15 Best Baby Gates for Stairs and Doorways

Want one of the best baby gates for your home but don’t know what to buy? Well, you’re in safe hands. This guide is packed with the most unique baby gates on the market, giving you peace of mind your child will stay safe and sound.

When your little one is crawling, and you need to prevent them from going down the stairs or safely keep them out of the kitchen or your office, a baby gate is an efficient solution.

Consider all the aspects when choosing a baby gate that will last through your child’s growth, including length of use, sturdiness and safety. Here at Momtherly, we keep reviews on baby gates (and baby products in general), which means we can help you select the best item for your home, lifestyle, and needs.

Check out our 15 best baby gates that can provide safety for your babies and even your pets.

Do You Need A Baby Gate?

Since your home is not baby-proofed from ceiling to the ground, a baby gate is necessary, although it is not compulsory.

Every parent needs a baby gate if their newborn wakes up a couple of times during the night.  If you are prone to nighttime jarring, or you can’t help but wonder what your little one is doing while he is out of your sight, a baby gate offers peace of mind.

You can use a baby gate, both a security device and notification device—giving you somewhere safe to place your newborn while attending to other things at home. The key is recognizing the right baby gate for you based on your needs, lifestyle, and family.

What Type Of Baby Gate Is The Best?

You can found two types of baby gates on the market, and each has different installations methods:

Hardware-Mounted Baby Gates

Safety gates with hardware mounting, as the name implies, require you to drill into your existing infrastructure or build supports for drilling. It is generally more effective and safer to use hardware-mounted gates around stairways, specifically the ones without a step-over bar, to minimize tripping hazards and maximize safety.

The best way to secure places like the top of your stairs and other precarious spots around your home is by installing hardware-mounted gates, even if permanent holes may not be ideal.

While using this type of gate, you must screw the two sides into a door frame, wall, or banister.  Don’t screw the baby-gate mount into the drywall or plaster alone, as this won’t guarantee stability.

Approximately one child is treated for a stair-related injury every six minutes in the United States, so finding the most secure options is wise.

Pressure-Mounted Baby Gates

In the case of pressure-mounted safety gates, tension rods hold them in place. Therefore they don’t require drilling or screwing into the structure, so no holes appear in the wall.

When a gate is a right size and tightly pushed against a wall or door frame, it should stand up.

Pressure-mounted gates are easy to install, requiring no tools, and you can move them from one place to another. It is ideal for travel purposes.

What Are the Different Styles of Baby Gates Available

Step-Over Baby Gates

As the name implies, these gates are created for you to step over them easily. They are best for when your infant is little and in the crawling phase.

Stairs Baby Gates

An installation of these gates is secure because they are hardware-mounted. They also accommodate banisters and often don’t feature a step-over rail, which can be a tripping hazard.

Freestanding Baby Gates

For very young babies, freestanding baby gates are ideal. These gates are great for creating a penned-off area. In contrast, as in the Rugrats cartoon, when your child can walk or push them out of the way, these aren’t toddler-proof.

Retractable Safety Baby Gates

If you want a baby gate only for temporary use, you will choose something you can remove easily without taking up a lot of space. Retractable baby gates come from mesh.

Extra-wide baby gates

These gates are great if you have large hallways or door frames that are too large for a standard baby gate.

Taller Secure Baby Gates

If you plan on using the gate beyond your child’s toddler years, you should purchase a taller gate. Choosing these gates is best if your child is a climber.

What to Consider When Shopping for Baby Gates

Baby gates come in many styles and sizes, so choosing the right one for your home and child can be difficult. For a better understanding of what you are buying, here are a few points to keep in mind.

Dimensions

Space plays a major role in deciding what safety gate is most appropriate. Before making any purchases, be sure to measure the area, looking for any mounting blocks such as uneven surfaces or base mouldings. Depending on their installation requirements, they might require additional mounting kits.

Style

You can walk over some baby gates while others have latched on the doors. What is your preference? When you choose a latch door, how easy is it to open the door with one hand?

Price

Baby gates are available at varying prices to suit any budget. Nevertheless, you should keep in mind that plays yards that use multiple panels or convertibles are generally more expensive. Additionally, metal models will cost more than wood or plastic alternatives.

Climb-Over vs. Walk-Through

We often recommend gates with walk-through doorways than the ones that need to be climbed over. You may trip over a climb-over gate if you don’t clear the top, while a walk-through gate has a door that an adult can open when you have to move from room to room.

