Let me start by saying these hinges are built like tanks. The stainless steel construction feels premium, and after weeks of use, there's zero rust—even in my humid garage. The spring mechanism has a satisfying *thunk* when closing doors, which is great for keeping kids/pets from leaving doors ajar.

However, installation was... an adventure. Like other reviewers, I nearly threw my hex wrench across the room trying to decipher the cryptic instructions. Pro tip: Remove the tiny set screw FIRST to release spring tension—otherwise, you'll fight the hinge like I did for 20 minutes.

The thickness issue is real. My standard interior door needed extra chiseling (about 1/8" deeper mortises). The included longer screws saved me a trip to the hardware store though. Once mounted, adjusting tension requires three hands and patience—I ended up using clamps to hold the hex key while threading the set screw.

Where these shine: Heavy exterior doors. I tested one on my backyard shed (1-3/4" thick door) and it closes perfectly despite wind gusts. The 38,000-cycle testing seems legit—no spring fatigue after months of slamming shut.

Biggest gripe? Zero lubrication out of the box. A dry hinge sounds like a creaky pirate ship until you oil it. Also wish they marked tension levels inside the adjustment hole—it's pure guesswork whether you're at "gentle close" or "hurricane mode."

Final verdict: 4/5 stars for durability but docked points for DIY-unfriendly setup. Perfect if you're replacing commercial-grade hinges or don't mind tinkering. For simple interior doors? Maybe overkill unless you really need that auto-close feature.