The Best Baby Gates for All Your Childproofing Needs

Little ones just love to explore the stairs, making it important for them to be safely barricaded off. There are certain features that help make baby gates work best for stairways, and this option from Cardinal Gates has them all. It hard-mounts at the top or bottom of stairs and can be angled up to 30 degrees, helping ensure you hit a stud and get that extra security. An optional stop bracket prevents the gate from swinging open over a stairway, and the latch system is easily operated with one hand by adults. There’s also no trip bar, and it’s made from a lightweight but strong aluminum.

• Height: 29.5”
• Width: 27” to 42.5”

Banisters present multiple challenges, when it comes to baby gate installation; this safety gate from Summer Infant addresses practically all of them. It accommodates banister-to-banister, banister-to-wall or wall-to-wall installation—without drilling into your banisters and leaving holes behind. The no-trip bar (preventing any tumbles down the stairs) and a door stopper prevents the door from swinging open over the staircase. The extra-wide door also opens the full-width of the stairs for easy pass-through.

• Height: 32.5”
• Width: 31” to 46”

High-traffic doorways require an easily operated but still secure baby gate—and we’re big fans of this option from Toddleroo. The 22” door swings in both directions and provides plenty of room to walk through. The auto-close feature makes sure the gate shuts behind you, no hands required. But when you need the doorway path to stay open, there’s a hold-open feature that kicks in when you open the door past 90 degrees. The glow-in-the-dark handle also makes this gate easy to spot in the dark, helping prevent any late-night tumbles.

• Height: 30”
• Width: 29.75” to 40.5”

A fireplace transforms from cozy to hazardous once you have children—making a fireplace baby gate an absolute necessity. Our favorite is the Qdos Construct-a-Safegate, which hard-mounts to the surrounding walls and features anti-skid floor pads to prevent any movement. It’s not only ideal for blocking off fireplaces, this baby gate also comes with two wide sections, a door and multiple panels to create a safe space anywhere you might need.

• Height: 29.5”
• Width: 35.4” to 82.7”

There’s little not to love about this baby gate with a door. The Evenflo Barn Door Walk-Thru Gate is a favorite for many reasons. The barn door swings in both directions and self-closes (perfect for when your hands are full). A red and green indicator lets you know if the gate has been locked properly, a stair stopper prevents it from swinging out over steps and it can be pressure-mounted or hardware-mounted for use almost anywhere in your home. The chic barn door style is an added bonus.

• Height: 30”
• Width: 29” to 43”

Open concept homes become quite tricky when you have a baby on the move. Enter the Regalo Super Wide Baby Gate and Playard, which is perfect for every wide open space in your home. It comes with eight 24” panels, and can close off an opening as wide as 16 feet. This extra-wide baby gate is also versatile, and can be configured as a standalone playard or fireplace gate as well. The sturdy, all-metal frame will keep little ones in—and adults can easily get out thanks to the one-touch safety lock release lever.

• Height: 28”
• Width: Up to 192”

Hundreds of parents rave about this retractable, mesh baby gate from Retract-A-Gate. It tucks away when you don’t need it, and lets you see your little one on the other side when it’s up. It can be used both indoors and outdoors, and the neutral colors blend seamlessly into any home decor. The mesh can withstand up to 200 pounds of push-pressure—making it just as strong as its metal and wooden counterparts. It’s also one of the few retractable baby gates that can truly be operated with one hand (perfect for when you’re carrying a baby or toddler in the other).

• Height: 34”
• Width: 52”

Although a pressure-mounted baby gate is a no-go for stairs, it’s a great choice if you want to keep babies out of a room like an office or a kitchen without damaging your walls with drill holes. This one from Regalo allows each spindle rod mount to be adjusted independently (perfect for uneven walls or surfaces), and has a one-touch release safety lock for adults to pass through easily.

• Height: 30”
• Width: 35” to 38.5”

Stylishly fashioned out of sleek aluminum, you could put up this swing gate in an industrial-chic loft and people would assume it’s part of the design. But this former Best of Baby winner boasts both form and function: A quick-release wall mount allows you to put it away when you have grown-up guests over, and put it right back up when someone suddenly shows up with their kid. You can station it across openings 26.5 to 40 inches wide virtually anywhere in the house, thanks to its integrated tuning system that abuts snugly to any wall, even when it’s not level.

• Height: 30.5”
• Width: 26.5” to 40”

Mesh is a great option for baby gates, as it allows you a better view of your little one and provides a softer surface for any potential collisions. The benefits don’t stop there with this expandable mesh baby gate from Baby Delight. It comes in three different width ranges, it can be unfolded and set up in minutes (with no hardware or tools necessary) and it comes with a carry bag for when you need to move it to a different location. It’s a great option for both babies and families on the go.

• Height: 34”
• Width: 60”

Looking for an option that’s not plastic or metal? Look no further than this wooden baby gate from Regalo. The Regalo Heritage and Home Wooden Safety Gate features a sleek wooden and gray design that won’t be an eyesore. This wooden baby gate isn’t just aesthetically pleasing though: It works for stairways, hallways and doorways; offers secure hardware mounts that can be used on walls or banisters and fits openings up to 42 inches wide.

• Height: 30"
• Width: 23.5” to 42”

If you’re a fan of the Philippe Starck ghost chair, then this see-through, hardware-mounted baby gate may be right up your alley. Its transparency is not only stylish, it’s practical too, lending an unobstructed view of what baby is up to. High-grade acrylic holds up to the rowdiest of tots, and a special indicator lets you know at a glance that the gate is securely latched. It can be installed within openings and door frames, at the top or bottom of stairs, at an angle and around baseboard or quarter-round molding—making it as versatile as it is secure.

• Height: 30.7”
• Width: 29.5” to 39.8”

Whether you have lots of doorways to close off, or you are simply looking for a more cost-effective option to keep your little one safe and secure, the Regalo Wooden Expandable Baby Gate is a great budget-friendly option. The twist-and-lock system helps to secure the gate into place, and rubber bumpers make the pressure mounts gentle on your walls. At 24”, it’s easy to step over (no walk through option here), and the wooden design is sleek enough to match any home decor. The best part? The just-under $25 price tag.

• Height: 24”
• Width: 26” to 42”