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Once your baby starts to crawl or walk around the home, you will need a safety solution to protect him from falling down the stairs, access your kitchen, and any other hazardous areas. This is where a baby gate becomes essential.
Safety gates are robust and long-lasting, so they can be used for many years to come. To baby-proof your entire home, make sure you note down the measurements of any opening that you would like to block your child out of. Different models of baby gates are designed for specific lengths, and you don't want to find yourself with a safety gate that doesn't fit your specific opening.
Some models come with available extensions of different sizes, so you can easily customise your baby gate to fit your opening, but be sure to check with the manufacturer that the intended combination is safe and compatible.
Practicality is also super important. Our personal experience tells us that buying a cheap baby gate will likely cause many frustration during our day-to-day home living. The gate needs to allow for easy access by adults (preferably one-handed operation), have an automatic locking system and a swing back function, otherwise it won't be practical.
Also, have a look at the different types of installation required. Buy a pressure-mounted gate that can be installed without drilling holes especially if you're renting, or if you simply don't want to ruin your wall. For maximum safety and stability, if you don't mid the drilling, you can get a hardware mounted gate.
Let's now take a look at our own selection of the best baby gates currently available in Australia, of different types and price points. Depending on your home decor and needs, we’re sure you can find one that suits you and you little one.
1. Lindam Gate Numi Aluminium
Combination of advanced technology and unparalleled safety
The Lindam Gate Numi Aluminium is an aluminium gate with great performances and features, for the best security of your baby. It can remove in just seconds, with upper and lower locking mechanisms for extra strength and easy fit in openings 66cm to 101cm.
This is one of the best top-of-the-stairs baby gates as it can slide and lock into a low profile wall mount. It is manufactured from high-quality material and it is quite a stylish addition for your home with an appealing look and fine design.
The Lindam Gate Numi Aluminium has a patented Indexed Sizing System (ISS) which allows easy and quick width adjustment. The anti-pinch hinge ensures that kids won’t trap their fingers and also, it does not have a horizontal bottom rail at floor level.
2. BabyDan Guard Me Retractable Extra Wide
Innovative auto-retractable baby gate
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BabyDan Guard Me is a great retractable baby gate, ideal for wide spaces and doorways, while flexible enough to automatically open and fold back. Its innovative feature for extra extension and no trip bar gives plus points to the gate.
It is great for modern, open and spacious spaces, since the gatefolds to the side as opposed to swinging open.
It presents a very practical and convenient, wall-mounted design, which can be mounted both on the inside or the outside of the opening. You can be sure that your little one is safe around the house and you can safeguard your home against unwanted accidents.
3. Dreambaby Chelsea Xtra-Wide
Extra-wide baby gate and one-hand operated
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This is a great baby gate for wide openings, for both the top of the stairs and bottom of wide stairways, doorways and large hallways, easy to operate with only one hand. The gate swing automatically closes and opens both ways. Also, it is high enough, so even the most highly tempered kids cannot climb over or open them.
It has a super convenient feature for a maximum of four extensions (two per side) making them extra-wide, thus fit openings between 97-108cm. It is pressure-mounted, which means convenient and easy installation.
The Dreambaby Chelsea Xtra-Wide is suitable for dogs as well, so you will be able to keep an eye on them too as they maintain in the safe zone. It is available in black and white, so you can decide on your colour preferences as well.
4. Lindam Orto Gate Sure Shut
Practical and unique gravity-fed solution for your home
The Lindam Orto Gate Sure Shut is a good baby gate for wide openings, for both top of stairs and bottom of wide stairways, doorways and large hallways, easy to operate with only one hand.
The gate swing automatically closes and opens both ways. Also, it is high enough, so even tall kids cannot climb over or open them.
The Lindam Orto Gate Sure Shut has strong steel construction and it assembles in just 5 minutes without any drilling. The pressure indicator provides the correct installation and fits openings 76 – 82 cm. Also, it can be extended up to 117 cm with separate extensions. This is a great gate technology with an exclusive gravity-fed hinge and a U shaped power frame for utmost security in your home.
5. Dreambaby Chelsea Xtra-Tall Security Gate
Very high and extra safe baby or pet gate
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The Dreambaby Chelsea Xtra-Tall has an automatic option for swing closing and it is easy to operate with just one hand by an adult. It is perfect for doorways, hallways, stairways and other openings in the home, protecting your child from any hazardous areas in the house.
The best feature of this gate is that it is 1 m high, making it one of the tallest on the market, and very difficult for children to climb over or open it. It is width-sized 71-82cm (28-32″) and has optional extensions that can fit openings up to 4.82m (189.5″). The Dreambaby Chelsea Xtra-Tall Security Gate is also available in white or black for your convenience in the home and is also very good for pets.
