Are you looking for the best baby gate?
Do you need to restrict the movement of some little ones around the house?
Baby gates are barriers that can help you restrict access to specific areas around your house. They can be put in place with your child's safety as the topmost priority.
Children especially toddlers are very inquisitive and love to explore environments at all times. It is difficult to keep up with them all the time
The solution?
Install protective gates that will keep them away from restricted zones for safety reasons.
When should you install baby gates? You might ask.
If you have a toddler that is between 7-8 months and your home is a multi-story then should consider setting up baby gates.
Any fall, especially on the stairs can be deadly. This is even worse if the floor is made of wood or concrete and your baby is wearing socks! They can easily glide and a fall will be dangerous.
The best baby gates available are usually designed as hardware-mounted or pressure-mounted models.
The hardware-mounted gates are held securely with screws into the wall while the pressure-mounted gates are held via friction against the wall on either side.
Pros of the Hardware-mounted baby gates
- It is ideal and safe for the top of stairs
- There is no bottom threshold with risk of tripping over
- It can support the weight of your baby
Cons of the Hardware-mounted baby gates
- After removal, it leaves holes in the wall.
- The installation process is time-consuming when compared with the pressure mounted gates
- It cannot be dismantled in a hurry (with the exception of those with a release feature)
Pros of the Pressure-mounted gates
- The setup is simple and can easily be moved from one place to another
- They are more affordable or cheaper
- They have more varieties
- There is no need for screwing, therefore no damage to your walls
- ·With wrong installations it can easily give way under your baby’s weight pass through easily
- · Not advisable for areas with height difference (e.g. top of stairs)
They are often constructed from materials such as wood, metal or plastic. They are also available in different sizes with some being expandable to suit your needs.
Buying Guide For Baby Gates
What kind of baby gate should I buy?
So, you want to buy the best safety gate for your home but you are not sure about the right choice to make.
The first step is to determine the location where you wish to install the baby gate. These include:
- Standard space for normal single door
- Wide space for double door.
- Narrow openings like basement door
- For keeping out animals that can climb or jump
- Portable gates for traveling
- Location without walls
- Locations with sliding doors
- Measure the distance you want the baby gate to cover. Make it as accurate as possible to ensure a proper fit.
- Also determine the height of your baby. Measure how tall your baby is. The gate you choose should be at least three quarter of your toddler's height.
- Pressure mount or hardware mount are suitable for standard spaces and doorways
- Choose swing-open gates for doorways located both at the top and the bottom of stairs
- Avoid tension-fit gates for locations where one side is the wall and the other side is the railing
- Retractable baby gates are ideal for narrow spaces
- Extra tall baby gates when you want to keep out climbing and jumping animals
- Portable baby gates when you need to travel with your toddler
- Free standing baby gates for locations without walls
Features Of A Safe Baby Gate.
Your little ones can be hyperactive, especially once she starts crawling or walking and the baby gates you put in place should be able to stand the “toddler-test”. Toddlers can be inquisitive and playful!
Here some features you should look out for:
- Tough baby gates: Toddlers will launch all sorts of tricks at the gate and it must be able to withstand them. They can try pulling, pushing climbing leaning and even biting the gate. If the gate fails any of these they the purpose would have been defeated. A sturdy gate is the best choice.
- Child-proof locking mechanism: Well, you are trying to keep the toddler safe, if there is no child-roof lock, then it would exposing them to danger! Gates with simple locks (lift-open or button lock mechanism) should be avoided. Within a short time frame, your baby would be able to figure out how to open it.
- Pressure locking bars: Gates with pressure locking bars or expandable wooden gates should be avoided. They can cause finger pinching and lacerations to babies.
- Can be opened with one hand: Mothers are always multi-tasking and don't need added tasks to complicate moving around. Imagine if you have your hands full and need to open the baby gate. You want to be able to do his with just one hand, leaving the other hand free to multi-task.
- Extensions for wider doors: Some doorways might be a bit wider than the normal baby gates available. In this case, you need extensions to fill up the extra space. This is a feature to look out for if you have really wide doorways.
- Safety Certification: The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) ensures that baby gate manufacturers comply with safety features that will keep your child safe. Ensure that any baby gate you buy passes the JPMA certification for peace of mind.
Top 10 Best Baby Gates Of 2016
Now that you know the kind of gate you need, let us take a look at the top baby gates available for sale.
