A double-gap magnetorheological (MR) cell is designed, constructed, and validated using finite element method magnetostatics simulations, computational fluid dynamics calculations, and experimental data with Newtonian fluids and conventional MR fluids for a range of particle concentrations and external magnetic field strengths. This new cell is a generalization of the twin-gap device. It is capable of reaching very large magnetic field strengths and shear rates, avoiding normal force overload. More importantly, it is optimized for magnetic field homogeneity. (C) 2018 The Society of Rheology.