Baby proofing is big business all over the world. A baby gate is a product which can allow parents to keep their children in a safe area of the house and away from the stairs and rooms with dangers such as kitchens, garages and from being able to leave the house altogether.
Here at Best For Mums we’ve taken a look at over 30 of the best baby gates to bring you a definitive list of reviewed gates to consider.
Table of Contents
This is our top pic for the best baby gates and once that will do exactly what you need it to do at a good price.
The Venture Q extra tall pressure safety gate is an excellent alternative with many positive reviews to back it up.
A functional and stylish alternative to the painted metal baby gate. Still just as safe but adds a bit more class to a doorway. Needs to be drilled in.
Another excellent ‘standard’ baby gate comes from well known brand, Bettacare. This ticks all the boxes at a competitive price. This will fit most doorways and please anyone with its easy to use configuration.
The Assure Kiddyguard is one of the best baby gates which have a bit of style to them. If you don’t want the garish white metal version then this might be worth considering.
A fantastic baby gate which looks and performs great with additional extras to make it even longer for large door openings. Slightly on the expensive side.
The Best Baby Gates in the UK
1. Lindam Easy Fit Plus Safety Gate
The Lindam Easy Fit Plus Safety Gate is a mother and baby silver and practical parenting and pregnancy 2009 award winner for safety and practicality which should go a long way to put you at ease about the quality of this product. You might be thinking that 2009 was a long time ago now and the awards aren’t really relevant anymore – well, the product didn’t need to change so from our point of view the awards are still a great mark of quality. If you want your baby gate to thoroughly tested then this is the one for you.
The Lindam Easy Fit Plus Safety Gate dimensions are from 750mm x 765mm x 45mm up to a maximum 810mm x 765mm x 45mm. The width is the only number that changes. The gate comes fully assembled out of the box which means minimal fuss for the recipient and a much better time if you’re a single parent with limited DIY skills. This is a pressure cup gate which means there’s no drilling or screwing involved.
The frame has a special U-frame which makes the gate much easier to open and close both ways with minimal effort. If you’re carrying a baby in one hand and want to pass through this becomes a breeze. The dual-action opening system is the USP for the gate and probably what won all those awards back in the day. Indeed, this gate has a very solid frame and a secure lock which is impossible for a baby and easy for an adult.
Lindam is a world class manufacturer of baby products, not just gates, and you can clearly see some thought has been put into the design of the gate. Safety is definitely the buzz word with this product and we would recommend if it’s safety and peace of mind you’re after and you’re willing to pay slightly more for it then this could be the best baby gate for you.
- Very secure
- Comes ready to install straight out of the box
- U-shaped power frame makes it easy to work
- Lightweight
- Slightly more expensive then other similar models
This baby gate has won awards for its safety and we agree with them. This is one of the safest baby gates on the market and perfect for those who want the peace of mind that no child shall pass this gate!
2. Venture Q-Fix Extra Tall Safety Gate
The Venture Q-Fix extra tall safety gate is one of our favourite baby gates that we were able to review. It’s relatively cheap, it’s easy to install and most importantly it is safe and conforms to BS EN1930:2011 safety standards. As you can see, the USP is the fact that it’s extra tall which makes it an ideal purchase for those who want to use baby gates for a few more years or they have larger pets who you also want to keep in a particular room. We thoroughly recommend considering this one.
If you wondered how tall this gate actually is, then it’s 110cm (43.3 inches, 3.6 ft) which is more than enough for even a particularly tall toddler and medium-sized dog breeds. You’ll find that this excellent baby gate will work on doors and hallways 75-84cm which will fit 99% of normal houses. It is pressure mounted with wall cups which means you don’t need any tools to install this bad boy – this will either mean great news as you’re a parent with limited DIY skills or bad news if you have DIY skills and you’re after a more secure solution.
The Venture Q-Fix Tall Gate is made using painted steel which is tough and secure with a nice finish which can complement the decor. The design itself is simplistic and no frills and what you’d expect a baby gate to look like. The lock itself is child proof (squeeze and pull back) and one-handed openable for us adults which is essential as often the other hand is occupied by the baby. Because of the height of the gate it’s easier than most gates to open as there’s little to no bending over to reach the lock.
- Extra height is extremely handy
- Made using quality materials
- Excellent value for money
- One handed lock is a doddle
- Easy to install for absolutely anyone
- Not as strong as some of the others
- Extra height might frustrating for shorter people
We couldn’t really find much of a fault with this baby gate and loved how tall it was. It’s so easy to install and you really don’t need any tools to put it together. We had some concerns over the fact that it was advertised as a “large” pet-friendly gate despite being pressure mounted as a breed such as a German Shepherd would probably make short work of the gate. However, we are reviewing baby gates only here so it’s top marks from us.
3. BabyDan No Trip Beechwood Safety Gate
The BabyDan No Trip Beechwood safety gate is arguably one of the best looking and regularly purchased baby gate in our whole list. It is a simply stunning beechwood gate without a bottom bar which gives it a clean opening and as advertised, a no trip hazard. It is wall mounted which allows it to be sturdy enough to not need support. If you’re a homeowner and are able to use the wall fixing and the wood effect is to your liking then this could be the best baby gate for you!
