Pets love it, bugs hate it. This magnetic screen door is the best thing I bought on Amazon this summer

CNN

05-08-2025

If you only have the budget for one home product investment this summer, you should spend it on this magnetic screen door from Flux Phenom. With the weather being forecasted as 'hotter than average' for most of the US this year, it might just save your summer, as it did mine.
This year has been especially hot and muggy in my apartment in Los Angeles, California, but every time I open the door to let a breeze in, bugs just come flying in without an invitation (rude!). Because of that, the early days of summer have been extremely frustrating and a little brutal for me.
So, as you can imagine, using this incredible (and very affordable) magnetic screen door for the first time felt like such a relief. Suddenly, my apartment was breezy all day long and bugs were a nonissue. As a bonus, I didn't have to get up every time one of my cats wanted to go out to play.
I've only had the Flux Phenom Magnetic Screen Door for a little over a couple of weeks, but it's already become one of my favorite online purchases this year. I'm positive it could be one of yours too. Here's why.
Flux Phenom Fiberglass Magnetic Screen Door
Keep the sweltering heat at bay and improve your home's airflow for less with this under-$50 magnetic screen door that's effortless to install. Your pets will love it too! For some reason, my northwest-facing apartment has been feeling unusually hot and muggy in the afternoons this year, even when it's only 80 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Meanwhile, two of my cats have been demanding to be let out more often, which means that I have to get up every single time to open my front door for them and again to let them back in. I couldn't just leave my front door ajar since the bug population this year has also seemingly increased in my neck of the woods.
I was racking my brain for a solution for weeks until I saw someone from the CNN Underscored team include a magnetic screen door deal in our Prime Day coverage. I've never really used a mesh-type screen door before, and the ones I've seen people use looked flimsy and didn't close properly.
However, desperate times call for desperate measures, and I thought with its high ratings on Amazon, taking a chance on the Flux Phenom Magnetic Screen Door might just feed three birds with one seed.
It's much easier to install than you think
One of my biggest hang-ups about getting a magnetic screen door is if I can install it properly so it doesn't fall off the doorframe after a few days. Things tend to falter in my apartment building as soon as it heats up — doorframes expand, screen doors warp, adhesive mounts start to peel off and so on. I was worried I might have to come up with a more permanent mounting solution than what the Flux Phenom Magnetic Screen Door comes with in the box.
It turns out I was worried for nothing. The product came with two mounting solutions: a box of thumbtacks for wooden doorframes and two long hook-and-loop tape for metal ones. While I didn't time myself, installing the whole thing took a matter of minutes — probably less than 10.
In addition, the included tape strips have very sticky adhesive that clung to my metal doorframe like leeches. None of the light tugging I did, accidental and otherwise, has pulled it off so far.
It's a higher-quality product compared to others
My downstairs neighbors have a mesh screen door that's very similar to this Flux Phenom model, but theirs doesn't hang completely flat. The pre-existing folds on the mesh material, probably from being packed, are still there, and they installed theirs a few weeks before I did mine. It also doesn't completely seal; theirs always a gap at the bottom that's big enough for bugs to fly through.
So, I'm a little smug about the quality of my Flux Phenom magnetic screen door. It's also made of heavy-duty fiberglass mesh that's not only robust and more resistant to cat scratches, but heavy enough to hang flat. And it comes with 52 high-quality magnets that allow for effortless hands-free entry and exit (my cats even gently nudge them apart with their faces). Still, it is always on point when sealing the screen door shut and keeping the bugs out.
My apartment is so breezy, I barely turn the fan on anymore
I live on the third floor and always keep my balcony sliding door open to let the breeze in. Unfortunately, that's the only good source of ventilation in my apartment, as I only have one regular-sized window (and it's in my bedroom). My home's airflow is almost nonexistent.
With my front door wide open and the Flux Phenom Magnetic Screen Door keeping the bugs out, the wind coming in from my balcony door passes through my entire living room, kitchen and entryway, and out the front door, improving the airflow significantly and keeping my home breezy and noticeably cooler even during the warmest time of the day.
As a bonus, this airflow helps dissipate odors to keep my apartment smelling fresh all day, every day.
It's kitty approved
My cats may not appreciate the fact that we're not allowed to have patio furniture in the hallway for them to sit in, but they do love the fact that with the Flux Phenom Magnetic Screen Door, they can now come and go as they please without begging for me to open the door.
Thanks to those impressive magnets, they can easily nudge the screen door open and come in and out without fuss. This also comes in handy when strangers are walking down the hallway and a quick escape is necessary.
How do you install a magnetic screen door?
How do you install a magnetic screen door?
That depends entirely on the manufacturer. Remember, while most magnetic doors work the same way, no two are exactly alike, so you should always follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation.
That said, most magnetic screen doors can be installed in at least two ways: with thumbtacks for wooden doorframes or with hook-and-loop tape for non-wooden doorframes, both of which will be included in the box (though you should still confirm that they are before clicking 'buy'). Both are pretty straightforward and surprisingly effortless to install.
However, if you are using hook-and-loop fastening option, thoroughly clean your doorframe to ensure the adhesive sticks to the frame properly.
Do magnetic screen doors keep cats in?
Do magnetic screen doors keep cats in?
Unfortunately, no. The magnetic strips stay together well, but they're also designed to separate easily for a hands-free entry and exit. My girl cat, Isla, figured out how to get in and out on the same day I installed the screen door. My other cat, Arrow, still hasn't completely figured it out, but he does manage to use it without my assistance.
How do you measure for a magnetic screen door?
How do you measure for a magnetic screen door?
Though this sounds like a no-brainer, it's important to have the correct measurements of your doorframe before purchasing a magnetic screen door. Screen doors typically go on the outside of the frame, so you need to measure the width and length from the outside as well.
It's also crucial to get the width right. Since many magnetic screen doors, like the Flux Phenom Magnetic Screen Door, can be folded at the top (follow the instructions in the manual), if it's a little longer than your frame, the length isn't as crucial. However, you should still pick one that's as close to the doorframe length as possible.
CNN Underscored has a team of skilled writers and editors with many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products who ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when relevant to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item.
Testing writer Michelle Rae Uy boasts years of experience covering home and lifestyle products. Some of the product reviews she's done in recent months are the Under-$25 Sunscreen Applicator review, the best pillows for side sleepers and the best budget espresso machines.