OT:Best Baby Gate

[Jennyvelaz]

Our twins are five now and the baby is starting stairs so it is time for gates!!! I've been shopping and read some reviews, does anyone have thoughts? I wish the 5 years olds could open and have the gate swing back, ideally. We have two staircases in our house so cost is important. I also believe we need fixed hardware, not pressure mounted gates but I am worried about wear and tear from the twins. Some of the reviews have stated how easy the hardware breaks.
Anyone have recommendations?

 

[toesmom]

http://www.specialtybaby.com/kidbeecgatmo.html

We bought ours at Toys R Us, cheaper model than this one, but my dd6 was able to open it, while ds3 still can't.

Here in Canada, they go on sale for $40 CDN every so often, mind you, not the same brand, but same model type.

Highly recommended, swings both ways, very safe for stairways.

 

[NotUrsula]

In the US, I'd say go with KidCo vertical bar gates if you are using them on the top of stairways. The usual price is around $50 each. We've had one of these (metal) on our basement stairwell for 10 years now; the hardware is as solid as the day we put it up.

I don't know about your kids, but my oldest was able to go over a grid-style gate when he was 9 mos old. He at first tried and failed; so he sat down in front of it and gave it a good stare. (I was watching to see what he'd do.) After about 5 minutes he proceeded to remove his shoes and socks, then inserted his little toes into the grid and started to climb. He was over the top in seconds. With Jr. Houdini's, vertical bars are the only way to go.

 

[kaw1218]

In the US, I'd say go with KidCo vertical bar gates if you are using them on the top of stairways. The usual price is around $50 each. We've had one of these (metal) on our basement stairwell for 10 years now; the hardware is as solid as the day we put it up.

.

we had these when my kids were younger. we loved them! after my youngest got old enough to remove it, it was used outside on the deck for an additional 4 years before we had to throw it out. That thing really held up, and the kids(and dog) could not climb it.

 

[alicenwonder99]

We needed to get a gate so that the other children (8 and 6) could easily open and close it. I didn't want the other kids to leave the gate open because it was too difficult to close, nor did I want them to break the gate because it was too hard to open.

We bought one that has a remote that is mounted on the wall. I put the remote low enough so that the other children can push it. You just push the button on it, and it unlocks, then you swing the gate open. You have to physically push the gate closed yourself (it doesn't swing closed by itself), but it's super simple and my 6 year old can do it. Also, when the kids' friends come over, they can all open/close the gate.

It's by Evenflo and it says "Simple Comfort" on the remote. I bought it off of Amazon (free shipping). It is pressure mounted because I didn't want to deal with holes in the walls. I'm not sure if it is safe for the top of the stairs, but I'm sure it is fine for the bottom of the stairs.

(pm me if you want more info on this, or if you are having trouble finding it. I can look it up on amazon for the exact name).

HTH

 

[tedhowe]

It's by Evenflo and it says "Simple Comfort" on the remote. I bought it off of Amazon (free shipping). It is pressure mounted because I didn't want to deal with holes in the walls. I'm not sure if it is safe for the top of the stairs, but I'm sure it is fine for the bottom of the stairs.


HTH

Its definitely not safe to put a pressure gate at the top of the stairs, but nowadays, lots of pressure gates have brackets so they can be hard mounted at the top of stairs as well.

Ted

 

[Jennyvelaz]

Thanks for the info!
Very much appreciated. Right now I bought time with the stretch accordian ones, they are the only wide enough cost efficient ones avaible from the store. My stairways are very wide. When we built this house we didn't think of baby proofin. It is very open! All the play yards were sold out. I'm going to tell my SIL to put these on her registry...man are they expensive!

 

[NotUrsula]

Kidco's gates can be purchased with extension panels that will make them wide enough to go across some pretty wide areas -- 10 feet or so.

If you have really wide spaces that need to be cordoned off you might want to consult a carpenter. It is possible to make a fairly nice-looking temporary "crash walls" out of timber and drywall that will hold up for quite a while and yet be removable without marring too much of your permanent walls and floors.