The Safety Baby Gate Should Meet the Industry Standards

Ensure that the baby gate has a JPMA certification (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association) to make sure it has undergone third-party inspections for safety considerations such as spacing safety requirements and height.

Installation Style

Is there anything you value more in a baby gate: the ease with which it can be installed, the fact that it leaves no marks or the fact that it can be moved? As a reminder, some gates are inherently more difficult to install simply because they require hardware or because they require an even number of panels for effective installation (such as a multi-panel convertible play yard).

Locking Mechanism

It is best to choose gates with self-locking mechanisms. The gate automatically locks when it has been closed, rather than requiring two steps of closing the gate, then latching it. In two-step mechanisms, people are more likely to forget to set the lock.

Materials

Baby gates are usually made out of plastic, metal, or mesh, but you need to decide which material is right for you. Even though metal is the strongest option, it can pose a pinch risk to babies’ hands, especially if it is hardware-mounted.

Our Top Picks for the Best Safety Baby Gates

• The Best Highly-Rated Baby Gate: Regalo Easy Step Extra Wide Walk-Through Baby Gate
• Best Budget-Friendly Baby Gates: Regalo Easy Open Wide Walk-Through Baby Gate
• Most Versatile Baby Gates: Toddleroo By North States Superyard Extra Wide Baby Gate
• Best Retractable Baby Gates: GRENFU Retractable Extra Wide Space Baby Gate
• The Best Baby Gate for Stairs: Toddleroo by North States Easy-Swing and Lock Baby Gate
• Best Baby Gate for Wide Doorways: HOOOEN Walk-Through Baby Gates

15 Best Baby Gates of 2021

Best Highly Rated Baby Gate

• Regalo Easy Step Extra Wide Walk-Through Baby Gate

This Regalo Walk-Through Baby Gate is an Amazon bestseller. The safe, versatile gate has about 47,601 positive Amazon reviews. This gate meets all of our requirements for a baby gate.

Built of durable steel, its swinging door is easy to open and close. It installs with ease via pressure or wall mount and expands for wider doorways, and stands 30 inches tall.

The box contains everything you need for a quick installation (wall cups, extension kit, etc.) and is affordable enough that you don’t have to spend a fortune if you need several for your household.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA safety certification Affordable Hardware or pressure mounted option	The bottom stability bar needs a step-over

 

 

Best Easy Open and Close Baby Gates

• Yacul Extra-Wide Walk-Through Baby Gate

When you have wide doorways or rooms but still want to keep your baby safe, size matters. If you look closely at the width specifications, however, you can find plenty that suits your needs among the best baby gates available. Yacul offers a wide baby gate that is pressure mounted and expands to 52 inches.

For those who don’t like to drill holes in the wall, consider this baby gate. It can also be automatically open when it is over 90 degrees and close when it is less than 90 degrees.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA safety certification  One hand-to-open convenience  Pressure-mounted  Two-side opening  Sturdy and durable Quality material  Easy Installation	May not fit into wall surfaces of smaller or wider distances than its width range.

 

 

• Lemon Tree Baby Gates for Doorways and Stairs

Lemon tree safety gates are adjustable to fit openings of 30 to 51.5 inches. They are 30 inches high. Walk-through openings are safe for babies, with dual locking handles that allow adults to open with one hand but are difficult for children to open.

This baby gate material is 100 percent thick metal, providing durability and strength. Since it comes with pressure-mounted features, this gate is easy to install and pack up without punching holes in the wall and additional tools.

The Lemon tree features a specific hinge type that closes the baby gate automatically when you let go. The gate closes itself once it opens less than 90 degrees and stays open once it is over 90 degrees. You can install the baby gate in hallways, the bottom of stairs, the kitchen, and doorways.

 

 

Pros	Cons
The Dual Locking System  It has JPMA safety certification  One hand-to-open convenience   Pressure-mounted  Sturdy and durable  Quality material  Easy Installation	May not fit into wall surfaces of smaller or wider distances than its width range.

 

 

• RONBEI Baby Gate for Stairs and Doorways

Learning is a natural process for babies! Children can usually easily open most baby gates. But they may not open RONBEI double-lock baby gates easily. As for adults, if you hold the top button and the bottom button together with a hand, then you can easily open the door and still hold your baby.

This baby gate features a pressure mount easy installation and a hinge that automatically closes. If the gate is opened at less than 90°, it will automatically close.

Meanwhile, the walk-through gate is 23.6 inches wide- wide enough for you to easily pass through! With a 2.2-inch gap between the bars, your children and pets are not able to pass through.

