Baby Safety Gates Review

Reviews of permanent and portable baby gates

New parents on a quest to childproof their home should consider buying one or more safety gates. Today's products fall into two main categories. More permanent hardware-mounted gates need to be screwed into a wall, while pressure-mounted safety gates are portable and can adjust to different wall widths.

Overall, we found the best coverage of safety gates at ConsumerReports.org. In their April 2007 article, editors evaluate five permanent and six pressure-mounted safety gates on convenience, design safety and security. Additionally, editors offer general buying advice, installation tips and where to use each type of gate in the home. We also found several professional recommendations for baby gates in the latest edition of the book "Baby Bargains." Consumer advocates, parents and authors Denise and Alan Fields recommend several products based on their personal experience and the input of their readers.

Another helpful source, Good Housekeeping magazine, tests a variety of child safety products, including baby gates. The U.K.'s Which? magazine also conducts testing of baby gates; however, only three of the models included in their roundup are available in the U.S.

GaltTech.com, a product-review site, provides a buyer's guide for baby gates, but selections and advice are primarily based on the author's own personal experience. Child-Safety-Gates.com is a valuable resource for all kinds of information related to safety gates, including a selection tool which allows visitors to search for recommended baby gates based on size and location.  

Consumers also are a good source of information, particularly when it comes to the functionality and practicality of baby gates in real-world conditions. We found hundreds of owner-written reviews on Amazon.com, ToysRUs.com and Walmart.com. A smaller volume of owner opinions can be found on Target.com, Epinions.com, Viewpoints.com and Diapers.com, although some models have received enough reviews on these sites to make them worth a visit. Berkeley Parents Network, a parenting resource website, also features a discussion thread on safety gates. Only a few models are mentioned, but some valuable insights from seasoned parents and helpful buying advice can be found.