MidWest iCrate Review: The Best Wire Crate for Dogs?

Quick Verdict: The MidWest iCrate is our top overall pick for wire dog crates, and for good reason. After testing it alongside six other crates for 90 days with 12 dogs — including puppies, adults, and senior dogs — the iCrate delivered the best combination of value, functionality, and build quality in its category. The double door design, included divider panel, and fold-flat portability make it incredibly versatile, and the mid-range pricing makes it accessible to virtually any budget. We rate it 4.5 out of 5. See our best dog crates of 2026 roundup for the full comparison.

If you are bringing home a new puppy or need a reliable crate for your adult dog, the MidWest iCrate is likely the crate your trainer, veterinarian, or breeder will recommend. It has dominated the wire crate category for years, and with tens of thousands of positive reviews from dog owners, it has earned a reputation as the go-to standard.

But is that reputation still deserved? With newer competitors entering the market and some owners reporting issues with durability for aggressive scratchers, we put the iCrate through a rigorous 90-day test to give you an honest, current assessment. We used it with puppies in active crate training, adult dogs in daily containment, and even a senior dog with mobility issues. Here’s what we found.

Product Overview

The MidWest Homes for Pets iCrate is a folding wire dog crate with double doors (front and side access), a free divider panel for growing puppies, and a leak-proof slide-out plastic pan. It’s manufactured by MidWest Homes for Pets, one of the largest and most established pet enclosure companies in the United States.

The iCrate comes in seven sizes:

• 18-inch: For toy breeds up to 11 lbs (Chihuahuas, Yorkies)
• 22-inch: For small breeds 12-25 lbs (Shih Tzus, Miniature Dachshunds)
• 24-inch: For small-to-medium breeds 13-25 lbs (Corgis, Beagles under 25 lbs)
• 30-inch: For medium breeds 26-40 lbs (Beagles, Cocker Spaniels)
• 36-inch: For large breeds 41-70 lbs (Boxers, Australian Shepherds)
• 42-inch: For extra-large breeds 71-90 lbs (Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds)
• 48-inch: For giant breeds 91-110 lbs (Great Danes, Mastiffs, Bernese Mountain Dogs)

Each size comes fully assembled — you simply unfold it and you’re ready to go. No tools, no loose parts, no frustrating assembly instructions.

Design and Build Quality

Wire Construction

The iCrate is constructed from heavy-gauge steel wire with a black electro-coat (e-coat) finish. The e-coat is applied through an electrochemical process that bonds the coating to the metal at a molecular level, providing better corrosion resistance and durability than standard painted finishes.

In our 90-day test, the e-coat held up well under normal use conditions. Dogs that entered and exited the crate multiple times daily caused minor surface wear around the door openings, but no significant chipping or corrosion. However, two dogs in our test panel that actively scratched at the wire when left alone did cause localized paint wear and minor surface rust at scratch points. For scratchers and dogs with separation anxiety, a crate cover can reduce visual stimulation and anxious scratching behavior.

The wire gauge is appropriate for the crate’s intended purpose — secure containment for dogs that are crate-trained or in training. It is not designed for dogs that aggressively attack the crate. Dogs with extreme escape behavior need a heavy-duty or impact-resistant crate, not a standard wire crate.

Double Door Design

The iCrate’s double door configuration — one on the front (short side) and one on the right side (long side) — is one of its most practical features. This gives you flexibility in how you position the crate in your home. You can place it in a corner with the front door accessible, or along a wall with the side door facing out.

Both doors use MidWest’s slide-bolt latch system. The latches are simple to operate for humans (slide the bolt, swing the door open) but difficult for dogs to manipulate. In our testing, no dogs managed to open the latches, including a Beagle known for escaping previous crates and a very persistent Husky puppy.

The doors swing open smoothly and can be pinned open against the crate wall during free-roam periods, which prevents them from swinging into your dog’s path.