 

 

Pros	Cons
The Double Lock System It has JPMA safety certification One hand-to-open convenience Pressure-mounted Sturdy and durable Quality material Easy Installation	May not fit into wall surfaces of smaller or wider distances than its width range.

 

 

Best Budget-Friendly Baby Gates

• Regalo Easy Open Wide Walk-Through Baby Gate

If you wish to get a baby gate but you are not buoyant enough to buy the premium brands, Regalo Easy Open Wide Walk-Through Baby Gate is perfect for you. It offers you the same function of securing your baby with its sturdy material at a budget-friendly cost.

This baby gate suits parents that have wide doorways. Its two extension kits allow it to fit openings from 29 to 50 inches wide- one adds 6 inches, the other adds 12 inches.

However, if your doorway is wider than its width, you can purchase extra extensions. Designed with sturdy steel construction, this baby gate also features a walk-through door for easy passing.

You can also easily move it to another doorway because it is pressure mounted. This Regalo open-wide baby gate is ideal for stairways bottom, hallway, and doorway use. You can quickly remove this gate for easy storage.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA and ASTM safety certification Adjustable Pressure-mounted Durable Easy Installation	May not fit into wall surfaces of smaller or wider distances than its width range.  It requires additional extensions for wider hallways.

 

 

Best Baby Gate for Wide Doorways

• COSEND Extra Wide Baby Gate

The COSEND Extra Wide Baby Gate attaches to the wall via pressure mount and auto closes when its handle is released. Perfect for children and pets, CoSend wide baby gate features an opening function when its opening angle is 90°. This keeps the gate open for an easy walk-through without always opening and closing.

The pressure-mounted handle design of this extra-wide baby gate makes it easy for adults (not children) to open by simply pushing the button, lift up the walk-through baby gate, and open it with a single hand.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA safety certification Double-Locks design One-hand operation Pressure mount	It is pricier than most baby gate options

 

 

• HOOOEN Walk-Through Baby Gates

You can expand the HOOOEN Walk-Through Baby Gates to fit 62 to 67 Inch your doorway wide openings. It features easy installation with pressure-mounted attachment bolts without drilling holes in your walls.

Like some modern baby gates, Hoooen walk-through baby gate has an auto-close function that works when you release the gate handle. An interesting function which this baby gate may have over others is its ability to open from two directions.

You can also use this Hoooen gate to shield your kitchen, stairs, doorways, and hallways. Although this gate is expensive, it gives you a run for your money.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA safety certification Adjustable  Durable and sturdy  Easy Installation Suitable for outdoor and indoor activities  Pressure mount	It is pricey

 

 

• Regalo Extra Wide Walk-Through Baby Gate

This expandable gate comes with a 4, 8 and 12-inch wide extension kit that fits doorways up to 56 inches wide, with pressure or hardware mounting options. The gate features a one-handed walk-through door with an all-metal frame, though you will need to step over the bottom bar when passing through.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA and ASTM safety certification  Expandable to match doorways up to 56 inches  Affordable  Pressure mount Sturdy and durable	The bottom stability bar requires a step-over  May not fit into wall surfaces of smaller or wider distances than its width range.

 

 

Best Retractable Baby Gates

• YOOFOR Retractable Baby Gate

As its name implies, this gate can completely (quietly!) roll up when not in use, allowing you to access your entire doorframe (think of an adult night out!). With an angle release and a locking mechanism, it is easy to use.

In addition to being more expensive than some other security gate options, this hardware-mounted gate is JPMA-certified. A retractable baby gate is 33 inches (85 CM) tall and extends to up to 55 inches (140 CM) wide, allowing it to fit any door or stair width up to 55 inches.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA safety certification   Adjustable  Durable  Easy Installation    Easily movable   The soft but sturdy material protects babies when they bump into the baby gate  Hardware mount	You will need to carefully map out drilling sections   It will require you to create holes on your wall or door frame

 

 

• GRENFU Retractable Extra Wide Space Baby Gate

This GRENFU Retractable extends up to 70″ wide and is 35″ tall, making it easy to use in high traffic areas. The mesh baby gate can be fully retracted when not in use, saving space and providing a wide range of access.

