Why we got this gate...
When my son started to crawl forward then we knew it was time to get those gates up. The problem was we only had one (Safety First Perfect Fit Gate) and we weren't all that happy with it. So my husband and I did some research and decided that this would be the way to go. Off we went to Babies R Us to get the gate!
The First Years Hands Free Gate
This gate has gotten mixed reviews in the past (mostly due to the pedal breaking) but recently they have improved the pedal so that it is much more durable. The gate is meant for doorways/opening that are 29-34". The gate is easy to install a pressure mount and didn't take my husband long to set up at all. Once the gate is set up then all you have to do is walk over to it, step on the pedal, and push the door with a spare hand or knee and walk through. It saves a lot of time and energy versus having to move the entire gate every time you wanted to go through that area.
Age recommendations
This gate is recommended to keep children out of places they shouldn't be when they are between 6-24 months. This is not recommended to help refine animals to certain areas of your house.
Durability
We have had this gate up for almost 6 months and the gate has not only stayed in place without ever moving but all the parts on the gate still act as if they were brand new. The "new and improved" pedal is still working great!
Price
The price of the gate is around $50 and the price of the extension kits is $14.95 per kit and you may need one or two depending on the size of the doorway/hallway. The gate will work for doorways between 29"-34" and each extension will give you 5" more. (Only two extensions at most can be used.
Our experience
We LOVE this gate. I couldn't imagine not using this gate. This gate is so sturdy and it is in a frequently used area of our home. We do have it on our main floor of our home so that our son will not go down the stairs head first. I found out while getting ready to write this review that it is not supposed to be used at the top of a set of stairs. Well, that is where we have had it in our home and we have never had a problem. We have one extension attached to our gate and my husband secured the pressure screws into the wall. The only downfall at all about this gate is that it has slightly cracked the paint job in the points on the wall where it is secured.
The ease of the gate is great! It is truly "hands free". When I am holding my 23lb son and I need to go downstairs with him I just step down on the pedal and put my knee on the door and lean forward. The door opens and I can go through without a hitch. The nice thing is that it takes a bit of weight on the foot pedal to get it to work and my son isn't heavy enough yet. (We have even had some 2-4 year olds over to our house, who after showing them how to open the gate still couldn't open it because their body weight wasn't heavy enough.
The door also makes a great clicking sound so that you know that the door is in the locked position. This way there is no question about whether the door is locked or not.
My son also loves to stand at the gate, knock on the metal, and peer through the poles. I have never worried about him because the set-up is so secure. This gate has given me a lot of peace of mind about having him near the stairs.
Overall
This is a great buy! You will feel so good knowing that your child is safe once it is installed correctly!
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