Checklist · 13 picks · 5 categories

baby-proofing checklist

Edited by Zach · updated Oct 30, 2026 · How I pick

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Best gate overall Regalo Easy Step Safety Gate Best for doorways and hallways in most homes$25-50Shop on Amazon
Reviewed outlet caps KidCo Electrical Outlet Caps 36 Count Best for covering every outlet in the house fastunder $15Shop on Amazon
Dresser anchor Hangman Furniture Anti-Tip Kit Best for dressers and bookshelvesunder $15Shop on Amazon

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One day they're a cute little potato, the next they're army-crawling toward the outlet. Reviewed says to start baby-proofing around six months, when babies crawl, pull up and cruise along furniture, and to sit on the floor so you see the house from their level.

The big four: gates for stairs and doorways, outlet covers, cabinet locks, and anchors for dressers and TVs (tip-overs are the scary one). Corner guards are a nice extra for coffee tables. The gates come from Babylist, the outlet covers, latches, anchors and edge guards from Reviewed's tests, and the no-drill cabinet locks from BestReviews. Most of this is cheap, so do the whole house in one weekend. Each card shows the drawback the outlet called out.

Who this is not for. Skip this if your baby isn't here yet; the Baby list has the car seat, stroller, crib mattress and monitor you need first.

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Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.

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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 30, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.

The must-haves

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01 Gates

the first pick is the one I would start with

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
Regalo Easy Step Safety Gate	budget	$25-50	doorways and hallways in most homes	2 outlets agree
Summer by Ingenuity The Thruway Baby Gate	budget	$25-50	wide openings on a small budget	1 outlet
Dreambaby Glide 'N Hide Extra Tall Retractable Baby Gate	mid	$50-100	a gate that disappears when it's open	1 outlet

Best baby gate

budget pick · 30 in tall, 29 to 38.5 in wide

Regalo Easy Step Safety Gate

Best for doorways and hallways in most homes

Babylist's best baby gate overall and Reviewed's best value baby gate: steel, expandable, and it mounts with screws or pressure.

Heads up. Reviewed found the two-step handle clunky, and testers often turned sideways to walk through

2 outlets agree. Babylist best baby gate overall. Reviewed best value baby gate.

$25-50

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budget pick · 30 in tall, up to 52 in wide

Summer by Ingenuity The Thruway Baby Gate

Best for wide openings on a small budget

Babylist's best affordable baby gate: a low-cost gate that screws into the wall for a secure fit.

Heads up. Babylist gives no drawback detail for this one

1 outlet. Babylist best affordable baby gate.

$25-50

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mid pick · 35 in tall, up to 55 in wide

Dreambaby Glide 'N Hide Extra Tall Retractable Baby Gate

Best for a gate that disappears when it's open

Babylist's best hardware-mounted baby gate: it rolls fully out of the way when you don't need it.

Heads up. Babylist gives no drawback detail for this one

1 outlet. Babylist best Hardware-Mounted Baby Gate.

$50-100

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02 Outlets

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
KidCo Electrical Outlet Caps 36 Count	budget	under $15	covering every outlet in the house fast	1 outlet
Wappa Baby Safety Outlet Cover Box	budget	under $15	outlets behind the TV or lamp	1 outlet
Ziz Home Self-Closing Outlet Covers	mid	$15-25	outlets you use every day	1 outlet

Best outlet covers

budget pick · 36 caps

KidCo Electrical Outlet Caps 36 Count

Best for covering every outlet in the house fast

Reviewed's best outlet covers: the best of the ones it reviewed, with a raised nub so adults can pull them out.

Heads up. Easier to lose than an outlet-cover replacement

1 outlet. Reviewed best outlet covers.

under $15

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budget pick · Box cover

Wappa Baby Safety Outlet Cover Box

Best for outlets behind the TV or lamp

Babylist's pick for in-use outlets: an impact-resistant box that covers the outlet and the plugs of always-on things like the TV and lamps.