It is designed with the safety of your baby in mind with a triple locking system that can be operated with one hand. It also shuts firmly and easily with a slight push requiring minimal effort.
It is constructed from heavy duty steel metal for sturdiness and is best for the bottom of stairs and between two rooms. The door can swing open from both sides and this makes it ideal for busy parents. If you have a grand entrance, then you will like the opening that extends up to 90 degrees, then swings back afterwards.
The setup is a breeze and can easily be installed by extending the knob till it fits snugly against both sides of the entrance.
This baby gate combines safety with style with its detailed straight line crisp white finish that complements your home décor. Other color available include Bronze, Matte-Bronze and Linen.
What’s more, you can easily fold it away when you have guests over or when you no longer need it.
If your child is between 6 to 24 months, then this is a great choice. With over 1,700 positive reviews on Amazon, you can’t go wrong when you buy this baby gate.
The Regalo Easy Step Walk Thru Gate is a pressure-mounted baby gate that can easily be installed. The Regalo Easy Step Walk Thru Gate is a pressure-mounted baby gate that can easily be installed. This gate is ideal for openings measuring between 29” to 39“. It also comes with extensions for those looking for a 60 inch wide baby gate.
It is suitable for installation at the top of stairs but needs to be attached to a wall cup for a firmer grip and it is also a good option for doorways. There is no need to drill holes and risk damaging your walls, it makes use of Velcro straps that also keep it firm.
It is suitable for installation at the top of stairs but needs to be attached to a wall cup for a firmer grip and it is also a good option for doorways. There is no need to drill holes and risk damaging your walls, it makes use of Velcro straps that also keep it firm.
It has a feature that unlocks the safety lock in one simple touch which makes it ideal for mums who have their hands full. The gate does not automatically swing back but opens in both directions and this makes it easy when you are exiting the gate.
It is also JMPA certified and can be a great for your pets too! Its railing comes with a hardware that you can attach to the wall on either side.
As at the time of this writing, it had over 4,000 positive reviews. All those buyers can’t be wrong about this awesome baby gate. The reviewers reported it as having a reliable, sturdy and durable design which is difficult for toddlers to open.
Some negative reviews were also reported about the latch, but it was cleared up and was because the installation was not properly done.
3. Regalo Easy Open 50 Inch Wide Baby Gate
3. Regalo Easy Open 50 Inch Wide Baby Gate
This protective gate is 30” tall and can fit into hallways or doorways that are 29 to 50” wide. It comes with two extension kits that are 6” and 12” wide respectively.
It is a pressure-mounted design and therefore easy to set up without any tools. The design is lightweight and as such it can easily be packed along for your trips.
It features a safety lock and can be opened with one hand. This makes it ideal for both children and pets. Adults can conveniently walk through the gate with ease.
This gate is also certified by the American Material Society Testing and Juvenile Product Manufacture, to ensure safety and quality.
The gate is made from steel which makes it durable and tough while providing protection for your little one.
It has over 2,700 reviews from Amazon buyers with over 70% of this under the positive reviews mostly commending the ease of installation and sturdiness.
4. TheFirst Years Hands Free Gate
4. TheFirst Years Hands Free Gate
This baby gate is made from metal and comes in two variants. The 39” with a single extension kit and a 44” with two extension kits respectively. These are sold separately depending on the variant you want.
The gate is designed to swing open from both directions and has a foot pedal for hands free operation. This is ideal for busy moms who need both hands free while passing through the gate. It is however difficult for a child to pass through, which serves the exact purpose for which the gate was made.
The top design also comes in two variants and could be flat or arched. The installation is easy and it has the pressure-mounted design.
It has a white coated color that makes it blend easily with your interior.
This design is best suited for doorways and is not recommended for use at the top of stairway.
It will restrict children up to 24 months of age and also keep out pets too.
It has over 900 reviews from amazon and about 70% of these are 5-star ratings. Most buyers are happy with the hands free opening mechanism and ease of installation as well as extension for wider doorways.
This baby gate has a pressure mounted design and comes in two colors. The white can blend nicely into your décor while the black provides a nice contrast.
The gate is designed to fit openings or doorways that are 28” to 42.5” wide. It closes automatically with a hands-free opening system.
The gate is made of steel which makes it rugged and durable. The pressure-mounted design makes it easy to install and requires no tool.
