When you’re shopping for baby gates, there ars quite a few to choose from, and many will have a certain niche. Some want a gate that closes automatically, or has a little pet door in there. Knowing what you want first may help with your selection.
I’ve already written an article on the best baby gates. However, in many cases you may just want a gate that’s as tall as possible. In this article, I’ll dive into gates that fit that criteria and are taller than average.
Table of Contents
- Our Top Picks for the 6 Best Extra Tall Baby Gates in 2020
- #1. Regalo Easy Step Extra Tall Walk Thru Baby Gate (Best Budget)
- #2. Rover Tall Dog Gate (Tallest Gate)
- #3. Summer Infant Multi-Use Gate (Best Overall)
- #4. Perma Retractable Gate (Best Retractable Gate)
- #5. Carlson Extra Tall Walk Through Pet Gate with Small Pet Door (Best Gate With Pet Door)
- #6. Cumbor Auto-Close (Best Auto-Close Gate)
- How I Picked The Gates
- What Qualifies as an Extra Tall Baby Gate?
- Why An Extra Tall Baby Gate?
- The Downsides of an Extra Tall Gate
- What To Look for in an Extra Tall Gate
- In Summary
Our Top Picks for the 6 Best Extra Tall Baby Gates in 2020
#1. Regalo Easy Step Extra Tall Walk Thru Baby Gate (Best Budget)
If you’re looking for a tall gate that won’t break the bank, this is a good one. It goes for about $40 as of this post. Like I said, taller gates will cost more, but this one doesn’t cost too much.
Pros
- It’s quite tall at 41 inches. As for its expansion, it will fit anywhere from 29 to 36.5 inches, giving it a decent range.
- It’s pressure-mounted and easy for you to put together and set up. Just follow the simple instructions and you’re good to go.
- This gate may be cheap, but it has some decent durability to it and some great locking features, with multiple safety locks to make sure your toddler under 3 doesn’t get past it.
Cons
- Some users had difficulty with the locking mechanism, saying it wasn’t as easy to use as advertised.
#2. Rover Tall Dog Gate (Tallest Gate)
If you’re looking for the tallest of the tall, Rover has you covered. It is a gate meant for huge dogs, but it can work for your child as well. Standing at 48 inches in height, it’s one of the biggest gates you can buy. For reference, that’s four feet.
Pros
- It’s tall. At 48 inches, big dogs and daring babies will have a hard time scaling it.
- This gate is approved by veterinarians, giving pet owners a little peace of mind.
- It’s lightweight, yet it can handle a bit of roughhousing from your little one.
- It fits doorways between 24-48”, making it quite expansive.
Cons
- This gate is quite expensive, going for $199.
- No longer available on Amazon, meaning no Prime shipping. There is an archive from when it used to be available on there, and this gate did receive some positive reviews.
Click here to see today’s price for the Easy Step Extra Tall Walk Thru Baby Gate on RoverPet
#3. Summer Infant Multi-Use Gate (Best Overall)
This gate is probably the best tall gate overall. While not the tallest on this list, it looks great, is affordable, and has high reviews. Let’s break down why this gate is so great.
Pros
- First, the design. It’s made from metal and it has a beautiful finish, with a nice arch shape that looks inviting. For some parents and pet owners, looks don’t matter; they just want a gate that does its job. However, this gate looks amazing and is more than just flash.
- It’s pressure-mounted, but it does come with the ability for you to hardware mount should you want extra security or put it on stairways.
- It has a door stopper, which you can use for the top of the stairs, or to prevent the gate from opening so easily.
- It’s quality, but it’s affordable as well. As of this post, the gate is going for about $60 on Amazon, making it that perfect balance between quality and value.
- One of the highest rated gates,
Cons
- I do wish it was a bit taller. Thirty-six inches should be tall enough for most people, but some households may want at least 40. As of this post, this is the only size the gate is available in.
- Some units had a defective latch, with one parent reporting that their baby almost hurt themselves falling down the stairs. With any gate, make sure it’s fully functional before use.
