple process.
My only concern was with how easily the pins pop out of the bar. At one point, I accidentally knocked one out when grabbing the bar to remove it. This was concerning given that having the pins in place is key to the bar securing a door properly.
When not in use, the security bar folds down easily into a compact size of about 16.5 inches long. This makes it easy to throw in a closet or even in a suitcase for use in a hotel or motel. There’s also a strap on the end that allows it to hang from the door knob so it’s at the ready when you need to secure a door.
How the Security Bar Performs
I tested the Master Lock security bar on both my front door and back door. The front door has a hardwood floor entryway, and the back door has a carpeted mat at the entryway. To really put it to the test, I left both doors unlocked, leaving only the door stopper to prevent the door from opening.
Once the door stopper was in place, I applied all my body weight to it in an attempt to defeat it. While I was able to push the door inward slightly, it wasn’t due to the bar bending but to a slight amount of play between the door and the brace. This inward movement wasn’t really a concern, as it wasn’t enough to create any opening between the door and door frame. I also found that tapping the bottom of the security bar with my foot during installation minimized the amount of wiggle room between bar and door.
While I didn’t risk injury to myself or the doors by attempting to kick them in, I could tell that it would take a tremendous amount of force to defeat the Master Lock door stopper. As previously mentioned, I tested it on a hardwood floor and a carpeted mat, and it was equally effective on both surfaces.
While the Master Lock offers excellent security for entryways, I will say that it’s key to follow Master Lock’s instructions for how far to position the foot of the bar from the door based on the height of the knob. If the bar isn’t set up properly, it is possible for it to slip out of place when pressure is applied to the door.
Is the Master Lock folding door security bar worth the money?
At under $30, Master Lock’s security bar is an affordable way to reinforce a home’s front door or back door or provide an extra level of security when you’re staying at a motel or hotel. With its heavy-gauge steel construction, it does an excellent job of preventing forced entries. And while there are other security bars on the market that might be a few dollars cheaper, this one comes from a brand that has a well-established reputation for its locks. Master Lock’s folding door stopper is also easy to set up and store.
While I only tested this security bar on two hinged doors, it can also be used for a sliding glass door. That said, I’m not sure it’s worth the money for that application, given that you can get similar security for a sliding glass door by spending a few dollars on a piece of dimensional lumber.
Should you buy the Master Lock folding door security bar?
The Master Lock folding door security bar is a great budget-priced security upgrade for the exterior doors on your home and for added security while staying at a hotel or motel. As I found during my hands-on testing of this product, it does an excellent job of thwarting forced entries, is easy to use, and stores or travels well thanks to its compact size and light weight. In some ways, the security bar offers a higher level of security than a home security system or outdoor security cameras. Whereas the latter only alerts you to a forced entry, the door stopper physically prevents it from happening. That said, the door stopper isn’t a comprehensive security solution since it only works on doors. If you’re after whole-home protection, you’ll want to invest in one of the best home security systems.
Where to Buy the Master Lock Folding Door Security Bar
Get the Master Lock security bar at:
Meet the Tester
Tony Carrick is a freelance writer specializing in home improvement, landscaping, technology, home security, and design. His articles have been featured on such sites as CNN Underscored, Popular Mechanics, Futurism, Pro Tool Review, and more. Having conducted rigorous product testing on home security systems and door locks, he’s well versed in the world of home security. With each review, his goal is to help readers determine whether a product meets their needs and if it is or isn’t worth its price tag.