The upgraded baby stair gate guards your baby or pets against any hazardous stairs and other off-limits areas, and they can be used in doorways, staircases, hallways, banisters and other indoor and outdoor areas.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA safety certification  Adjustable  Durable  Easy Installation Easily movable The soft but sturdy material protects babies when they bump into the baby gate  Hardware mount	You will need to carefully map out drilling sections It will require you to create holes on your wall or door frame

 

 

Best Baby Gate for Stairs

• OTTOLIVES Metal Baby Gate

OTTOLIVES Metal Baby Gate features a quick and convenient pressure installation design with the included kit. Its installation does not need extra tools or holes in the wall. This baby gate contains a 7-inch wide extension kit, two 3.5-inch wide extension kits, two U-bolts, three anti-collision grooves and four wall protectors.

The baby gate has an automatic closing feature that easily opens by a one-handed operation. It is an excellent choice for young children and pets because of its narrow bathroom and toilet doors, as well as its wide stairways and doorways.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA safety certification Adjustable It can be used in the stairways and doorways  Durable Easy installation (no drill)	May not fit into wall surfaces of smaller or wider distances than its width range.

 

 

• BABELIO Metal and Wood Pattern Baby Gate

BABELIO Metal and Wood Pattern Baby Gate has an aesthetic design and can expand to fit openings between 29 and 40 inches wide.

With these safety gate features, you can use them on narrow bathroom doors and toilet doors or wide doorways and staircases. With 32.5 inches in height, the Babelio baby gate is perfect for use with toddlers and small pets.

Easily mounting to the wall, the convenient gate features a walk-through door designed with a double lock lever handle allowing adults to easily pass through.

You can use it as a play yard, fireplace barrier, at the landing of stairs, or a super gate for very wide openings. You can also quickly remove the gate for easy storage.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA safety certification  Adjustable with follow-come extensions Durable Easy Installation Easily movable and storage  Pressure mount	May not fit into wall surfaces of smaller or wider distances than its width range.  It is safer to fix at the bottom of the stairs and not the top.

 

 

• Toddleroo by North States Easy-Swing and Lock Baby Gate

The Easy Swing and Lock Baby Gate North States gate is built from durable, heavy-duty metal with vertical bars which are difficult to climb, thus keeping your kid secure and safe.

The baby gate is hardware mounted, making it perfect and safe to use as a staircase barrier. You can also use it for doorways.

Toddleroo by North States can lock, close, and open one-hand operation, although its door only swings in one direction. On the flip side, its one-direction swing can help prevent the dangers of swinging over the stairs.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA safety certification It comes with a dual lock system  Durable Hardware mount	You will need to carefully map out drilling sections It will require you to create holes on your wall or door frame

Ratings: 4.4 out of 5 stars

Price: $46.49

Buy now

Most Versatile Baby Gates

• Toddleroo By North States Superyard Extra Wide Baby Gate

If you are looking for a secure baby gate that is multi-functional and versatile, don’t overlook this Superyard Extra Wide baby gate.

You can use this gate anywhere outside and within the house. It suits any house space, whether big or small and can act as both a play yard for your or a, extra-long barrier. You can even keep other children in the play area with your toddler to enjoy themselves.

The Superyard extra wide baby gate also features a 6-panel function- which means that you can stretch this gate to block a large area or remove some panels to suit a room or kitchen door size.

Although it is made of plastic which means that you have to avoid heated areas, it is safe for your child.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA safety certification Freestanding enclosure (no tools required) or hardware mount (tools required) Durable Easy Installation Indoor and outdoor use You can remove or add panels to suit room space	It is made of plastic The hardware mount will require you to drill your wall

 

 

• Regalo Super Wide Adjustable Baby Gate and Play Yard

Like Superyard Extra Wide baby gate, this premium Regalo gate is super wide and covers an area that is up to 192 inches wide. It is 28 inches tall.

You can quickly transform this gate from a super-wide gate to an 8-panel play yard without the use of any tools. With the four packs of wall mounts that came with the gate, you can easily install this barrier to the wall without drilling any holes.

The panels are easy to adjust to fit almost any opening or width. It is perfect for wide areas, a hallway, angled openings, a doorway and barrier, or the bottom of stairs.

Unlike the North States Superyard baby gate, this brand is produced with quality metals, and so you can use it in a heated environment which makes it durable.

 

 

Pros	Cons
It has JPMA safety certification Adjustable Outdoor and Indoor use Barrier and Play yard Durable Easy Installation Easily movable Hardware  mount	You will need to carefully map out drilling sections The wall mount option will require you to create holes on your wall or door frame

 

 

In a Nutshell

Safeguarding children with baby gates will ensure they don’t injure themselves or wander into unsupervised areas. As there are so many options for styles and installations, it’s crucial to choose the one that best fits your budget, lifestyle, your child’s age and capacity.