#4. Perma Retractable Gate (Best Retractable Gate)
A retractable gate can provide a softer barrier and take up less space. Whenever you don’t need to use it, it retracts, making it more convenient than other gates. Unfortunately, many retractable gates aren’t too tall, going up to 33 inches at the most. This one is the tallest, going 41 inches.
Pros
- It’s the tallest retractable gate I could find, going 41 inches in height. Children and pets are no match for this barrier.
- It does have a 1 year warranty, meaning that you can have some peace of mind when your purchase it.
- The gate does have a one-handed operation, meaning that you can open it while you’re carrying your child or having groceries.
Cons
- Reviews are a little more mixed. I usually try to select products that have 4 stars or higher, but as of this post, this gate has 3.7 stars. While more people had a positive experience than negative, the reviews are still a little mixed. However, this was the only retractable gate I found that was truly extra tall. If I find a retractable gate that is tall and has a higher score, I will update this article.
- Many users had a hard time installing and opening this gate. Meanwhile, some children and pets found it a little too easy to open it.
#5. Carlson Extra Tall Walk Through Pet Gate with Small Pet Door (Best Gate With Pet Door)
This is the one to pick if you need a gate with a pet door. This type of gate has a small pet door, allowing small pets to pass through while the kids and the big dogs stay out.
Pros
- It has all the features you would expect out of a good gate. It’s easily adjustable for almost every use, and its durable steel can keep most pets out. Its safety lock is easy for you to use, yet difficult for your child.
- The small pet door, which is 8 x 8, is lockable, so your kid doesn’t get curious. If your cat or small dog wants to pass, just unlock it and open it for them.
- It looks great. The design is simple, but it does have this sleek look to it that you will love.
Cons
- It may not contain some rowdy dogs. With any pet gate, you also need to make sure that your dog isn’t too aggressive. A big dog that runs into a gate at full speed may end up destroying the gate, which may end up disappointing the customer.
- Some users have claimed that the pet gate is a little too big, with their bigger dog easily being able to fit through it. Always make sure that the gate is small enough so that your dog or kid can’t get into it, but big enough so that your cat can.
#6. Cumbor Auto-Close (Best Auto-Close Gate)
Parents are busy people. They’re often sleep deprived and can make mistakes. Sometimes, they may open their baby gate, but forget to close it. Luckily, an auto-close gate can fix that. This type of gate closes automatically when opened at less than 90 degrees. Any higher and it stays open, if you need it opened.
Pros
- The auto-close feature is heaven-sent for most parents. It works like a charm and this means that you don’t have to worry about leaving the gate open, unless you open everything wide out of instinct.
- It’s quite durable. The page claims to handle pets up to 210 pounds. So if you have a super big dog, then your pooch may not be a match for it.
- It’s a pressure-mounted gate and is quite easy to install.
Cons
- Sadly, it’s not as tall as other extra-tall gates, going a measly 30.5 inches. I will update if there ends up being another extra-tall auto-close gate that goes higher.
- Some reviewers had a hard time installing it.
How I Picked The Gates
Reviews
When choosing any product, reading the reviews is always going to be the first step. What parents like you are saying about a baby gate is always important. I try to pick products that have an average of 4 stars or higher, with some exceptions. In this article’s case, the retractable baby gate was a little under that due to the lack of tall retractable gates on the market.
Reviews can help determine how a gate stacks up against rowdy children and energetic dogs. Every kid and animal is different, and a gate should be able to handle almost everything.
Of course, no gate is perfect, with some parents receiving a defective unit or the gate just not working like they expected. Noticing the lower-rated reviews helps me determine the possible cons of the product.
A Gate for Each Category
I pick baby gates based on category. With baby gates, I have a handful of ones to choose from. Which is the cheapest? The best? Then, I pick categories based on certain features, such as pet door, retractable. You can even find a fireplace baby gate. All this allows for a variety of gates for the parent to pick from.
Height
In this post, height is important. I tried to pick gates that were over 40 inches, emphasizing the “extra” in “extra tall.” Sadly, there were a few categories where the gate wasn’t that tall. However, it was tall enough to qualify for this post.
What Qualifies as an Extra Tall Baby Gate?