The dimensions of the BabyDan Beechwood Gate are 78.5 x 3 x 71.5 cm which is pretty much the same as most baby gates. The beechwood is smoothly finished with no splittings and splinters. The wood is well crafted and it looks professional. Support beams are absent from the product as it is wall mounted for extra strength this makes the product look like it ‘belongs’ to the home as opposed to being added to it.
Although the images don’t look like it, it has a one-handed opening lock which is easy for an adult and impossible for a baby and conforms to all European safety standards. When not in use the gate can actually be lifted away and stored as it only needs the wall fixings making it ideal when no kids are around. The wall fixings and the strong would make it sturdy and does not budge even with quite a bit of pressure. Although this is strong enough for even medium to large size dogs the wood finish makes it easily scratched by their claws and not a good dog gate.
You can install this inside or outside of a door frame. The wood effect makes this gate the choice that is most likely to enhance interior decorations and along with its strength is it unique selling point. The BabyDan Beechwood Gate is one of the best looking baby gates on the market. It’s not just style though as it also doubles as a strong, reliable gate with no trip hazard and a one hand lock. Definitely check this out!
4. Assure Kiddyguard Mesh Gate
The Assure KiddyGuard gate is a stylish choice that doesn’t use the typical metal bars design so it will appeal to those who want their home to not only be baby proofed but somewhat eye-catching, too. The main attraction of this is that it keeps things hidden away if you wanted to add some privacy to either end of the baby gate.
The first question we had and you probably had also is what is the gate made of? Well, it’s made of strong mesh capable of withstanding a 100kg impact which is tremendous and a godly feat if it was done by a child. This is not a paper or cloth screen like the image may suggest. This baby gate is screwed to the wall rather than by using pressure so it is very secure. It will fit openings of up to 100cm which is pretty good for a niche and expensive baby gate.
This gate has a secure one-handed lock which is impossible to open for a child and a cinch for an adult. You can set it to lock automatically which will give owners peace of mind. If the gate is unlocked a dead obvious red button will stick out. This product isn’t cheap and you can expect a price point of over £50 in most cases. However, this does look, feel and work like a premium product and it does have positive reviews so many people will feel this price is justified.
- One of the most stylish baby gates
- Strong mesh sheet
- Easy to install
- Improved privacy
- It’s expensive
- The mesh hides whatever is behind it
This incredibly stylish baby gate will effortlessly add to your decor while offering you the safety and security of gate. It’s not the cheapest by a long stretch but the product does feel high quality and the price is perhaps justified.
5. Dreambaby Chelsea Safety Gate
The Dreambaby Chelsea Safety Gate is a good all-rounder pressure installed baby gate with all the features you’d expect with a purchase like this. The performance is good and the design is slightly different with an arched top. With two colours available and a wide range of sizes the dream baby gate is a product which can suit a wide variety of spacial needs in the home.
The four sizes available are 71-81cm, 71-98cm, 97-106cm and 97-133cm which is rather broad, especially the largest version which reaches a whopping 133cm. They are all 75 cm tall which is pretty standard. The screw pressure corners are pretty standard and work pretty well, the grip is tight and the gate can take a considerable push. It conforms with European standards and we’d have no problem with this in our house protecting our little ones.
It has a one-handed lock which is a doddle for all the mums who tested this model. Not a single one of our children which included some toddlers could crack the lock. Not even close. There’s an ‘ezy-check’ indicator which lets you know if you’ve forgotten to lock it. This can also be used to let you know if it’s been installed properly and not on a slant or anything. On top of this, the Dreambaby Chelsea Safety gate has an auto lock feature just in case you’re rushing about!
The material is metal as you can probably guess which is tough and reliable. It’s got a pretty standard white or black paint. The black is probably our favourite as a standalone product but it never quite seems to suit any house decor!
- Ezy check indicator is handy
- Auto lock function
- One handed lock
- Multiple sizes available
- Not that much different from the others
- Could be cheaper
Some may think this is an also ran baby gate but with the choice of black or white and a few different sizes available that other choices don’t this could be the best baby gate for those with different sized openings in the home.
6. Bettacare Easy Fit Baby Stair Gate
The Betta Care Easy fit baby stair gate is another no frills pressure fit gate to consider as you baby proof your home. The unique difference with this model is that it comes in so many difference widths to suit door openings or corridors up to 147.8cm in width. Otherwise, this is just your average baby gate which doesn’t do anything fancy but doesn’t do anything poorly either!
This baby gate comes in five different widths – 75cm – 83cm, 81.4cm – 89.4cm, 107.4cm – 115.4cm, 113.8cm – 121.8 cm and 139.8cm – 147.8cm. The largest one is almost double the size of the smallest so you can picture how versatile this product is. The price ranges from £30 to just under £60 for the largest which is very reasonable and borderline cheap.
