Best Dog Crates (2026): Wire, Plastic, Soft
Wire, plastic, soft-sided and heavy-duty dog crates compared, how MidWest says to measure your dog, when to use a divider, and crate time limits.
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Quick answer
For most dogs, buy a wire crate with a divider panel: the MidWest iCrate (sizes from 24 to 48 in) or, for a big dog, the Amazon Basics 48 in. The MidWest LifeStages is MidWest's other wire line, with locking-tip latches. For a dog that also flies or rides in a plastic shell, the Petmate Vari Kennel. Measure nose to base of tail and top of head to floor, then add a few inches, as MidWest's sizing guide says. None of these crates is a crash-tested car restraint.
Our picks
A first crate for a puppy or a new dog, or a replacement for one it has outgrown, starts with a tape measure. Seven wire, plastic, soft-sided and heavy-duty crates are compared below, with how to measure your dog and what Humane World for Animals and the ASPCA say about using a crate kindly.
How we chose: we did not test these crates; we worked from the makers' size guides and listings, and kept only crates sold by Amazon.com that were in stock on September 28, 2026.
Seven dog crates side by side
| Crate | Type | Outside size (L x W x H) | Dog size, per maker | Sold by | Amazon price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MidWest iCrate 36 in | Wire, 1 door | 36.5 x 23.25 x 24.75 in | 41–70 lb | Amazon.com | $68.99 (Amazon, as of Nov 13, 2026, 11:24 PM UTC)Check price |
| MidWest LifeStages 42 in | Wire, 1 door | 43.13 x 28.5 x 30.25 in | 71–90 lb | Amazon.com | $112.99 (Amazon, as of Nov 13, 2026, 11:24 PM UTC)Check price |
| Amazon Basics 48 in | Wire, 2 doors | 48 x 30 x 32.5 in | Under 46 in long, 28.5 in tall | Amazon.com | $100.64 (Amazon, as of Nov 13, 2026, 11:25 PM UTC)Check price |
| Petmate Vari Kennel 24 in | Plastic | Interior 21.5 x 15 x 13.5 in | 10–20 lb | Amazon.com | $53.95 (Amazon, as of Nov 13, 2026, 11:25 PM UTC)Check price |
| Petmate Vari Kennel 40 in | Plastic | Interior 36.2 x 24.7 x 28.8 in | 70–90 lb | Amazon.com | $161.95 (Amazon, as of Nov 13, 2026, 11:25 PM UTC)Check price |
| Amazon Basics Soft Crate, Medium | Soft-sided | 29.92 x 21.3 x 21.3 in | About 50 lb | Amazon.com | $52.47 (Amazon, as of Nov 13, 2026, 11:25 PM UTC)Check price |
| Feandrea Heavy-Duty 48 in | Heavy steel, wheels | 48 x 29.5 x 34.6 in | Not stated | Amazon.com | $129.99 (Amazon, as of Nov 13, 2026, 11:25 PM UTC)Check price |
Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details
MidWest sells the iCrate in 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 in sizes, and Amazon Basics sells its wire crate from 24 to 48 in; the rows above are one size of each. Pick your size with the measurements below, not by the size named here.
How to measure your dog for a crate
MidWest's crate sizing guide is the clearest set of instructions we found. Measure your dog "from the tip of their nose to the base of their tail, then add a few inches to allow for comfortable movement." For height, measure "from the top of their head to the ground while they're standing upright, and again, add a few inches for clearance."
The goal, MidWest says, is room for the dog "to stand, turn around, and lie down comfortably without being too restrictive or excessively spacious."
Amazon Basics puts a number on "a few": its listing says to add 4 inches to both measurements. Humane World for Animals (the new name of the Humane Society of the United States) gives the same test in its crate training guide: the crate "should be large enough for your dog to stand up and turn around in."
One practical note: weight ranges on the box are a shortcut, and MidWest itself says a dog near the top of a range should go up a size.
Buying for a puppy: the divider panel
Buy the crate for the dog your puppy will be. MidWest's advice is to "get a crate according to their expected size" and "use a divider panel to make the crate the perfect size as your puppy grows." For a mixed breed, it suggests going by the parents' size, or asking your rescue or vet for a best guess.
The divider matters for house training. MidWest says moving it back gradually "helps prevent accidents" by giving the puppy just enough room to stand, turn and lie down, "without having excess space that might lead to accidents inside the crate." It adds that the divider should fit snugly across the width of the crate, not the length.