You may wonder how tall a gate is in order to be qualified as extra tall. Obviously, an extra tall baby gate is not going to be the size of a fence, but it’s still going to be quite tall. Your average baby gate is going to be around 30 inches in height. An extra tall baby gate may add on 10 inches or so.
Give or take a few inches, obviously. This will depend on which gate you choose. Some may be even taller.
Why An Extra Tall Baby Gate?
Your average gate does its job in most cases, but some households have a situation where a taller barrier is in order. Maybe you own a big dog that you want to keep out of the room in addition to your toddler.
Or, your toddler is a climber and can climb over an average-sized gate in a single bound like they’re Superbaby. An extra tall gate gives that peace of mind that you’re probably looking for in this case.
A gate helps keep your child or dog from a room that is dangerous to them. For instance, you can install a gate near the top of the stairs so your little one doesn’t try going down the stairs with their underdeveloped legs. Or, you may want a gate to keep kids out of the kitchen, where there are knives and dangerous chemicals.
Also, a tall gate is great for dogs. When there is a new guest, the gate can prevent Fido from jumping all over the person as they enter. Most people love dogs, but they may not appreciate getting pounced on! The gate can help calm the dog down until it’s ready to play nice with your guest.
The Downsides of an Extra Tall Gate
With that said, there a few disadvantages of an extra tall gate that you may want to consider. For instance, you can’t step over them.
When you’re feeling lazy and don’t want to spend time opening the gate, stepping over it can sometimes be a solution, but not for a tall gate. Stepping over a gate that is two feet or so is easy, but three or four feet? Forget it.
Also, it may be more difficult to set up. Taller gates could require more assembly depending on which ones you buy. If you have difficulty putting together gates, you may want to think twice about purchasing one that’s too tall.
Finally, another downside is that because it’s taller, it’s going to cost more money than your average-sized gate. If you’re on a budget, and you can go on without it, you may want to purchase something smaller.
What To Look for in an Extra Tall Gate
When shopping around for a gate that is extra tall, here are some features you should look for.
- Height. Obviously, the tall gate needs to be, well, tall. Figuring out how tall you want the gate can help narrow down your selection, so try it and see which gate is the best for you.
- Pressure-mounted or not? A gate that is not pressure-mounted requires you to drill a hole in the wall. It takes a little work, and some people can’t or won’t put a hole in their wall, but it is quite sturdy. A pressure-mounted gate requires no drilling, instead staying in there via pressure.
- Locking features. Obviously, you want a gate that is complex enough so that your kid won’t know how to unlock it, but on the other hand, you may want to purchase a gate that has a lock that you can unlock with ease. Many gates are one-handed, meaning that you can unlock it while carrying a baby or groceries. However, this all depends on the lock, and some parents may have a harder time unlocking something than other parents will.
- Design. Some parents may not care how a gate looks, but there may be some who like a gate that complements their house. Whether it’s color or design, the look of a gate can play the part in making the decision.
- Materials used. Some gates are made from PVC, some from metal, and others from stainless steel. Cheaper gates may use low-quality plastic and other materials, which may pose a few problems if you have a child who is tenacious at wanting to get through. A retractable baby gate will usually be made out of mesh.
In Summary
Here are the gates:
- Best Budget: Regalo Easy Step Extra Tall Walk Thru Baby Gate . It’s cheaper at $39.99 and has quite a few useful features. While not the best gate out there, it’s great for a budget.
- Best Overall: Summer Infant Multi-Use Gate. While not the tallest gate, it’s higher quality and it looks great as well.
- Best Retractable: Perma Retractable Gate. It’s not exactly the best reviewed gate, but it is the tallest retractable that I could find.
- Best Gate With Pet Door: Carlson Extra Tall Walk Through Pet Gate. This gate will keep big dogs and kids out and let in cats and other small pets.
- Best Auto-Close: Cumbor Auto-Close. While not the tallest gate out there, it’s the best one that automatically closes.
Having gates that are tall will keep out children and pets from visiting the forbidden spots of your home. With a tall gate, you can have that extra security you desire.
