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: Safety gates provide the perfect room divide between kitchens and living areas, preventing children from entering the kitchen and being exposed to potential dangers in there. Retractable stair gates: formed from a flexible material like mesh that rolls or folds up when not in use.

Pressure fit stair gates benefit from being easy to install and versatile in that they can be fitted and removed easily. They can also be placed simply in alternative doorways of a similar size with no lasting damage to the area in which they are installed.

How do pressure fit stair gates work?

Both, if possible. Stair gates should be used to close off dangerous spaces. It’s best to use screw-fit stair gates at the top of the stairs where possible. Are pressure-fit stair gates safe? We spoke to Selina Russell, from safety products brand Fred UK, about the importance of stair gates; who said: "Stairways, kitchens, bathrooms, fire hearths to name but a few, are areas of the home that pose potential risks for older babies finding their feet and confident toddlers on the move. Pressure-fit gates are very safe for use at the bottom of a staircase or in a doorway, as long as they’re installed correctly and regularly tightened as necessary. 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. The number of child stair gates required will depend on the size of your home and the number of rooms/areas you want to prevent your child from entering. We’d recommend buying a stair gate or safety gate for each area, rather than moving your stair gate around, as this can compromise the safety.

Safety gates are available in a range of sizes to fit most doorways, they can be used as a divide between any room upstairs and downstairs in the home. Baby gates are also used in nurseries throughout the UK, a popular option for keeping children safe while they learn and play." The core difference between a pressure fit gate and a screw fit gate is the presence of a trip bar. Pressure fit gates by their nature of design will always have a trip bar (the bar which runs along the floor connecting the gate frame). Obviously, this type of gate should not be installed anywhere where it may be dangerous to trip, particularly the top of a flight of stairs. Stair gates create an instant room divide , allowing you to control where your child can and can’t play. By restricting access to kitchens, bathrooms, and stairs with the installation of safety gates, parents can have peace of mind that their child is playing in a room free from potential dangers while they go about their day.It is important that any access to open stairways and rooms in the home that could be hazardous to young children if left alone, are restricted by installing safety gates. As infants have an innate curiosity and tend to feel the need to explore their surroundings, stair gates enable you to restrict little ones to safe areas in the home." How to choose the best stair gate for baby? The aim of Which? stair gate testing is to highlight potential issues and encourage manufacturers to take another look at their product and ensure it's the best and safest it can be. If you're planning on getting a dog (but a baby could also be on the horizon), you're best off choosing a baby stair gate that holds up in our tests so you can be assured that it will be suitable for protecting both children and animals. Cleanliness: Does the gate show grubby fingerprints? Is it easy to clean? Is there a bar that gets in the way when vacuuming?

To pass our testing, the stair gates we review must meet the requirements of the relevant safety standard. This ensures that they're sturdy, and can withstand the shakes and rattles of a determined 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

We think the BabyDan Guard Me Auto Retractable Satefy Guard gate is the best stair gate available to buy right now. It scored the highest in our product testing and has received many glowing recommendations in the Mumsnet Talk forums. The retractable feature offers a neat option for leaving the gate folded away when not in use and it has a simple opening mechanism. About the authorPressure fitted safety gates are often the more popular choice for the bottom of the stairs. A pressure fitted stair gate relies purely on pressure for installation so there are no tools or drilling required. For this reason, these safety gates are particularly popular with people in rented properties and families who would prefer not to drill into walls or bannisters. The most popular recommendations were pulled together to include in a longlist of approximately 30 stair gates, then whittled down to form our final shortlist. How we tested the stair gates 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. Brands such as BabyDan also include the added feature of a safety indicator across all their pressure fit stair gates. This safety indicator shows if the stair gate has been mounted correctly and provides an extra safety measure and reassurance that the pressure fitted safety gate has been installed appropriately. Some pressure fit safety gates also come with wall cups which cover the four main pressure points, making it easier to apply additional pressure. text": "Stair gates are increasingly becoming the product parents turn to once their baby or toddler shows signs of crawling and walking. Pressure fit stair gates are a popular choice due to the simplicity of installation and the added benefit of no tools needed for fitting and no lasting damage to walls and bannisters. Pressure fit baby gates are exceptionally safe if fitted correctly within the U-frame and if appropriate pressure is applied at the four pressure points at the top and bottom of the stair gate.