If you know you will be in the stair gate phase of life for a while with multiple small children, you may want a more permanent option. This fixed stair gate from Safetots comes in lots of different colour options from white, to natural wood, to grey and more. The width of the gate can be extended by removing and changing the position of the screws. Meets safety standards - Complies or exceeeds the requirements of EN1930, the safety standard for safety barriers including stair gates as well all the relevant clauses of the toy standard EN71Series. Fred`s TipDon’t be tempted to climb over the gate. Children may try and copy you, and could reduce its effectiveness in protecting your child. An opening mechanism that can be operated with one hand, so that you can safely use the gate while carrying a baby or toddler

Lots of people use safety gates as dog gates for stairs and to keep pets in or out of certain rooms. Ways to keep your family living costs down, and kids of all ages happy Get our Family newsletter – it's free monthly. Fred`s TipGet in the habit of closing the gate every time you pass through, even when your child is asleep. Ensure that visitors know to do the same. We've split our recommendations into the different types of stair gate you can buy, so you can find one that's best suited for your house and needs.

Are pressure-fit stair gates safe?

This is a no-trip stair gate - ideal for use at the top of staircases; the advantage of fitting to your wall with screws! Reassuringly child-proof Combining contemporary modern stylewith uncompromising levels of safety, Fred has created a range of gates that are unparalleled in their elegance and effectiveness. Made from the highest possible quality materials throughout, the crystal-clear professional grade acrylic is a barrier of brilliance. Baby Dan says: 'The safety gate mentioned has been tested recently without any remarks. Which? has received these test reports for their perusal.' Material A wooden or metal side-opening stair gate will need plenty of room to swing open, so you need to think about potential obstructions and whether it will be awkward to navigate around. Retractable stair gates: formed from a flexible material like mesh that rolls or folds up when not in use.

In some situations, the opening that you are trying to protect makes it awkward to fit a stairgate. If this is the case in your home, take a look at our Stairpost or Wall and Skirting Fitting Kits which are designed to help. Once we’d selected the 14 best stair gates for our shortlist, our tester, Katja Lakha, installed them one at a time in her home. Katja is a busy mum with three children (girls aged one and four, and a seven-year-old boy), so each gate was put through its paces. The gates were tested for at least one to two weeks each in busy areas of Katja’s home. A stair gate helps prevent unintended access to your little one, for example, when your baby is crawling, it can stop them from being able to climb the stairs without you around to keep an eye on them. Stair gates are most commonly used at the top of stairs, meaning your child has to wait for you to take them down - great for when they can't do stairs or they're still a bit wobbly. A stair gate is also useful to have in place for older children at night, preventing an accidental turn down the stairs when your child gets up to go to the bathroom or comes into your room. You can also use them in doorways to allow or restrict access, say for example, for keeping dogs in a different room to your child. They're simple to fit, easy to use and provide great peace of mind." says Hayley.

Location Stair gates at the top of the stairs should open towards the landing, not towards the flight of stairs, to avoid falling forwards while opening the gate. You should only use screw-fit gates at the top of the stairs.