Baby Safety Gates: Reviews

Updated December 2009

There are some areas of the house are not suitable for little hands—or paws. Safety gates can help create an environment that gives you some piece of mind. But which gate will serve your needs? Whether you are protecting the two- or four-legged members of your family, these picks have garnered accolodes from experts and users. ConsumerSearch gives you the rundown on the various types and the Best Reviewed models.

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Best pressure-mounted baby safety gate

The First Years Hands Free Gate

*Est. $45 Compare Prices

Pressure-mounted baby gates are a good solution for interior doorways, since they are easy to install and uninstall. However, since they are less secure overall than permanently mounted gates, experts don't recommend them… expandfor the top of staircases. That said, parents like The First Years gate in no small part because it includes a small foot-operated door, which saves you from stepping over the gate or bending down to undo a latch with your hand. The First Years Hands Free Gate is suitable for openings between 29 and 34 inches wide. An extension kit is also available (*Est. $15) to further expand the gate up to 44 inches. We read hundreds of enthusiastic owner reviews for The First Years safety gate. Parents repeatedly say this gate is easy to install and use, though a few reviewers say its 18-inch integrated door can be a little tight to get through. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: The latest roundup of baby safety gates from ConsumerReports.org offers general buying advice as well as ratings for eleven gates.

Baby Bargains: The latest edition of this popular baby gear book from consumer advocates Denise and Alan Fields includes a section on baby safety gates.

Amazon.com: At the time of our visit, almost 600 owners have weighed in with comments on The First Years Hands Free Gate, which has an average rating of 4.5 stars out of five.

GaltTech.com: This buyer's guide for baby gates offers recommendations for various baby gate styles, based on the author's personal experience.

Target.com: Over 65 reviewers give The First Years Hands Free Gate an average rating of four stars out of five.

Epinions.com: Over 40 owners rate The First Years Hands Free Gate with an average rating of four stars out of five.

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Buy from Amazon for $49.54
Diapers.com for $59.99	eBay for $76.99	BabyEarth for $52.95

Best safety gate for stairs

KidCo Safeway

*Est. $60 Compare Prices

Hardware-mounted baby safety gates, the most secure baby gates on the market, are screwed into walls. Even though they require drilling into your walls, these safety gates are recommended for the tops of stairs, where you… expandwant the sturdiest gate you can find. The highly rated KidCo Safeway can easily fit openings between 24.75 and 43.5 inches wide, or up to 66 inches with the purchase of an extension kit (*Est. $35). Its door swings in both directions (or you can adjust it to only open in one direction). Reviewers appreciate the KidCo's sturdiness. Several parents say it doesn't budge, even with repeated abuse. One common complaint: its installation kit doesn't include drywall anchors, so if your wall doesn't have studs, you'll need to purchase them separately to properly install this safety gate. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org last rated baby safety gates in April 2007.

Baby Bargains: Consumer advocates Denise and Alan Fields discuss various options for baby safety gates, including recommendations based on their own experience and feedback received from their readers.

Good Housekeeping: Good Housekeeping provides the results of testing conducted by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute for various baby safety products.

Amazon.com: Over a hundred owners post reviews of the KidCo Safeway on Amazon.com.

ToysRUs.com: Nearly 50 reviewers comment on the KidCo Safeway.

Target.com: Thirty reviewers give the KidCo Safeway an average rating of 3.5 stars out of five.

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Buy from Amazon for $55.49
Wayfair for $59.95	KV Supply for $49.95	Albee Baby for $59.95

Soft safety gate

Evenflo Soft and Wide Crosstown Gate

*Est. $35 Compare Prices

The pressure-mounted style of the inexpensive Evenflo Soft and Wide Crosstown Gate won't mark up walls. Unlike baby gates made of metal or hard plastic, this gate's barrier is made of fabric. While that makes it… expandlightweight, it isn't see-through. Reviewers say it's easy to install and parents like that its soft panel makes it difficult for toddlers to climb. The Crosstown Gate can fit openings between 38 and 60 inches wide; no extensions are available. This baby gate doesn't have a door, so adults and older kids must step over it to enter a room, but it is the most affordable gate in reviews. It comes with a travel bag. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Walmart.com: Nearly 300 owners have posted reviews of the Crosstown Gate on Walmart.com, providing an average rating of 4.5 stars out of five.

Epinions.com: The nearly 70 owner-written reviews for the Evenflo Soft and Wide Crosstown Gate make Epinions.com a valuable stop when looking for owner opinions on this gate.

GaltTech.com: This buyer's guide for baby gates offers recommendations for various baby gate styles, based on the author's personal experience.

ToysRUs.com: Fewer than 40 user reviews are available on ToysRUs.com for the Evenflo Crosstown Gate, but the volume is high enough to make this a useful place to round out the overall opinion.

Amazon.com: Over 20 reviews have been posted to Amazon.com at the time of our visit.

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Buy from Amazon for $34.38
Diapers.com for $39.99	KidSafe Home Safety for $47.95	BabyEarth for $44.99

KiddyGuard Gate *Est. $105

3 picks by top review sites.

KidCo HearthGate *Est. $185

2 picks by top review sites.

North States Industries Supergate V *Est. $55

2 picks by top review sites.

KidCo Configure Gate *Est. $130

2 picks by top review sites.

KidCo Center Gateway Gate *Est. $80

2 picks by top review sites.


	KidCo Hearth Gate In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	North States Supergate V Plastic Extra Wide Gate In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	KidCo Configure Gate In Stock. Average Customer Review: