The best baby gates

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summer infant baby gate

Summer Infant
  • Babyproofing is essential, especially for crawling babies and roaming toddlers.
  • A durable baby gate protects children from falls, breakable objects, unstable furniture, and other common household hazards.
  • The Summer Infant Deco Extra Tall Walk-Thru Gate is our top choice because it opens easily, closes automatically, and adds safety with a touch of style.

When you choose the right baby gates to childproof, your home becomes safer for young children. You can install baby gates to block off stairwells, rooms that are off-limits, or even just areas of a given space. With practice, baby gate installation is quick and easy, so you can install and remove the gates regularly if you don't need them up all the time, such as might be the case for friends, relatives, and grandparents'  homes.

However, many baby gates are attractive enough in design that you will be glad to simply leave them installed all the time. Others are so subtle in appearance that you'll hardly notice them when they're open or closed. We've included a variety of options to suit individual needs and preferences.

An additional tip: If you are going to leave your baby gates installed at all times, consider putting a night light next to the gates, or even topping them in a glow-in-the-dark tape. And leave such safety measures in place until you have internalized the gates as a regular fixture of the home.

Here are the best baby gates you can buy:

  • Best baby gate overall: Summer Infant Deco Extra Tall Walk-Thru Gate
  • Best retractable baby gate: BabyDan Guard Me Retractable Gate
  • Best baby gate for large spaces: North States Arched Decor Metal Superyard
  • Best budget baby gate: Regalo Home Accents Extra Tall Walk-Thru Gate

Prices and links are current as of 7/15/2020.

The best baby gate overall

Summer Infant

The Summer Infant Deco Extra Tall Walk-Thru Gate is tall, wide, and sturdy, making it an ideal choice for homes with toddlers.

The fact that you can easily pass through the Summer Infant Deco Extra Tall Walk-Thru Gate using just one hand to operate the door is helpful. In addition, the door automatically shuts and secures itself if you forget to close it behind you.

This baby gate has a durable metal frame available in five different finishes (beige, bronze, grey, grey/white, and slate). Its bold lines and the gentle arch of the door add a touch of style, and it will add plenty of safety. Whether placed in a hallway, doorway, or to block stairs, this gate will reliably prevent babies and toddlers from passing into a space where you'd rather not have them roving.

When pressure-mounted using threaded tension bolts, the gate can be installed or removed in just a matter of minutes and provide plenty of security without leaving any permanent marks. However, gates that are pressure-mounted should not be used at the top of stairs or other areas where a child could fall should they break through. But should you choose to more permanently install the gate, there is included hardware to reinforce the gate and resist shaking, kicks, or even a running charge.

This gate is available in four different sizes (28.5 by 48 inches, 29.5 by 53 inches, 28.5 by 42 inches, and 28.5 by 52 inches).

Pros: Auto-shut feature, robust construction, attractive

Cons: Opening too narrow for some adults

The best retractable baby gate

BabyDan

When not in place to block off a doorway or stairwell, the BabyDan Retractable Guard Me Gate sits almost flat and entirely out of the way.

One of the most common complaints about baby gates is that the opening they provide for an adult or older child to pass through is far too narrow for ease or comfort. Many baby gates that fit spans as broad as 5 feet across offer an opening less than 18 inches wide. The BabyDan Retractable Guard Me Gate is designed differently to avoid this issue.

Rather than a door that swings open to allow passage, the entire gate retracts. It will only encroach on the walking space by a few inches when retracted and out of the way.

The fold-flat design makes this gate a great choice for the household where gates are used regularly, but where the stairwell, doorway, or hall is actually better left open than blocked most of the time. Grandparents, nannies, and anyone else who is only responsible for baby care on a part-time basis should consider this minimalist baby gate system.

The only notable drawback to this gate is that it only fits spaces 36 inches across or narrower, making it too small for use between many rooms or in broad hallways. You can, however, purchase a separate Extend-A-Guard insert to use the BabyDan Retractable Guard Me Gate in such spaces.

Pros: Folds out of the way when not in use, ideal for narrow halls or stairwells, easy installation

Cons: Not suitable for wide spans

The best baby gate for large spaces

North States

The North States Arched Decor Metal Superyard can block off a span wider than 12 feet across or create a corral for playtime.

Sometimes the area of the home that needs babyproofing isn't a doorway, hall, or stairwell. If you need to block off a section of a room or if you even want to bisect an entire room, then the supersized North States Arched Decor Metal Superyard is an excellent option.

When the 30-inch-tall gate is fully extended and installed as a wall, this system can block off a span measuring 151 inches across. The sections can also be deployed to block off a corner or to surround a large object.

The Superyard gets its name because you can also use the fencing to set up a freestanding safe play area in the middle of a room. The panels create an enclosed a hexagon with 10 square feet of play space, which is more than sufficient for an infant or smaller toddler to enjoy tummy time or play without the risk of rolling or running away.

The primary drawback to the North States Arched Decor Metal Superyard is that the system can't be used in most stairwells or doorways, the most common spot for traditional baby gates.

Pros: Perfect for use in large rooms, can create standalone safe space, durable metal construction

Cons: Not suitable for most staircases or doorways

The best budget baby gate

Regalo

The Regalo Home Accents Extra Tall Walk Thru Gate is a durable budget option with an attractive design.

The well-designed Regalo Home Accents Extra Tall Walk Thru Gate manages to keep kids at bay at a fraction of the price of you'll find with other gates. And unlike many others, it's designed to add to your home decor with pine wood accents.

The fact that it is constructed with steel that matches its hardy appearance with strength and resilience only enhances the appeal of the Regal Home Accents Extra Tall Walk Thru Gate. It can be quickly set up using pressure-mount installation, or if you're looking for a more secure gate to place at the top of the stairs, you can mount it to a wall.

The gate can be installed in spaces as narrow as 29 inches across or as much as 44 inches wide. As the name suggests, it is quite tall. At 37 inches in height, it's the tallest option on our list. That height paired with the gate's strength makes this a good choice for kids who are still young enough to merit gates but who are big enough to scale a smaller barrier.

Pros: Durable materials, extra-tall design

Cons: Narrow pass-through area

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