I've bought a bunch of these from another vendor (same price), and I love them! Those who have gotten them from me are also big fans. They work like roller shades. In probably 20 sets, I've had 2 that just didn't work right out of the box, but don't judge them until you have a basket hanging from them, as they need the weight to work properly. Lift the basket slightly (taking the weight off the mechanism), and then pull downward to lower the basket. If you lift the basket more than slightly, the cord should retract as you lift it. I have 9 foot ceilings, and there make such a difference in being able to easily water my large hanging baskets. I'm not sure of the stated capacity, but when well-watered, I'm sure my ferns weigh at least 15 pounds. Being able to lower the basket also makes it easy to turn the plant around toward the light -- when you unhook the basket, the end of the strap should stay where it is, making it easy to re-hook (it doesn't go zinging up to the ceiling while you're turning the container around). Get these!!