By Bryce Gruber
Updated Jul 11, 2023Merchant
When it comes to prepping your home for a new baby, there are many safety measures to take. From covering electrical outlets to securing furniture and more, there’s a lot to do when it comes to your newborn checklist. Perhaps one of the most important safety measures to take is installing baby gates.
Once your little one can crawl—and trust us, this happens sooner than you think—safety gates are a must-have item, especially for babyproofing stairs.
Baby gates aren’t just helpful for stairs, they’re also handy for closing off rooms or areas that aren’t safe for your baby. If you’re looking for the best baby gates for every type of room, below are our top picks.
There are certain things to look for when it comes to choosing the right baby gate for you and your baby’s needs. Generally speaking, you’ll want to consider the gate’s strength, latch integrity, and size of openings if the gate has slots that could trap tiny fingers and toes.
You should also look for gates that are at least two feet tall and don’t leave a gap at the bottom for an infant to pass through or get stuck in—a good rule of thumb for this is less than three inches between the floor and the bottom of the gate.
Other baby gate features like construction materials, style and ease of installation can be selected at your discretion (assuming that they meet basic safety standards). Whichever type of baby gate you decide to go with, you’ll want to be sure to specify it on your baby registry as there are many different kinds of baby gates.
Check out our best baby registries, and if you’re really into prepping smarter, not harder, peep the best baby food delivery services, too. There are many things to keep in mind while getting your home ready for the arrival of your newborn. Stressing over how to choose the best baby gate doesn’t need to be one of them.
We’ve chose the best baby gates for every type of room based on our own rigorous tests, overall value, performance, utility and durability.
We picked the Cardinal Gates Stairway Special Safety Gate as our overall best baby gate because of its durability, maximum safety and versatility. This gate is designed for the top of stairs, but it’s versatile enough to work in all areas and rooms. We love that it has a Features unique latch system that’s difficult for children to open.
The gate is constructed of aluminum which is lighter weight than steel, and it meets Juvenile Product Manufacturers Association (JPMA) certification requirements for safety. JPMA-certified child safety gates usually have a marker on the packaging that indicates the manufacturer has met certain safety standards.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly baby gate or want to spend a little less on baby gates for rooms in your with less foot traffic, then this Amazon Best Seller is a great, affordable choice.
The Regalo Easy Step Baby Gate is another JPMA-certified pick that can be pressure mounted for added security, but it doesn’t have to be if you want a baby gate that is non-permanent. The standard model secures a doorway of up to 38.5 inches, while the extra-wide model can block off a doorway of up to 56 inches. Plus, it has a one-handed release feature for convenience, so you can walk through the gate with one arm full.
You don’t have to sacrifice design when you’re babyproofing your home. This see-through, mounted baby gate gives off art museum vibes—and we love that about it. The transparency of the gate not only blends in with the existing décor style of any room in your house, but it’s also an added safety feature. You can see straight through it to keep an eye on baby.
The high-quality acrylic is durable and will hold up against rowdy little ones. Some buyers note that installation takes some time (and patience) but say it’s worth it for the finished results!
Cons
This extra-wide, JPMA-certified baby gate from Toddleroo can secure an entryway of up to 52 inches wide and has a self-closing, triple-locking system. The gate door swings both ways and has a hold-open feature for when you need to go back and forth from room to room.
This baby gate is pressure mounted, so it’s not recommended for use at the top of the stairs. However, the pressure-mounted gate installs easily using tension knobs to secure it in place without damaging your walls, and no additional hardware or tools are required for setup!
For doorways that see a lot of foot traffic, the Evenflo Easy Walk-Thru Baby Gate is the perfect solution. It’s sturdy, metal and pressure-mounted. It has a standard width size and fits openings of up to 39 inches. The gate opens in both directions and has an easy-glide handle with a safety lock indicator to let you know when the gate is securely closed.
The pressure-mount installation doesn’t require any tools, so setting up this gate is quick and easy. Plus, it won’t leave scuffs or scratches on your walls. Reviewers who installed the gate at home report it taking, "less than five minutes and without any special skills." Considering parenting is a full-time job, crossing "handyman" off your list is a total win.
This aluminum baby gate from Munchkin is no joke, and it’s just as sturdy as it looks. Because it’s mounted with hardware and doesn’t have a bottom bar, it is ideal for use at the top of the stairs.
The gate swings in both directions while the gate’s handle has a double-locking system that lets adults through with ease with single-handed operation. However, the handle is designed to be difficult for kids to open, so you shouldn’t have to worry about them getting through.
The metal gate’s width adjusts from 26.5 to 40 inches, and a unique tuning system adjusts for the perfect vertical fit, even if your walls aren't perfectly level.
The Summer Deluxe Stairway Wood Gate has a minimalist wooden design and is easy to use. It comes in an oak and black finish, so you can choose the gate color that best matches your home décor.
This gate mounts to the wall using hardware and has an attachment point you mount on the opposite wall or banister to lock the gate closed. While that may sound like more of a challenging setup than other gates on this list, the Summer Infant Wood Gate comes with directions that make installation a breeze.
The gate opening is wide and the gate door swings both ways for easy pass-thru. The latch is easy to maneuver, and the gate itself is easily adjustable with two sliding parts. Plus, we love how it looks attached to the wall.
Whether you are headed on vacation or just going over to someone’s house, this portable gate will save you the headache of trying to keep baby in one place. Trust us when we say you’ll be adding this JMPA-certified baby gate to the top of your packing list.
Setup takes practically no time, and it doesn’t leave any marks, scrapes or holes on walls. Plus, it folds into a travel bag (yes, it comes with one)! The expandable travel baby gate comes in three sizes: 48, 60 and 72 inches. Opening and closing this one is a breeze.
If you're renting your home and don't want the added stress or expense of putting holes in your sheet rock, consider using a pressure-mounted baby gate. These rely on gentle-but-firm pressure from an expanding swivel system to secure. That means you don't need to screw anything into the wall, create holes or damage precious paint.
Yes! Look for models that are designed to be used at the top of stairs and have door openings that swing in the right direction. We like pressure-mounted gates for and the Munchkin aluminum frame model we mentioned earlier in our list.
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