Recommend your saftey gates

Re: Recommend your saftey gates

• AgrippaRidesAgain member

  March 2011

  We have these: 

  https://www.amazon.com/Regalo-Easy-Step-Extra-White/dp/B0007G6KEW

   They also pressure mount, but you can screw little cups into the wall (which we did) to make them sturdier.  Even if you don't have stairs, I suggest that you think about doing non-pressure mounted gates.  DS learned to drive his little walking toy into the one pressure mounted gate we have to knock it over--before he was even walking on his own yet.

  Oh, and you might want to test out how easy it is to use the step.  DS has a knack for figuring things out, but he was able to defeat our gates at 14 months old.  I think he would have figured out one with a step even earlier.  We were ok with just teaching him how to safely do the stairs at that age, but it's something you might want to consider.

  ETA:  Some adults have trouble figuring out our gates, so I think DS is just handy with that sort of thing--I don't think they're that easily defeated overall.
  

  
  

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• vtkgirl77

  March 2011

  I've done a lot of research and installation of baby gates so here's my two cents. Most of mine have been top of the stairs gates. So far, I've installed 6 gates total including 4 different types/brands.

  1. I don't like gates that have a bar at the bottom that you have to step over. For me, it's a tripping hazard and also the gate openings on those types seems to be pretty narrow. I tend to like something that swings totally open and has nothing to step over. I have never been bothered by the fact that you have to use your hand to open and close a gate so I don't feel that having the hands-free option is a necessity.

  2. My favorite swing gate is the Evenflo Top of the Stairs gate. It's wood and you can paint it if you choose. It's reasonably priced at around $33. Installation is easy because you only have to install 4 brackets (2 on each wall) and you are done. The gate retracts and expands. It also can swing both ways if you want it to. And lastly, you can easily pop the gate out of the hinge if you need to move it out of the way. The only reason I couldn't use this gate in my new house is that it doesn't extend past 48". I had this installed in 2 places in my old house and in both of the grandparent's house and it is very sturdy and holds up well.

  3. I have two Kidco white gates. I got the angle mount and the top of the stair gate. I got these because I have two very wide openings in my new house. The benefit of these is that you can buy extenders for wide openings. I think my hallways are around 5' wide which is why the Evenflo would not work. Also, the angle mount is good if you have to mount the gate at an angle rather than perpendicular to the wall. These gates are more expensive at about $60 or so each plus an extra $20 or so if you need extenders. Once you get these mounted, they work great. However, installation is a PITA. One of the gates had 24 DIFFERENT shaped parts. It took me well over an hour to put it together and get the sizing right. Also, I don't like that the gate doesn't retract like the Evenflo. When I swing it out, it's a 5' gate swinging out whereas the Evenflo retracts somewhat. Because the gate swings out so wide, it then juts out into my living room. Also note that the angle mount gate cannot swing both ways but the top of the stairs gate can.

  4. Lastly, I recently got the Retract-a-Gate. It is super easy to install like the Evenflo because it just has 4 brackets (2 on each wall). Another benefit is that you can install brackets on more than one wall so that you can for example us it across the stairs or across a neighboring hallway. They are $100 so they are a bit more pricey. I'm not sure how I feel about it being at the top of the stairs yet but it was certified by JPMA so I'm guessing it's safe. Mine is currently at the bottom of a set of stairs to discourage DD from climbing up.

  

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• Artslvr

  March 2011

  I'm not at home so I can't check, but this looks like the one we have:

  https://www.kidco.com/main.taf?erube_fh=kidco&kidco.submit.gateDetails=1&kidco.modelNumber=G20&kidco.bc=gc

  I do know that the ones we have are metal and install into the doorway and were sort of $$ but totally worth the money since we were putting one at the top and another at the bottom of the stairs that lead to our finished basement/playroom.  My mom installed two of these in her house - no, not for our kids - for her dogs!  She found them very cheaply on Craigs List.  You just have to be sure if you get them from CL that the person gives you all the hardware.

      

  Wife, Musician, Fed, WW-er, and Mom of three little kids - not necessarily in that order.

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• doggylovr

  March 2011

  we also have retract-a-gates

   

   

  love them!!!! 

  

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• DCtoLowcountry

  March 2011

  If you have a split-level like we do, we put in this gate as an arc around the staircases on our main level. That means we can run from our top level to the basement without going through a set of gates, and it keeps DS from going up or down.

  

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• MrsNJSwimmer member

  March 2011

  we have the hands-free ones (for downstairs, in between rooms) like you posted, but we have the angle one from kidco for the top of the stairs.

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