The MidWest and Amazon Basics wire crates here come with a divider. The Petmate Vari and the soft crate do not, which is one reason a wire crate is the usual puppy crate. For the rest of the first-week shopping list, see our new puppy checklist.
Wire, plastic, soft-sided or heavy-duty?
Wire crates (MidWest iCrate, LifeStages, Amazon Basics) fold flat, let air through on every side, and let the dog see the room. Most come with a divider and a slide-out tray. The LifeStages adds locking tips to its slide-bolt latch, and its 42 in model weighs 41 lb, per the listing.
Plastic kennels (Petmate Vari) are enclosed on three sides, with ventilation holes and a wire door. They are also the kind airlines take in the cargo hold.
The International Air Transport Association's pet container page says airlines require the animal to have room to "turn about normally while standing, to stand and sit erect, and to lie in a natural position," and it points to the container rules in IATA's Live Animals Regulations. It also says snub-nosed breeds need a 10% larger container.
Petmate says the Vari "meets most airline cargo specifications" and tells you to check with your airline before flying, which is the right order of operations. For a pet that flies in the cabin, see our guide to airline pet carriers.
Soft-sided crates (Amazon Basics Soft Crate) are light and fold into a bag, which is why people take them to hotels and trials. They are held shut by zippers. A dog that chews or panics can get through fabric, so keep a soft crate for a calm dog that already treats a crate as its bed.
Heavy-duty crates (Feandrea) use thicker steel, double door locks and wheels. Words like "escape-proof," "indestructible" and "chew-resistant" appear all over this category, and they are the maker's claims; nobody publishes a standard test for them. If your dog is breaking out of a crate, the ASPCA's point below is worth reading before you buy a stronger one.
Crate training without making the crate a punishment
Humane World for Animals is direct about this: "while crates can be used to manage a behavior, they should never be used for punishment." A crate works when the dog goes in on its own because good things happen there.
Its guide also sets time limits. "Puppies under 6 months of age shouldn't stay in a crate for more than three or four hours at a time," and "adult dogs shouldn't be left in a crate for more than 4-5 hours during the day."
It adds that "just as you would not spend your entire life in one room of your home, your dog shouldn't spend most of their time in a crate." If your workday is longer than that, plan for a walker or a midday visit.
Key point: a crate is not right for every dog. On its separation anxiety page, the ASPCA says crate training "can be helpful for some dogs if they learn that the crate is their safe place," but "for other dogs, the crate can cause added stress and anxiety."
If your dog shows "heavy panting, excessive salivation, frantic escape attempts, persistent howling or barking" in the crate while you are home, the ASPCA says crate confinement "isn't the best option," and suggests a room behind a baby gate instead.
A "calming" donut bed does not change that; our calming dog bed guide covers what a bed can and can't do for an anxious dog.
That is also why a heavy-duty crate is the wrong first fix for a dog that is hurting itself trying to get out. Ask your vet or a qualified behavior professional before you buy a stronger crate for a panicking dog (more on our health content).
A few other things that make the crate easier to live with: a washable pad or folded blanket (an orthopedic bed cut to crate size for an older dog) and a safe chew toy the dog can have unsupervised.
Related: washable pee pads go under the tray during house training, and our front-clip harness guide covers dogs that pull.
A house crate is not a car restraint
A wire crate on the back seat keeps a dog contained, not protected in a crash. The Center for Pet Safety's certified list includes crates from Gunner, Lucky Duck and Cabela's, each certified in specific sizes and with its anchor straps. None of the seven crates on this page is on that list, including the heavy-duty Feandrea.
Our guide to crash-tested dog car restraints covers what the certification means and which certified crates we could find from trusted sellers.
What we left out, and recalls
We looked for a Frisco crate but did not find one sold by Amazon.com or a Frisco store on Amazon. The Diggs Evolv was sold by a storefront named DiggsPet, and its listing mixed two sizes' measurements, so we left it out rather than print numbers we couldn't match. Several heavy-duty crates with "escape-proof" in the title were sold by third-party storefronts.
Petmate appears on our pet product recall page for a 2025 CPSC recall of Pet Zone laser pointer and LED ball toys sold at Menards, not kennels. We found no CPSC recall of these crates in the CPSC recall database as of September 28, 2026.
Our picks, in order
Ranked in the order we recommend them, from listings, certifications and standards. Where a price appears it is Amazon's, with the time it was read.
A first crate with a divider
MidWest iCrate Single Door, 36 in
From the listing · not testedBuy it as a first crate, sized for your adult dog, with the divider until then.