From the perspective of performance we had no complaints over the at the Best For Mums office with the lock being a doddle for an adult and impossible for our tester tots! It’s made out of the metal you’d expect and it’s rather strong even though it’s only pressure mounted. It could take a fair bit of pushing before any sign of collapsing happened which suggest that this is perfect to keep children and small pets safe in whatever area you need them to be in.
A point we’d like to raise as somewhat of an USP is that this gate can be opened in both directions and locked in only one direction if needed. With an optional Bettacare Y spindle kit this bad boy can also be installed on stairs which is a huge bonus if you need to make multiple orders.
- Available in a wide range of widths to suit any house
- Can be installed on stairs
- Cheap
- Easy to install
- Opens both ways and can be locked one way
- Basic
- Not as secure as some others
This is a good budget baby gate to consider with a few unique selling points over its competitors. The wide range of sizes make it a versatile choice for those in large houses.
This is our top pic for the best baby gates and one that will do exactly what you need it to do at a good price.
Best For Mums Baby Gate Buyer's Guide
What is a baby gate and why do I need one?
A baby gate is a name for a plastic or metal gate which is placed in hallways and doorways as a method of baby proofing. A baby gate is used by parents to stop (or allow if needed) access to various rooms and areas of the home which could be dangerous if they were to go there without supervision.
Examples of use are to stop a baby from being able to go anywhere near stairs, to stop them from being able to get into a room with dangerous tools and equipment (garage, kitchen), to segregate them from pets and so on. Basically, a baby gate is there to stop them from being able to go to an area you don’t want them to go to.
A baby gate is made out of either plastic or metal an can be constructed with bars or as an opaque or solid sheet. A baby gate can be installed via drilling into the walls/doorway or by using pressure screws which can be removed without any damage. The gate will have a childrpoof locking mechanism which must conform with EU regulations to be able to be sold – this mechanism will be impossible to open for a child and easy for an adult. The exact workings of the lock will vary from product to product.
Things you need to think about before you buy a baby gate
Before you make any sort of purchase make sure you’ve:
- Thought about how many baby gates you need and where they’re going to go
- You’ve measured every opening that they’re going to be installed accurately
- You’ve decided which installation type is right for you
- The product conforms with EU safety standards, the brand has a positive reputation for quality products and you are buying from a reputable vendor
Never make a rushed or uninformed decision when it involves your child’s health and safety!
What to look for in a baby gate
If you’ve read our baby gate reviews then you’ll see that they come in different shapes and sizes, installation types, colours, price and even how they work. This can make it confusing for first-time buyers to know what exactly they need to look for. When the mums at BFM came together to create a shortlist of 10 we needed to write down different aspects as to compare them to each other and get a clear idea of what was ‘good’ and what was ‘bad’ here’s the criteria we used:
Easy to use
Once installed, the baby gate absolutely has to be easy to use for the parents and impossible to use for the child. We’re talking simple locking mechanism that’s not fiddly and can ideally be opened (and closed) with one hand as a parent may often have the child held in the other. If a baby gate is too fiddly then it wouldn’t be in our top 10 list at all.
Easy to be installed
For us to grade a baby gate as the ‘best’ then it is our opinion that the baby gate will need to be easy to install by a single person with little or no DIY experience to receive top marks. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that baby gates that need to be manually screwed into the walls aren’t good baby gates but they will not be pushed to single parents and the like.
Safety compliance
To be considered, every gate MUST be compliant with BS EN 1930 regulations which ensure that the gate:
- Has structural integrity and alignment
- No footholds for a child to climb over
- No holes and openings
- Height from the floor no greater than 2 inches
- No snagging points
- Opening the gate must need ‘some force’, two consecutive actions or two simultaneous actions of different types
The list can go on and in greater depth. For more information on this we recommend visiting Safekids.co.uk
Cost effective
We are absolutely not interested in advertising grossly expensive products to our readership just for the sake of it. Just like any of our other product reviews, to be a decent product it needs to have a good return on investment. This doesn’t mean that the cheapest is always the best or that an expensive product will never be recommended! It’s all about striking a fine balance between cost and quality.
Do I need a baby gate?
They’ll buy anything they put in front of you because it’s for your baby’s safety and therefore a necessary purchase. A baby gate is one of those products.
You need nappies, wipes, bottles (if you’re bottle feeding) and a bed but you don’t need a baby gate. However, a baby gate certainly has its uses and it can definitely make a home safer for a baby when they started to crawl and definitely when they start to walk. They become a bit more useful if you have additional children who you can’t keep an eye on all of the time. Here are a couple of quotes of mums who argue on both sides of the debate:
Yes, had them top and bottom. I understand that some parents don’t see the need for them, but both my boys crawled and walked and climbed very early and were very fast, and I couldn’t keep an eye on them all the time
nope never had one - in the house we lived in when DD1 was born we could close the door to the hallway, and when we were upstairs i just kept an eye on her, she never seemed that interested in going downstairs on her own.
So, as you can see from just a couple of quotes that there’s two sides to the debate. At the end of the day, you do what you feel is right for you, your babies and your home. To read the whole debate head on over to Mumsnet.