For buyers looking for baby safety gates, you can count on the Dreambaby Chelsea gate to keep your baby safe with its double locking and auto close features.
There is a hardware included for installations at the top of stairs for added security. It is also a great option for doorways and wide hallways too.
The gate has extensions that makes it possible to fit an opening that is up to 42.5” with additional height of 39.4”. Extra extension are sold separately for really wide areas reaching up to 188”.
It has about 212 Amazon reviews and most are about how easy it is to install and how safe the product is for kids and pets. One common complaint was about small parts which could be risky for kids but if installed properly there won’t be any loos small parts that will put your kids at risk.
It has about 212 Amazon reviews and most are about how easy it is to install and how safe the product is for kids and pets. One common complaint was about small parts which could be risky for kids but if installed properly there won’t be any loos small parts that will put your kids at risk.
This special safety baby gate is available in three variants. The white, black and wooden design. It is a good option with more flexibility and can fit into almost all areas.
It has an adjustable width of 27” to 42.5” and a height of 29.5”. The mounting angle can be tilted as far as 30 degrees making it possible to maneuver through tight areas. However, the wooden version has dimensions that are slightly different.
For safety, there is a stop bracket which is optional and it prevents opening of the gate over a stairway. The latch system can be operated with one hand but impossible for toddlers to open. Even adults have to make up to 5 attempts before they master the opening.
The Cardinal Gates are JMPA certified and of good quality constructed with aluminum making it light. It has a power coated finish that makes it durable.
This is a hardware-mounted gate and requires drilling of holes in the wall or railing posts to hold it firmly in place.
It covers a large rea of about 28” to 43.5” and is made of solid heavy duty metal structure that gives it extra strength. There are two colors available and these include white and black, each with an option for a stairway installation kit.
The gate can be operated with just one hand leaving the other hand for multi-tasking. It also has a directional stop feature, which prevents it from swinging out over stairways. The bottom threshold is absent and makes it safe cutting off the risk of tripping over.
The release hardware makes it easy to detach and fold away when it is no longer needed.
It has more than 582 Amazon reviews with praises on the ease and flexibility of the installation process.
This elegant baby gate comes in two colors: Beige and Bronze, for style and safety combined. It fits nicely into openings measuring 28” to 48” and it is 36” tall.
The gate has a dual lock and door closes automatically when you walk through. It is a great option for doorways and stairways alike. But because of the bar across the bottom of the gate it is not recommended to be mounted at the top of stairs as it might pose the risk of tripping to users.
The installation process is easy and it has a pressure-mounted fixture with optional hardware mounts made especially for stairway mounts.
The gate is very flexible and can be opened with just one hand. The gate also opens in both directions but has a door stop which serves to add more security for stairway mounts.
It has over 3,987 positive reviews on Amazon and most buyers were impressed with the contemporary style, sturdiness and durability.
This gate is uniquely made with the stairways in mind. It is ideal both for the bottom and top of stairways.
The gate is expandable across a width of 28”to 42” and it has a height of 30.5”. It has a both wall mounting and banister mounting kits that can be installed in the wall for added security. The banister mount is well designed and it will not cause any damage to the wood work of your stairs.
The gate is made of steel with white coated finishing which makes it blend nicely with your interior. It has a lever style handle which can be operated with one hand.
The gate has the JMPA certification and is also PVC free. This makes it safe for your little ones as it also meets the safety standard set by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
The gate can easily be removed, it is lightweight and also portable. This makes it possible to dismantle and restore at any time.
The unique feature of this baby gate is the auto lock. It allows the gate to swing shut automatically as soon as you pass through.
It is ideal for high traffic doorways and the bottom of stairs. There is a stop bracket which is optional but necessary if the installation is done at the top of the stairs to prevent opening over the stairway. This adds an extra safety touch to the gate.
The gate has an adjustable width of 26” to 40” with a height of about 295”. The gate is made from metal and is very strong.
The gate is available in black and white colors, depending on your décor you can go with the white for a blend or black for some contrast.
It has over 150 Amazon reviews and 66% of these are 5-star ratings. It suits most homes perfectly and users have reported that it is durable and worth the money.
Conclusively, the ideal way to purchase the best baby gate is to determine what you need and then decide on the most important features that you your gate must have. Once you are armed with this you can go ahead and buy the best baby gate ever for the safety of your home!
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