Pros
- + 36.5 x 23.25 x 24.75 in, for dogs of 41 to 70 lb such as Bulldogs and Beagles, per MidWest
- + Divider panel so the crate can grow with the dog, from puppy kennel to full-size crate
- + Slide-bolt latches with MidWest's Paw Block, leak-proof tray, carry handle, tool-free setup
Cons
- - MidWest suggests the 42 in model for a dog near 70 lb
Large dogs, 71 to 90 lb
LifeStages by MidWest Single Door Crate, 42 in
From the listing · not testedBuy it for a 71 to 90 lb dog if you want locking tips on the latch.
Pros
- + 43.13 x 28.5 x 30.25 in, for large breeds of 71 to 90 lb, per MidWest
- + Slide-bolt latch with Paw Block and locking tips; divider panel and leak-proof pan included
- + Folds flat with a handle
Cons
- - At 41 lb it is a heavy crate to move around, per the listing
Big dogs, two doors
Amazon Basics Double Door Wire Crate, 48 in
From the listing · not testedBuy it if your dog is Lab- or Bernese-sized and you want two doors.
Pros
- + 48 x 30 x 32.5 in, for dogs under 46 in long and 28.5 in tall, like a Labrador or Bernese, per the listing
- + Front and side doors, divider panel, removable plastic tray; folds flat
- + The listing prints a sizing rule: add 4 in to your dog's length and height
Cons
- - The listing says to lock the tray hook after every cleaning so the tray can't slide out
Small dogs that fly cargo
Petmate Vari Kennel, 24 in
From the listing · not testedBuy it for a small dog that flies as cargo or settles better with walls around it.
Pros
- + Interior 21.5 x 15 x 13.5 in, for dogs of 10 to 20 lb, per Petmate
- + Plastic shell with a wire door, ventilation on four sides and holes for zip ties
- + Petmate says it meets most airline cargo specifications
Cons
- - Petmate says to check with your airline before flying, and to size up when in doubt
Big dogs, home and cargo
Petmate Vari Kennel, 40 in
From the listing · not testedBuy it if you want one kennel for a big dog at home and in cargo.
Amazon listed this as shipping later, not in stock now, as of Nov 13, 2026, 11:25 PM UTC.
Pros
- + Interior 36.2 x 24.7 x 28.8 in, for dogs of 70 to 90 lb, per Petmate
- + Same wire door, four-sided ventilation and zip-tie holes as the smaller sizes
- + Stay-dry moat channels liquid away from the dog, per Petmate
Cons
- - A 40 in plastic kennel does not fold, so it needs a permanent spot
Travel with a calm dog
Amazon Basics Soft-Sided Folding Crate, Medium
From the listing · not testedBuy it for travel with a calm dog that is already crate-trained.
Pros
- + 29.92 x 21.3 x 21.3 in, suggested for medium breeds of about 50 lb, per the listing
- + Polyester over a light frame; top and front doors; mesh on all four sides
- + Sets up without tools and folds flat
Cons
- - Zippers and fabric: not a crate for a dog that chews or tries to get out
Dogs that bend wire crates
Feandrea Heavy-Duty Foldable Dog Crate, 48 in
From the listing · not testedBuy it only if a strong, calm dog has bent a light wire crate.
Pros
- + Thickened steel tubes, double locks on the door and a fixed bottom mesh with five metal tubes underneath, per Feandrea
- + Four wheels, two with brakes; mostly pre-assembled and folds flat
- + Leakproof slide-out tray
Cons
- - "Escape-proof" and "chew-resistant" are Feandrea's claims; the listing gives no weight or size of dog it is rated for
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a puppy crate be big or small?
Buy the adult size and make it small with the divider panel. MidWest says a crate with too much room can lead to accidents inside it, so move the divider back as the puppy grows.
Is a wire or plastic crate better?
A wire crate for home and puppies, because it folds, ventilates and comes with a divider. A plastic kennel if the dog will fly as cargo, since airlines follow IATA's container rules for that.
Can I use a dog crate in the car?
As containment only. None of these crates is certified by the Center for Pet Safety; for crash protection, use a certified crate with its straps.
Proof
Sources
Everything this guide relies on, as linked in the text. Last checked September 28, 2026.
- midwesthomes4pets.com: Crate sizing guide
- humaneworld.org: Crate training guide
- International Air Transport Association: PETS page
- ASPCA: Separation anxiety
- Center for Pet Safety: Cps certified
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: CPSC recall database
PetProofLab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Sizes and features are the makers' own, from their sites and listings. This guide is general information and is not veterinary or behavior advice.
Amazon prices and availability change often; cards with a live Amazon price show when it was last checked. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.