6. Dreambaby Retractable Gate
The mesh baby gate good for outdoor and indoor
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The Dreambaby is a retractable gate that is very convenient and sturdy. The set comes with 2 mounting brackets, so you will be able to use it in two different locations. It may be used both indoor and outdoors, as it’s made from a UV protected durable see-through mesh to keep it from fading in the sun.
It fits up to 140 cm width and 81.5 cm height and you can easily operate it with just one hand if you want to pass or retract it. The gate offers an excellent double locking feature, just press the button and turn to unlock the gate. This is also one of the best baby gates for top or bottom of stairs, good for hallways or doorways too.
7. Dreambaby Liberty Xtra-Tall
Versatile and extra tall baby gate
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The Dreambaby Liberty Xtra-Tall is a very versatile and practical safety gate, with a 93 cm extra tall standard height and 75 – 82 cm width. The pressure mounted gate closes automatically and is very flexible to fit in most doorways, hallways and stairways.
Its stay-open feature is ideal for situations when you need the gate to remain open when passing through with your groceries, or when your child is not around. It is also available in black or white.
The Dreambaby Liberty Xtra-Tall is one-hand operated and will provide a safety barrier and a secure place for your child, preventing him from entering potentially hazardous areas of the house.
8. Childcare Assisted Auto Close Gate
Practical value for money baby gate
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The Childcare Assisted Auto Close gate does not need tools for installation and you can open it in both directions. It is quite easy to open and close, with the click sound that confirms that the gate has automatically locked.
It's a budget-friendly safety gate which will fit most common openings, 733 to 940 mm, including the extensions that are supplied with the purchase. It also has anti-tamper handwheels, easy for parents, yet difficult for the child to operate. Suitable for all doorways, hallways and stairs, it opens in both directions for great day-to-day practicality.
9. Child Pet Safety Gates
Simple, yet sturdy, double-locking gate
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This safety gate includes all the features you want and need from a baby gate. It is both suitable for babies and pets, very easy to install with no tools or other equipment and you can open it with one hand only. It has a gate adjustable feature for your greater convenience and a great walkthrough design.
The Child Pet Safety Gate is also a budget-friendly one, thus offering you all the options you need without emptying your pockets. It is 77 cm height and 75cm to 85cm width with two extensions, and can be set up with ease anywhere in the home. The automatic opening and closing system will allow you to operate it in or out of the door, but not your child.
10. 4Baby Safety Gate
A budget-friendly and automatic gate
The 4Baby gate is suitable for opening 75 to 82 cm wide and up to 89 cm with the 7 cm included extensions. It features a two-way opening system and is constructed from sturdy metal. It enables you to operate it with ease while blocking the child’s path towards danger.
It boasts an automatic closing feature, and it's pressure mounted, so you won't need to drill holes in your home. Specially recommended for rental homes or kitchen spaces, where the use of hard mounted gates isn't usually the best practice.
How to choose a baby gate
Safety devices such as a baby gate will block the access to stairs or other hazardous places and do come handy for creation of a door barrier. Still, it is up to you to choose the most suitable and compatible one for your home and family, as your choice will mostly depend on the path you want to secure.
Children tend to overcome obstacles quite quickly, so you might want to buy one that will be complicated enough for them, yet practical and easy to use for you. Before engaging in your shopping spree, take a look at the following features.
Safety and usage
Be very cautious of any gaps or other small spaces where your child finger or foot might be tangled. If there are some horizontal bars, your kid might use them as a ladder and climb over the gate.
If you also have pets, some pets can jump over them and still make their way out of the safe zone, so make sure to buy a gate that is high enough for your pet. Also, it is more convenient and practical to buy a baby gate that can be easily operated with one hand or to have automatic locking mechanisms.
Installation and life expectancy
The first choice is: hard mounted or pressure mounted. In the first case, you won't have to drill your wall. Also, the more robust the material of the gate is, the greater its life expectancy will be, we recommend buying in the high tier price range if you're expectation is to use the gate many, many times per day, while you can get a cheaper model for those openings that are not going to be used very often.
Compatibility and size
Always measure the opening before deciding on the gate you are going to purchase! Make sure you know if there are any extensions available in case you need some or if you want to use it in another place afterwards.
Design and material
Keep an eye on the material of the gate, how strong it is, whether it is aluminium, wood, metal, plastic or mesh one and choose according to your preferences. Also, the ones with a two-way opening system are quite practical and parents especially like them.
