Costco Cool Retractable Screen Doors: A Pros Perspective

The Costco retractable screen is one of the most popular home improvement products of spring! Join us as Christian, a professional retractable screen door installer for almost 2 decades breaks down the honest pros and cons of the Costco Retractable Screen Door.

The Costco Cool Screen by Genius

The particular make and model Costco sells is the Cool Screen Manufactured by Genius. You can buy it online or in some stores, although you have more sizing options on Costco’s online store. Genius also sells this screen door direct to consumers, but you get a much better deal if you buy it through Costco. Genius started as a European Company and is a very large brand that assembles lots of different retractable screen doors and windows, many out of a plant in South Dakota.

Costco In Store Screen Options

We have found that Costco in-store you are generally limited to any color you want… as long it’s white. They also stock 80” doors, not the Genius “short” or “tall” retractable screen doors.. If you have French doors, you need to order online, they aren’t available in the store either. The bonus to buying at your local Costco if they have one is that we have found them to be about $30 less expensive than on Costo.com, and of course no shipping fees.

Cool Retractable Screen Options Online

As of this writing, there are many more options available online. Colors expand to black, brown, light brown, and of course white. Door sizes expand to 3 selections, and of course there is now a double door screen set.

Installation Thoughts

The Cool Screen packaging boasts that installation should take about 30 minutes. We put it to the test! Keep in mind that we are professionals in the industry. To be honest, we were pleasantly surprised. It took us about 10 minutes to assemble and mount the screen. No power tools needed – but we did use a screw gun.

We did find one drawback in the sizing. You have to make sure you purchase the correct kit size before you begin. There is some adjustability but not a lot if your opening is an odd size- and in our experience, most are.

That being said, we modified it to work, and the overall process was very quick and easy.

A Professional Review of the Costco Cool Retractable Screen Door

Once again, we were pleasantly surprised. The retractable screen door industry is often marred with bad experiences and low-quality screen doors. The Genius, in our opinion, is better than lots of “professional” retractable screen doors. Here is what we liked about it:

• Smooth and safe retractation
• Decent latching system
• Moderately consistent tracking system

Cons of the Costco Cool Retractable Screen

While we were impressed with the general quality of the screen door, it definitely is not in the class of premium screens like Phantom or Apollo. Some of the reasons why:

• The bottom threshold doesn’t have an adapter so you have an abrupt rail in your doorway that could be a tripping point
• The aesthetic of the Genius and the amount of plastic makes it feel less substantial and sturdy than retractable screens like Apollo
• You can’t service the screen- if you run into it, it means you have to get a new unit
• Customizable options – Apollo and Phantom are truly custom fit, but that does mean you need a professional to build and install it.
• Color Options, especially in store are very limited, and the bottom rail is usually going to be a different color than your door frame

Final Thoughts on Costco’s Cool Retractable Screen Door

Ultimately, it’s unfair to compare this product to a professionally installed Apollo or Phantom Screen Door. It’s apples and oranges. As a weekend project we found installation very easy. The action of the screen was smooth, and it will do what it’s supposed to, keep the bugs out! A homeowner who doesn’t care as much about the look and structure of a professional product won’t go wrong with the Cool Screen.

Author: Sam Steinberg