Divider Panel

The included divider panel is arguably the iCrate’s most valuable feature, especially for puppy owners. The panel slides into the crate to create a smaller space that grows with your puppy.

Why does this matter? Effective puppy crate training relies on the principle that dogs don’t want to soil their sleeping area. If the crate is too large, a puppy will use one end as a bedroom and the other as a bathroom, defeating the purpose of crate training. The divider lets you buy the adult-size crate now and adjust the space as your puppy grows, saving you from buying multiple crates.

The divider panel is held in place by the wire grid of the crate walls. In our testing with puppies under 20 lbs, the divider stayed in position without issue. However, one larger-breed puppy (a 35-pound, 4-month-old German Shepherd mix) managed to push the divider back slightly with persistent effort. For strong, determined puppies, you may need to secure the divider with zip ties for extra stability.

Fold-Flat Design and Portability

The iCrate folds flat to about 4-5 inches thick in seconds — release the side clips, collapse the panels, and it’s done. A built-in carry handle makes transportation straightforward, though the larger sizes (42-inch and 48-inch) are heavy enough that you’ll want two hands.

This fold-flat design makes the iCrate excellent for:

• Travel: Collapses to fit in most car trunks
• Storage: Slides under a bed or behind a door when not in use
• Vet visits: Easy to bring along for anxious dogs that feel safer in their crate
• Multi-room use: Quickly move the crate from the bedroom to the living room as needed

In our testing, the fold/unfold process took under 15 seconds once we were familiar with the mechanism. No tools required, no loose parts to lose, no alignment issues. This is a significant advantage over bolt-together or snap-together crate designs.

Leak-Proof Pan

The slide-out composite plastic pan sits in the bottom of the crate and catches any spills, drool, or accidents. It slides out easily for cleaning — a huge practical benefit for puppy owners dealing with house-training accidents.

The pan did its job throughout our 90-day test. It contained liquid messes without leaking through to the floor beneath the crate, and the plastic material cleaned up easily with soap and water. One note: the pan is relatively thin plastic. It’s durable enough for normal use, but an aggressive chewer could potentially crack it. MidWest sells replacement pans if needed.

Performance

Crate Training Results

We used the iCrate for active crate training with four puppies (ages 8-16 weeks) following standard positive reinforcement crate training protocols. Here’s what we found:

Setup and introduction: All four puppies entered the crate willingly when lured with treats and a KONG Classic stuffed with peanut butter. The double door design was helpful during introduction — we left both doors open so the puppies didn’t feel trapped, creating a pass-through they could explore voluntarily.

Nighttime crate training: Within the first week, three of the four puppies were sleeping through the night (6-7 hours) in the iCrate. The fourth puppy, an 8-week-old miniature Poodle, needed two weeks before sleeping through consistently — typical for very young puppies. The wire design was helpful here because we could see the puppies without opening the door, making it easier to assess whether nighttime crying was due to a legitimate bathroom need or settling-in behavior.

House-training support: The divider panel proved essential. By keeping the crate space appropriately sized, all four puppies maintained clean crates within two weeks of starting training. Accidents were confined to the first few days and were easy to clean thanks to the slide-out pan. By week four, all four puppies were reliably clean in their crate-sized space. For a complete walkthrough of the process, see our puppy crate training guide.

Adult Dog Containment

We also tested the iCrate with six adult dogs (ages 2-9, weights 25-90 lbs) for general containment during work hours, travel, and overnight use.

Security: All six dogs remained safely contained throughout the 90-day test. The slide-bolt latches held without issue, and no dogs escaped. Even our most determined tester — a Beagle with a history of escaping other crates — could not manipulate the iCrate’s latches.

Comfort: Adult dogs settled into the iCrate quickly, especially when paired with a comfortable bed or crate pad. The wire design provides excellent ventilation, which dogs seemed to appreciate compared to enclosed plastic crates. Several dogs voluntarily entered their iCrate to nap even when the door was left open — a strong indicator that they viewed it as a positive space.

