Safety 1st Wall Fit Extending Metal Gate review: a solid gate for babyproofing your home

Overall rating: 4/5

Price on writing: £20 | Buy now from Amazon

What we like

Fits a wide variety of spaces
One-handed opening
Can be used at the top or bottom of the stairs as there is no trip hazard
Affordable price

What we don’t like

Tricky to install
Leaves big holes in walls
Does not self-close

Key specs

Price on writing: £20 | Type: Screw-fit | Width: 62 – 102cm

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Our verdict

The Safety 1st Extending Metal Gate is a super versatile choice, extending to fit a variety of widths from 62cm to 102cm, without needing to purchase any additional parts. It’s a great all-rounder, very sturdy, it is easy to use one-handed and safe enough to be installed at the top of the stairs. And of course it comes in at a very budget-friendly £20 at the time of writing (January 18th, 2024).

On the downside, Mumsnet tester Katja found the gate quite tricky to install and the installation left some pretty big holes in the wall, so if you live in a rented property, you may want to consider a screw-free pressure-fix gate as an alternative.

How do you install the Safety 1st Extending Gate?

The Safety 1st Extending Metal Gate is supposed to be easy to install, but this was not the experience of our tester Katja, who said: “It was not easy to build, and it took two people one to two hours to secure the gate in place.”

This was also the experience of several reviewers on Amazon, some of whom also criticised the instructions for not being clear enough.

As you would expect from a screw-fixed stair gate, you will need a drill to fix it in place, but be warned - Katja says installing the gate left big holes in her walls.

The gate is suitable for use in extra-wide doorways.

How safe is the Safety 1st Extending Gate?

Once the Safety 1st Extending Metal Gate was (finally) in place, Katja was mightily impressed with the gate’s sturdiness, saying: “It is well made and, once fixed properly, the gate is very secure.” Parents who have previously bought this gate say it is more than able to take the weight of a toddler or an enthusiastic dog.

It is easy to operate the gate one-handed, but you have to shut the gate manually, as it does not self-close. There is also no audible ‘click’ to let you know that the gate has closed properly.

Unlike the pressure-fit Lindam Sure Shut Axis Safety Gate, the Safety 1st gate can be safely used at the top of the stairs, as there is no bar at the bottom to step over.

How easy is it to clean the Safety 1st Extending Gate?

Although the Safety 1st Extending Gate is very sturdy while in situ, Katja found that it could be removed easily, allowing her to vacuum around it. This also allowed for the easy cleaning of spilled food or juice, even in the most hard-to-reach places.

Does the Safety 1st Extending Gate offer value for money?

Despite the struggle installing it, Katja gave the Safety 1st Extending Gate a big thumbs up. She said: “It’s good value for money, there’s no trip bar, it is great as it opens both ways and it’s easy to remove when not in use.”

And for just £20, who are we to argue?

See how the Safety 1st Wall Fit Extending Metal Gate compares with other market leaders on our best stair gates round-up, featuring products tried, tested and recommended by Mumsnet users.

How we tested

Mumsnet tester Katja spent several weeks putting a number of popular baby gates through their paces. Afterwards she scored each gate for safety, ease of installation, ease of cleaning and value for money.

About the author

Laura Cooke is a Content Editor at Mumsnet, with a special focus on toddler play, child play and outdoor play. She is a mum of two and lives in Sussex.

Laura is a freelance journalist and has written for a range of publications including The Daily Mirror, the i, Metro, Stylist and Happiful.

About Mumsnet Reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after weeks of research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.