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Jan 06, 2024

Best stair gate 2023: Security and baby gates for stairs and doorways

Choosing the best stair gate should, in theory, be simple – you just need a way

Choosing the best stair gate should, in theory, be simple – you just need a way to stop your child (or dog) from getting up and down stairs. The reality is more complicated. Stair gates come in various designs, from wood to metal and material mesh. Some have step rails, others don't. Some use pressure to stay secure, others rely on drills and screws. Then there's the price, the style and the width.

Below we explain more about how to choose a stair gate, as well as when you should start to consider one. We detail some of the pros and cons of different types of stair gates and list those we consider to be the best stair gates to keep your increasingly mobile little ones safe.

With the many, many essential baby items you’ll be buying – from bottles to car seats – it can be tempting to either put off spending money on a stair gate or consider not getting one at all. Babies and toddlers are explorers at heart, so it's worth getting a stair gate before they’re even showing signs of crawling or walking.

As soon as they discover they have freedom to move, they’ll be off and babies move faster than you’d think. Having a stair gate either installed or ready to install means you won't be caught by surprise.

There are two main types of stair gates, and two principal methods for fitting them in position.

Side-opening stair gate: This type of stair gate is probably the most popular and common design. It consists of a hinged gate attached to a frame, which is secured in place. These gates open like traditional doors, meaning you need a fair bit of space surrounding them to pass through.

Some are made from wood, others are made of painted metal. Some are referred to as being step-free, meaning they don't have a bar along the bottom of the frame, others have a raised lip. The latter provides a more robust frame, but can present a trip hazard.

Retracting stair gate: Also known as concertina stair gates, these are typically made from panels of mesh or softer material that extend from one side of an entrance, are temporarily fixed to connectors on the opposite wall and are retracted when they’re no longer needed.

These tend to be more stylish and less obtrusive than standard stair gates, which also makes them more expensive, but they particularly suit areas with restricted space.

Screw-fit stair gates, as the name suggests, require some drilling and screwing to securely attach them to the wall, staircase or door frame.

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Pressure-fit stair gates don't require any drilling – or require fewer holes – because they rely on a vice-like handle that turns and elongates the rubber-mounted fittings on either side to create pressure between them and the door frame or staircase.

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Price: £40 | Buy now from Amazon

It extends, via screws and holes in the frame, meaning you can customise its width to suit whichever location you choose to place it in and it's available in wood or white metal to suit your decor.

The fact it opens both ways is ideal when used in door frames, but if you want to put it at the top of the stairs and have it only open inwards, you can use stop pins (included) to prevent the door from opening outwards.

Fitting: Screw-fit; Width: 62.5cm–106.8cm; Finish: Wood/white metal

Price: £225 | Buy now from John Lewis

It's a screw-fit, step-free swing gate where the gate itself is made of clear acrylic and the narrow frame is made of metal. It offers a two-way hinged opening, a magnetic locking system and colour-coded indicators that warn you if the gate isn't closed properly. You can also change it to an optional one-way swing setting if you’re using it on the stairs.

We love the fact it can be used inside door frames or fitted to walls either side of the door and – thanks to its 180-degree mount – it can be installed at an angle giving it the stability of other screw-fit, metal gates in this list but the versatility of a material/mesh model.

Fitting: Screw-fit; Width: 75cm–100cm; Finish: Clear acrylic with metal frame

Buy now from John Lewis

Price: £21 | Buy now from Argos

Cuggl – Argos' baby brand – makes affordable baby products that don't scrimp on features and its safety gate is no exception. Step-free and easy-to-install, this stair gate has double-locking mechanisms that can be controlled one-handed. The catch is that it only fits door frames or walkways that measure between 76cm and 81cm and there are no extension packs. This restricts its appeal and versatility a little.

That said, Argos also sells an extending version of this gate – the Cuggl Extending Metal Wall Fit Safety Gate – for an extra £3, which comes with the same quick installation features and locks. This extending gate can be used on entrances measuring between 60cm and 97cm wide.

Fitting: Screw-fit; Width: 76cm–81cm; Finish: White metal

Buy now from Argos

Price: £31 | Buy now from Amazon

To open, you squeeze the button together with one hand and lift the handle up. This handle can then be pushed closed quickly.

It comes with a double lock, similar to that on the BabyDan, but instead of having an extendable frame like its rival, you need to buy the relevant extension pack, depending on the width of your doorframe or staircase. The basic Lindam Sure Shut Axis measures 76 to 82cm, but with different extension packs, this increases to 117cm.

Fitting: Pressure-fit; Width: 76cm–117cm (with extension pack); Finish: White metal

Price: £42 | Buy now from Amazon

It offers a similar lock mechanism at the top and the same lock clip on the base as seen on the Sure Shut Axis. It also features the same four-point pressure-fit frame. It's quite a chunky stair gate, but this makes it feel sturdy and it comes in white metal.

Fitting: Pressure-fit; Width: 76cm–82cm; Finish: White metal

Price: £60 | Buy now from John Lewis

This means it's step-free and discreet when opened. The one sacrifice you make for this discreet design is that when the gate is closed, its plastic PVC gate is not as stylish as some of the metal or mesh gates elsewhere in this list, but at least it's wipe-clean.

Width-wise, the Guard Me ships with three extension packs included in the price that take the gate from 55cm up to 89cm. You can additionally pay separately for further extension packs to increase this width to 113.5cm. What's more, because of its concertina design, it's easy to fit this gate on a diagonal, which is great if you have a curved staircase.

Fitting: Screw-fit; Width: 55cm–113.5cm (with extension pack); Finish: Cream, plastic PVC

Buy now from John Lewis

Price: £125 | Buy now from Amazon

This stair gate most definitely sits in the luxury, high-end price bracket coming in at up to seven times the price of our cheapest recommendation, but it's the most stylish of the lot, without compromising on safety.

Available in black and white, the KiddyGuard Avant safety gate works similar to a roller blind in that it rolls up and is stored compactly in a discreet metal frame. It can be operated easily with one hand simply by pulling it across, and once the gate has been closed, it automatically locks the mesh to the frame via three connectors. It has a step-free design and its mesh and connectors have been tested to withstand the impact of up to 100kg.

Due to its retractable nature, this will suit narrow walkways and entrances as well as wide spaces because it reaches up to 120cm.

All this said, it does require a flat surface for installation, which should be fine for most door frames but it won't work on curved banisters. Despite its high impact rating, we still wouldn't feel comfortable using this at the top of the stairs but it's great for blocking off the kitchen, or at the bottom of the stairs.

Fitting: Screw-fit; Width: 30cm–120cm; Finish: White or black mesh with black plastic connectors and metal case