It’s recommended that you invest in a high-quality stair gate as soon as your baby starts crawling and/or walking, but when it comes to something as important as your child’s safety, how do you know which is the best stair gate to buy?

Assembly: How easy was the gate to install? Were the instructions clear? Were any additional tools or fixings required? Meets safety standards - Complies or exceeeds the requirements of EN1930, the safety standard for safety barriers including stair gates as well all the relevant clauses of the toy standard EN71Series. 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 author Firstly, pressure-fit gates can shift and move around over time. If a child were to push on a gate at the top of a staircase and the gate moved or gave way, they could potentially fall down the stairs.The BabyDan Guard Me is the best stair gate to buy overall, but the retractable screen does have a bit of give to it, and it needs to be installed at least 9cm from the top of the staircase. To rate the stair gates within our roundup, we based our recommendations on testing, our experience of using multiple stair gates, the latest research and several factors. Some of the factors we considered included the gate’s sturdiness, ease of entry, aesthetics and swing or retractable doors, warranty and value. Best Baby Gate Overview We've split our recommendations into the different types of stair gate you can buy, so you can find one that's best suited for your house and needs. Meets safety standards - Complies or exceeds the requirements of EN1930, the safety standard for safety barriers including stair gates as well all the relevant clauses of the toy standard EN71Series. There’s nothing quite as exciting as watching your baby strike forward independently for the first time. Whether they’re commando creeping, crawling on all fours, or cruising the furniture like a pro, it's a moment that has many parents reaching for their cameras, desperate to capture those precious first moments. And then, as your baby inches closer and closer to the stairs which, previously, had been safely unattainable, reality hits: it’s time to baby proof.

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.Lots of people use safety gates as dog gates for stairs and to keep pets in or out of certain rooms. House plants can be poisonous: Move them up and out of the way. You may wish to lend larger ones to a friend for safekeeping.

The Safety 1st Wall Fix Extending Metal Gate is easy to adjust to fit securely at the top of any staircase, and because you don’t need to use any additional extenders, the full width of the gate will open, leaving no obstruction that could cause you to trip. Which is the best safety gate to buy? Safety and stability: Did the gate shift once installed? Were there any sharp corners or edges? Were there any small gaps that might trap a child’s fingers? Is the gate well made?

What safety features should I look out for when buying a stair gate?

No compromising! As there is no trip bar, the gate can be fitted anywhere in the house – ideal for use at the top of your staircase.