Is Babyproofing important?
Babyproofing is becoming a lucrative profession and has been for some time. Many new parents get overwhelmed by all the requirements in the most basic checklists on how to babyproof a house and I was relieved to learn this after struggling to keep up with all the items.
In 2014 a study by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio reported that about 1800 babies end up in emergency rooms every year because of baby gate-related injuries. The injuries range from sprains to traumatic brain injuries. You can also read about baby gate-related injuries from this 1990 to 2010 study here. This goes to highlight the importance of babyproofing.
Most of the best baby gates you can find in the market need to be pressure mounted and would require at least two walls to be attached to. However, you’ll find times that you’ll want a baby gate in locations where you don’t have the walls.
The best free-standing baby gates are easy to install and most importantly, sturdy enough not to be easily tipped over. Excellent ones allow you to easily open the gates without the need to jump over them.
What are free-standing baby gates?
Freestanding gates are fence-like structures or barriers meant for restricting your baby or a pet to a particular area within a home. You can use them in open spaces within your house like hallways, around a fireplace, inside rooms, etc. Also, you can use them on your lawn. The term freestanding means, that once you place the gate on a location, it remains firmly planted without the need to attach it to a wall for stability.
There are many places within your home where your curious baby might be exposed to harm, places where they might experience falls such as stairs or contacting water or fire or sharp objects, etc. As a parent, you want to make sure you guarantee safety to your child and freestanding gates help you to achieve that without constantly watching your baby. Additionally, you can take advantage of how versatile the gates are and join the panels together to create a playpen for your baby. They are made from different materials and also differ in dimensions.
How I ranked free-standing baby gates
To decide on the best freestanding baby gate in 2022, we have considered the following factors:
- Sturdiness
- Ease of use
- Availability of space
- Versatility
- Durability
Best Freestanding Baby Gate in 2022: Evenflo Colorful
Using the above 5 ranking factors, Evenflo Colorful emerged as the overall best free-standing baby gate you can get in the market to safely keep the baby off dangerous parts of your house from the baby.
7 Best Free-Standing Baby Gates
- #1. Evenflo Colourful baby gate with door
- #2. Richell Wood Freestanding Gate
- #3. North States 3-In-1 Metal Super Yard
- #4. Evenflo Indoor & Outdoor Baby Gate & Playpen
- #5. Evenflo Versatile Play Space
- #6. Toddlerloo By North States Super Yard
- #7. Regalo My Play Deluxe Extra-Large Portable Play Yard Indoor
Reviews Of Our Best Free Standing Baby Gates Of 2022
#1. Evenflo Colourful baby gate with door
EvenFlo is our #1 pick and took the crown as the overall best free-standing baby gate in this 2022 list. EvenFlo has been a trusted brand for high-quality children’s products for decades, and their Evenflo colorful baby gate is no exception; as the name suggests, it is made in beautiful colors that your baby will like.
We choose it as our # no. 1 because it is so easy to assemble or dismantle when you want to put it away. It also provides a pleasant-looking and spacious playpen for your baby. You can use this beautiful gate both indoor for outdoor play; it features rubber pads for stability when using it indoors and reversible spiked legs for stability when using it on the lawn. It also features an easy -to- open and close door so whether you are petite or not, you never have to go over the walls whenever you want to pass through. This beautiful gate serves all your needs without much effort or damage to your home.
Features:
- Serves babies from the age of 6 to 24 months
- Enclosed space of 18.5 square feet and 28 inches high
- Foldable design
- Spiked reversible and rubber padded legs
- Multi-coloued
Pros:
- It is so easy and quick to install; no tools are needed
- Offers you a pleasant and safe playground both indoors and outdoors
- Perfect choice if color is a big plus for you
- It has a molded handle for additional safety when carrying.