Heads up. Babylist gives no drawback detail for this one

1 outlet. Babylist for In-Use Outlets.

under $15

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mid pick · Plate replacement

Ziz Home Self-Closing Outlet Covers

Best for outlets you use every day

Reviewed's best outlet replacement: it swaps your cover plate with just a screwdriver, and the shutters close when you unplug.

Heads up. They're pretty thick

1 outlet. Reviewed best outlet replacement.

$15-25

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03 Locks

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
Munchkin Xtraguard Dual Action Multi Use Latches	budget	under $15	fridges, ovens, toilets and vanities	2 outlets agree
Jambini Magnetic Cabinet Locks	mid	$25-50	hidden locks without drilling	1 outlet
The Good Stuff Child Safety Locks	splurge	$25-50	renters who can't drill	1 outlet

Best cabinet locks

budget pick · 2-pack

Munchkin Xtraguard Dual Action Multi Use Latches

Best for fridges, ovens, toilets and vanities

Reviewed's best multipurpose latch and BestReviews' best bang for the buck: a dual-button release that's tough for little hands to work out.

Heads up. The adhesive can peel veneer off cheap furniture

2 outlets agree. Reviewed best multipurpose latch. BestReviews best Bang for the Buck cabinet locks.

under $15

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mid pick · 4 locks + key

Jambini Magnetic Cabinet Locks

Best for hidden locks without drilling

A BestReviews top pick: magnetic locks that stick on with 3M tape and switch off when you don't need them.

Heads up. BestReviews says they may fall off over time and are less durable than similar locks

1 outlet. BestReviews top Pick cabinet locks.

$25-50

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splurge pick · Set

The Good Stuff Child Safety Locks

Best for renters who can't drill

BestReviews' best of the best cabinet locks: they install in minutes with no drilling and are hard to see when closed.

Heads up. May not work well in narrow spaces

1 outlet. BestReviews best of the Best cabinet locks.

$25-50

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04 Anchors

Best furniture anchors

budget pick · Kit

Hangman Furniture Anti-Tip Kit

Best for dressers and bookshelves

Reviewed's best furniture anchor: a small cotter-pin design for dressers and other heavy furniture.

Heads up. Reviewed found no drawback for this one

1 outlet. Reviewed best furniture anchor.

under $15

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budget pick · Straps

Safety Baby Metal Furniture and TV Straps

Best for TVs that aren't wall-mounted

Reviewed's best TV straps: metal straps with a ratcheting design that pulls them tight.

Heads up. Reviewed gives no drawback detail for this one

1 outlet. Reviewed best TV Straps.

$15-25

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05 Corners

Best corner guards

budget pick · 16 ft

UXU Baby Proofing Edge and Corner Furniture Guard

Best for padding a lot of edges for less

BestReviews' best bang for the buck: high-density foam with enough length for a whole apartment.

Heads up. Covers less surface than some sets, per BestReviews

1 outlet. BestReviews best Bang for the Buck edge guards.

under $15

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mid pick · Roll + corners

Roving Cove Safe Edge Furniture Edge & Corner Cushions

Best for coffee tables and fireplace edges

Reviewed's best edge guard: low-profile cushions that gave more padding than the others it tried.

Heads up. Reviewed gives no drawback detail for this one

1 outlet. Reviewed best edge guard.

$15-25

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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me

Questions people ask

When should you start baby-proofing?

Reviewed says around six months, when your baby starts crawling or pulling up and cruising on furniture. Its tip: get down on the floor at their level to spot what they'll find first.

Do you really need to anchor furniture?

Yes. Reviewed calls securing furniture and TVs critical to keeping kids safe, especially as they get bigger. Its picks are the Hangman Anti-Tip Kit for dressers and Safety Baby metal straps for TVs.

Are plug-in outlet covers safe?

Babylist warns that plug-style covers can be a choking hazard if a child pulls one out, so pick covers that won't fit through a toilet paper tube. Self-closing plates like the Ziz Home covers skip that problem and suit outlets you use every day.

baby-proofing checklist

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The must-haves