Daily use wear: The crates used by adult dogs showed more wear than those used only for puppy training. High-traffic areas around door openings developed minor paint wear. The pans showed scratching from dog nails but remained leak-proof and functional.

Senior Dog Use

We tested the 42-inch iCrate with a 9-year-old Labrador Retriever with early arthritis. The wide door openings allowed the dog to enter and exit without having to crouch or twist, which can aggravate joint issues. Paired with the Casper Dog Bed inside, the combination provided a secure, comfortable space that the dog chose to use voluntarily. For older dogs with joint issues, we recommend placing a quality orthopedic bed inside the crate to maximize comfort.

Value for Money

The MidWest iCrate is priced in the mid-range for wire crates, making it one of the best values in the category. Here’s how it compares:

The iCrate delivers premium-tier features — double doors, included divider, fold-flat design, leak-proof pan — at a mid-range price. When you factor in that the included divider eliminates the need to buy multiple crates as a puppy grows, the value becomes even more compelling.

Check current price on Amazon

Who Should Buy the MidWest iCrate

Great for:

• New puppy owners who need a crate for house training — the included divider panel is invaluable. See our essential supplies for a new puppy guide for other first-puppy essentials.
• Dog owners who want a versatile, double-door crate for everyday containment
• Families who need to move the crate between rooms or bring it in the car
• Budget-conscious buyers who want premium features without the premium price
• Multi-dog households — the low cost per crate makes it feasible to buy one for each dog
• First-time dog owners following our first week with your new puppy guide

Consider alternatives if:

• Your dog has severe separation anxiety and is an aggressive escape artist — you need a heavy-duty or impact crate
• You want a more aesthetically integrated “furniture-style” crate for your living room
• You need a crate for airline travel — wire crates are not IATA-approved for cargo; you’ll need an airline-approved plastic crate
• Your dog aggressively chews wire — the e-coat can chip and create sharp points that pose an injury risk
• You need maximum den-like seclusion — plastic crates or covered wire crates provide more visual isolation

How We Tested

Our evaluation of the MidWest iCrate was based on:

1. 90-day field test with 12 dogs across six sizes, including 4 puppies in active crate training and 8 adult/senior dogs
2. Assembly and portability assessment including timed fold/unfold tests and transport evaluations
3. Security testing with dogs of varying escape-attempt tendencies
4. Durability tracking documenting wire finish condition, latch function, divider stability, and pan integrity weekly
5. Crate training effectiveness tracking house-training progress with 4 puppies over 90 days
6. Value comparison against 6 competing wire crates at various price points

Final Verdict

The MidWest iCrate earns its reputation as the standard-bearer for wire dog crates. The double door design provides genuine everyday convenience, the included divider panel makes it a one-crate solution for puppy-to-adult growth, the fold-flat portability is genuinely effortless, and the build quality is solid for the price point.

The areas for improvement are relatively minor: the wire finish could be more durable for dogs that scratch, the divider panel could use a more secure attachment method for strong puppies, and heavier-gauge wire would improve the overall robustness of the larger sizes. None of these issues are deal-breakers for the vast majority of dog owners.

Whether you are bringing home an 8-week-old puppy or setting up a containment space for your adult dog, the MidWest iCrate is the best wire crate for most owners. It hits the sweet spot of quality, features, and affordability that’s hard to beat.

Our Rating: 4.5/5

You Might Also Like

• Best Dog Crates of 2026 — The iCrate is our #1 overall pick; see how six others compare
• Puppy Crate Training Guide — Step-by-step crate training protocol that pairs perfectly with the iCrate
• Casper Dog Bed Review — The best bed to put inside your iCrate for orthopedic comfort
• KONG Classic Review — A stuffed KONG is the #1 tool for positive crate associations
• First Week With Your New Puppy — Complete guide to your puppy’s first week, including crate setup
• Essential Supplies for a New Puppy — Everything else you need alongside a quality crate
• Dog Separation Anxiety Guide — When crate training alone isn’t enough

Frequently Asked Questions