However, the very best stair gates won't just be secure and safe. They'll have simple instructions for a straightforward installation, and will be easy to open and close. Assembly: How easy was the gate to install? Were the instructions clear? Were any additional tools or fixings required? Retractable stair gates: formed from a flexible material like mesh that rolls or folds up when not in use.

When testing and selecting the best stair gates we considered, safety, ease of installation, suitability, fit and value.Pressure-fit stair gates are ideal for use in rented accommodation as installation requires absolutely no drilling. This type of stair gate comprises a U-shaped metal frame, which squeezes against your wall or bannister, holding the gate in place through pressure alone. It often requires a small cup to be applied to your wall with an adhesive, which the bolts of the gate then sit in. Space A retracting or concertina stair gate is ideal for areas with restricted space or if you want the gate out of sight when it’s not in use. You can buy wide gates or extensions if the opening you want to cover is particularly big. When choosing a safety gate for the top of the stairs, you will need to start by measuring how wide the gate must be to cover the width of the staircase landing. So you will need to measure the distance between the two walls on either side of the stairs. Do you perhaps need to mount the gate on the stairs’ rail posts? If the rail posts are round, it is still possible to mount the gate by purchasing a BabyDan stair adapter. You can choose gates that are mounted on the inside or outside of the rail post or the wall. One type of mounting is not safer than the other - the choice is simply a matter of which would best suit your stairs. BabyDan recommends that you use a wall mounted safety gate at the top of the stairs, to make it as safe as possible for your child.

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. 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. Lots of people use safety gates as dog gates for stairs and to keep pets in or out of certain rooms. 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 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.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.

There is no way to prevent every little bump and a few bruises along the way is to be expected, but you can avoid any major accidents by using a safety gate. If your child were to fall down a set of stairs, this would constitute a major accident. Fortunately, this scenario is preventable with a safety gate at the top of the stairs. Your child will simply not have access to the staircase. You don't need to break the bank to get a reliable product either - one of our top models was among the cheapest we tested. Day-to-day use: Does the gate do the job it’s supposed to? Does it withstand a toddler’s weight? Is it easy to open and close with one hand?Ideally, you want your stair gate to be at least 75cm (30 inches) in height. Extra-tall models are available, and range in sizes from 1m (39 inches) and beyond. Where to buy a stair gate Although the BabyDan Guard Me is safe for use anywhere in your home, the best stair gate for use at the top of the stairs is the Safety 1st Wall Fix Extending Metal Gate, which is also the best screw-fit stair gate we tested. 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. 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.