Baby Safety Gates : Ratings of Sources

"Baby Bargains," a comprehensive book by Denise and Alan Fields, reviews baby gear and common baby brands. The authors review a handful of popular baby gates based on expert testing and parents' reviews, as well as information from manufacturers and retailers. Their website offers up-to-date information, additional reviews, recall information and forums for parents to discuss baby products.

BabyCenter.com's editors pick five baby gates that will appeal to different buyers, including a design-conscious choice and a gate for the top of the stairs. Brief reviews note essential specs, pros and cons.

LuciesList.com is a site devoted to recommending the best baby gear for new parents. Founder Meg Collins is a former Child Passenger Safety Technician who recommends 18 baby gates in a variety of categories: step-over, pressure-mounted, hardware mounted, top of stairs, extra-wide, play-pen and outdoor gates.

ConsumerReports.org no longer reviews and ranks baby gates, but its free-to-the-public buying guide is a helpful starting point for parents who may not be familiar with these products. Editors cover types of baby gates, features, brands and shopping tips.

Amazon.com is one of a parent's best resources for real-world reviews of baby gates. Reviews are often quite detailed and even-handed. Prospective buyers should read carefully, since reviewers sometimes wrongly fault a product for bad experiences with a seller or shipping. Readers should also beware of older reviews, which might discuss an older version of a product with flaws that have been addressed.

BabiesRUs.com is a solid source for customer reviews of baby gates, particularly popular models and those exclusively sold at Babies "R" Us. Owners rate products on a 1-to-5-star scale, and the site offers a helpful snapshot of reviewers' pros and cons. However, information generally isn't as detailed as it is at Amazon, and there tend to be not as many reviewers overall.

Target.com is a popular destination for purchasing nursery accessories and gear. It sells fewer baby gates than Amazon.com, and there are fewer reviews overall. But user feedback tends to be detailed and helpful. 

Walmart.com offers parent feedback on a range of baby gates. It is a particularly good source for opinions on more basic, inexpensive models. Customers rate products on a five-star scale and note whether they would recommend them to a friend.