- Foldable and portable
Cons:
Rating on Amazon:
- Average rating: 4.7/5 by 1834 customers
- Rank: #13 out of top 100 in kids’ outdoor safety products & # 4,533 in baby products
#2. Richell Wood Freestanding Gate
Richell Wood is our second best Free-Standing baby gate in 2022
The Richell wood takes the second position on this list. Don’t allow the name pet gate to deceive you; this freestanding gate is terrific with kids too. This gate is available in medium and large sizes and does not have additional panels.
The manufacturer did not include additional panels because it would have compromised the design. However, whichever size you choose, the gate serves the purpose. The Richell wood gate is made from rubberwood, which makes it not only sturdy but also durable. It also features a door that easily opens both ways on a single hand. You can purchase the medium size for smaller babies or pets or the larger size if your kid is the active climber type.
The gate perfectly restricts your kid when placed at the bottom of stairs, the hallway, or the front of a fireplace. It’s important to note, though, that it cannot entirely prevent the smaller pets from passing through its slats. If you buy the larger model with six panels, you can convert it into a playpen. Considering how stylish, sturdy, long-lasting, and easy it is to use, it is no wonder we rate it as or second best.
Features:
- Measures 39.8 x71.3 x 17.7 x 20.1
- Spacing between slats 11/4 inch
- Wire gage of 0.144 inches
- Recommended for small dogs (3-8) kgs. and small kids
- Includes side panels
Pros:
- Sturdy
- Portable
- Easy to install
- Can be used for either baby or small dog
- Matte color complements your decor
Cons:
- Cannot be used adequately to contain smaller pets
- Can cause a distraction to other room users
Rating on Amazon:
Average rating: 4.4/5 by 33 customers
Rank: currently unavailable
#3. North States 3-In-1 Metal Super Yard
This is a gorgeous and multi-purpose gate. With six panels, you will enjoy its versatility; use it for a barrier when open, or connect the ends and get a spacious playpen for your baby or pet. It also features a walk-through door that has a child-proof double-locking system for easy access and extra security.
This 3-in-1 Metal Superyard also includes mounting hardware for an even longer safety barrier if you so desire.
Because this is an extra-wide gate, you can use it to block off a vast area such as around the fireplace or even the bottom of a staircase.
Its best feature is the flexible panels: you can customize the panels to fit the space you have by adding or removing them. Additionally, the panels are very flexible, bending both ways. Because of these fantastic features, we rank this gate in the third position on our list of best freestanding baby gates.
Features:
- Measures 29 x 7 x 33 inches
- 10sq feet enclosed space
- Bronze metal
- Includes mounting hardware
- Double-locking system
- 6-panels
- Walk-through door
Pros:
- Extremely versatile
- Hold-open door function
- Mounting tools included
- Can serve both baby and small dogs
- Great design
- Sturdy build
Cons:
- Heavy
Rating on Amazon:
Average rating: 4.6/5 by 33 customers
Rank: currently unavailable
#4. Evenflo Indoor & Outdoor Baby Gate & Playpen
This gate is also one of the best baby gates in the market. You will love it for its convenience; it is in a foldable design so you can put it away without much stress, and it takes up just a small space.
This free-standing gate once converted to an enclosed play space provides you with plenty of space, and as the name suggests, it is perfect for both indoors and outdoors. Alternatively, you can stretch it and use it as a barrier to keep out a pet or your baby for specific places in the house. It is our fourth choice of the best freestanding baby gates.
Features:
- Enclosed space of 18.5 square feet
- Reversible legs with outdoor spikes for lawn stability
- Non-scratch floor pads for interior floor surface
- Hinge design
- Molded handle
Pros:
- Perfect for a small pet or baby
- Spacious playground
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor
- Additional safety features e.g. molded handle and specially designed legs
- Easily and quick to assemble without other tools
Cons:
- Active kids can move it
Rating on Amazon:
Average rating: 4.7/5 by 1834 customers
Ranking: # 13 out of top 100 in kids’ outdoor safety products
#5. Evenflo Versatile Play Space
The EvenFlo versatile play space takes the fifth position in this list of best freestanding baby gates. This package is designed to offer you the most play space as possible while ensuring the safety of your little one. It features six panels with the option of an additional two bought separately.
