Stair gates can be used at the top of the stairs (to prevent your baby from falling down) and at the bottom (to stop them from climbing up). They can also be used to close off unsafe rooms and to temporarily add additional barriers to your home, whether that’s across a doorway or another narrow opening. When deciding which stair gate is best for you, it helps to work out what’s important to you before you buy. For example: Some stair gates boast specific safety features, which can help to ensure your gate is installed and used in the safest possible way. All Safetots’ safety barriers designed for children up to the age of 24 months have been tested and comply with the safety standard EN 1930:2011 when fitted in accordance with the instructions. We also collated expert opinions and scoured the Mumsnet forums - the biggest online network of parents in the UK - to find the best stair gates UK according to the families who use them every day. You can read more about how we selected and tested the best stair gates below. How we chose which stair gates to test Fit your gate in a strong and secure opening and ensure the surfaces are dry, solid and clean. Safetots recommends the use of appropriate types of fixings depending on the surface available: wooden screws for wooden surface, multi-use plug and concrete screw for concrete surface, plasterboard wall plug and screw for plasterboard surface, metal screw for metal surface

Lots of people use safety gates as dog gates for stairs and to keep pets in or out of certain rooms. We tested the 14 most popular stair gates on the market, scoring them on six key areas before whittling them down to a final list the nine best stair gates, all of which scored a minimum of 40 points out of a possible 48. Keep scrolling to see the top five stair gates we recommend. If you're keen to learn more before investing in a stair gate, we also weigh up the pros and cons of different types, and answer common queries such as where and when to buy a stair gate, how tall it should be, and how to dispose of an old one.While pressure-fit gates can be used at the bottom of a staircase, or in a doorway or other narrow openings, they’re not suitable for the top of a staircase, as the bottom bar of the frame can pose a trip hazard. The hinges are covered in smooth, rounded plastic, so it’s not possible to trap a finger (one of the requirements of Safety Directive EN 1930:2011), and there’s a gap of 4cm between gate and floor, which shouldn’t cause any issues. All stair gates fit one of two main categories: pressure-fit or screw-fit. Screw-fit (wall-mounted) stair gates Baby barrier, stair gate, fence, safety gate, baby fence - popular items have many names. No matter what you call it, a safety gate can help immensely once your child begins crawling and walking. After all, little ones are full of energy and we know that your little rascal only needs a split-second of being left unsupervised to get into trouble. A safety gate provides you with peace of mind, and you will not have to worry about leaving your child unattended for a moment and wondering what trouble they might be getting into. Pressure-fit and retractable stair gates are not a good option for the top of stairs because their design incurs a trip hazard and they are not as sturdy.

Which type of stair gate you choose will depend on your home and your needs. Generally, screw-fit gates are more reliable, so if you’re planning to have a stair gate in place for a relatively long time, and you’re able to drill into your walls or bannister, then a screw-fit gate will be the best choice. You’ll be left with a few small holes to fill when you eventually remove the gate, but nothing that a bit of filler can’t fix. It is worth planning the positioning of your baby safety gate well in advance of needing it. In this way, you can carry out thorough research on the type of gate that best suits the chosen location, match it to your décor even, and install it before your baby crawls. This gives family and visitors time to practice using it because it is notable that many accidents involving safety barriers are due to the user not ensuring the gate is properly closed. This is also the ideal opportunity to include any older siblings in the care of their little brother or sister by educating them on how to operate the gate safely and the importance of keeping the gate shut. Some gates have a colour indicator which shows green or red, depending on whether the gate has been shut properly – a simple feature which assists children as well as adults to operate the gate safely. Screw-fit stair gates are mounted onto your walls, screwing into your wall or bannister. The major advantage of this style is that the gate is secure and won’t move around once it’s installed, but the screws will cause minor damage to your walls that will need filling when the gate is removed. Screw-fit gates can be used in a variety of ways: at the top or bottom of a staircase, or in a doorway or other narrow opening. Pressure-fit stair gates Assembly might be a headache but day-to-day usage is a breath of fresh air. In the multiverse of Baby Dan safety gates – so numerous as to be confusing – this one is the industrious all-rounder. The wall mountings are small, and designed to face in any direction, which means the gate can be fitted on the inside or outside of door frames, on a diagonal, or on banisters if they’ve got a flat plane at the top and bottom to screw the mountings in. No bottom bar and the secure screw fittings mean it’s a great choice for the top of the stairs. And in its narrowest position, the Flexi Fit is narrower than any other gate we tested, meaning it will suit a huge range of doorways. Gates at the top of a staircase should always open towards the landing, not out across the staircase

How big is the Baby Dan Flexi Fit stair gate?

The British and European Standard for safety barriers is BS EN 1930:2011. You can be reassured that all Safetots’ safety gates designed for use with babies and toddlers up to age 2 comply with this standard and are retested whenever design upgrades are made, or components changed.