It is easy to assemble, and you can use it in all the available large and open spaces within your home. The leg design makes it secure to use in the house or on a lawn without damaging the floor.
Features:
- Measures 57.6 x 57.6 x 28 inches
- Made from plastic
- Serves indoors and outdoors
- Ideal for babies and pets
- Reversible legs with switchable outdoor stakes and non-scratch pads
- Six panels
- Matching 2-piece extension panel for an added extension at an additional cost
Pros:
- It is lightweight
- Provides ample playground
- Easy to assemble or put away
- Secure to use indoor and outdoor
- Includes 90- day warranty
Cons
- Because it’s lightweight bigger kids can push around
- It is not usable for as a large-area gate
Rating on Amazon:
Average rating: 4.7/5 by 3,326 customers
Ranking: #1 out of top 100 in kids’ outdoor safety products & #533 in baby products
#6. Toddlerloo By North States Super Yard
This gate is also a great choice of the free-standing gate from North State. It is made of plastic and features six panels, but it has an expandable option with additional panels. With this gate, you can be sure your little one has plenty of safe room to play alone or with friends. It can be used in the house or outside on the lawn. Although it is wide enough, the plastic is not firm enough for active kids. It also doesn’t have a walk-through door unless at an extra cost. It also means you need to keep opening and closing the panel whenever you want to pass through, which takes effort. Having considered these factors, we rank it in the sixth position on this list.
Features:
- 6- Panels
- The option of adding more panels
- Measures 16 x 16 x 26 inches
- 18.5 square feet of enclosed play space
- Carrying strap
Pros:
- You can easily adjust the play space just remove or add panels
- You can create various shaped playgrounds
- Folds easily and portable
- Convenient for travel
- Lightweight
Cons:
- Great effort is needed to assemble and dismantle the panels
- Doesn’t have a walk-through door
Rating on Amazon:
Average rating: 4.1/5 by 957 customers
Ranking: # 51 out of top 100 baby play yards & #8,054 in baby products
#7. Regalo My Play Deluxe Extra-Large Portable Play Yard Indoor
This gate is our seventh-best free-standing baby gate. This gate from Regalo has an impressive design; it is made in an all-steel frame and stitched wall material for ventilation. The bottom is made of nylon to protect from rough grounds. You will need additional padding on the bottom if you are using it on a hard floor because the one provided is not thick enough.
With this convertible gate, you never have to worry about more guarded space for your kid; It is one of the largest on the market featuring eight panels so your kids can include as many playmates as possible or as many games as space would allow. It also features a foldable design and a carry case with a strap making it convenient for travel.
This baby gate is an excellent and uniquely designed tool that you can employ to ensure your kid is having maximum fun while observing safety. It is most suitable for kids under two years and can be used indoors and outdoors.
Features:
- Measures 62 inches wide and 26 inches high
- 8-panels
- Includes a nylon bottom for protection
- Foldable design
- Steel frames with mesh walls
- Sturdy canvas for additional protection from spills or grass
Pros:
- Provides ample playground
- Convenient for travel
- Easy to assemble and dismantle
Cons:
- Might be too big if you are concerned about space
- You need additional padding on the bottom
Rating on Amazon
Average rating: 4.5/5 by 936 customers
Ranking: # 4 out of top 100 kids’ outdoor safety & #2,101 in baby products
North states 3-in-1 metal super yard
- About the Author
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Sandra W. Bullock is a grand-mom to two boys and is part of the review board here at Motherhoodhq.com. She is responsible for the quality control of content and is among our most experienced moms. She has over 20 years of writing parenting content online focussing on baby safety indoors and outdoors. She has written widely on babyproofing nurseries and homes for infants and toddlers and published work on privacy and the safety of baby monitors. She is a renowned advocate for non-wifi baby monitors that cannot be hacked and spends a lot of time educating parents on how to secure their homes – including ways to secure the baby from harm in and around homes. Sandra is a native of Atlanta where she also works. She can be reached using her email, Sandra.w(at)motherhoodhq.com