Design
The design of the Regalo Easy Step Gate is quite simple. The gate stands at thirty-one inches tall, which makes it easy to keep your baby safe behind the gate. Thirty-one inches is also a great height for you to be able to step over the gate if you don’t want to use the walkthrough door. For those parents who prefer the walkthrough door, the gate’s latch system is easy to use. The latch of the gate is a push and pull mechanism that is better used with two hands than one hand, but not impossible to open with one hand. The opening to the gate allows for parents to walk through and even your baby to walk or crawl through when the gate is open so they can get out of their play space and into another room or out of the
house with your supervision.
The gate is made of a lightweight durable metal that won’t bend or snap under pressure. The bars of the gate are also close enough that your baby or toddler will not be able to slip through and get out of their area. When attached to the
wall, the gate does not move and can withstand the push and weight of your child.
Safety
The Regalo Easy Step Gate’s main purpose is the safety of your child as they learn how to
walk and crawl. The latch system on the gate has been designed so that their little
hands cannot unlock the gate themselves allowing them the freedom to roam and get hurt. The best places for the gate are in the areas where there is the most potential for your child to be harmed.
It is recommended that you place the gate on the top of stairways, in the doorway to the kitchen where most accidents can happen, in the doorways to play areas so that not only can your child be contained in their specific area, but you can leave the door open to be able to see into the room and know exactly what your child is up to, and by the entrances and exits to your home. This way you can keep the doors open for fresh air and still have your little ones contained in an area where they can’t wander out the front or back door.
Installation
Installing the Regalo Easy Step Gate has been considered extremely easy by a lot of parents. When you open the box, there are a lot of parts like screws and suction cups that may seem a bit overwhelming, however, you will soon learn that a lot of the parts are extra parts that you don’t necessarily have to use if you don’t want to use them. One important part that comes with the Regalo Easy Step Gate is the six-inch extender piece. This piece is perfect for wider doorways that may be too wide for the gate in its original design. The gate comes standard at 29 inches and can expand to 38 inches. If you need extra
space, the six-inch extender will solve that problem, and sold separately, you can buy a four-inch extender for even more space in the widest of doorways. After you unbox the gate, all you have to do is decide whether you want to screw the gate into the wall or use the pressure screws that require no tools or damage to your walls. If you choose to screw it in, place the mounts on the wall and place the gate next to the mount and screw the two together into the wall. It is that easy.
If you choose to use the pressure screws, screw the screws into the top and bottom of the gate. Once the screws are in, begin to unscrew them and extend them closer to the wall. As the screws hit the wall they will begin to send pressure back to the gate causing the gate to compress and become tight. Do this on both sides (it will require you to continually adjust the screws until both sides are even and the gate is fully tight) until the gate is unmovable and sits perfectly in the doorway. After the gate is secure, you are good to go.
Concerns
Many parents have shared their concerns about the gate being defective. Once
reading the manual, they soon found out the gate was designed a certain way and what may appear to be a flaw is actually the way the gate is supposed to be so that it can be adjusted into your doorway. The major concern was that the gate was bent the wrong way and the gap between the gate door and the gate was so wide that a child could fit through. Parents soon discovered that the gap was there because the gate was not tight and secure in the doorway. Once parents installed the gate in the doorway, the gap became almost non-existent because the gate tightened up during installation.
Other concern about the gate was that the doorway is not wide enough. The gate door is sixteen inches wide, and some parents found it hard to fit through. It was suggested to walk through sideways or step over the gate if needed. The gate is 31 inches tall and easy to step over. Parents can also walk through on an angle or sideways if they want to fit through the opening.
Some parents did not like the fact that the gate door only opens one way. The quick fix to that is that if you want the gate to open in or out, flip the gate around during installation so that the gate opens in your desired direction.
The Latch System
The latch system to the Regalo Easy Step Gate is easy for adults to use and nearly impossible for your little one to use making the gate even more secure. The latch system works on a two-part process. There is a red tab that you push over to leave room for the actual latch to be lifted up. When the latch is lifted up you can easily swing the gate open. To close the latch, all you have to do is secure the gate shut and then lower the latch and push the red tab back over the latch so that it can’t be lifted. This system cannot be performed by toddlers who do not have the dexterity or strength to push and lift the latch. Be advised that the gate does not open from the floor, there is a thin metal frame around the bottom of the gate so be careful not to trip or hit your
foot on the frame. You will have to step over the frame to enter or exit the gated area.
Great For Pets
Most purchases for the Regalo Easy Step Gate are for people with pets. The gate works wonders for people who have pets and children. The gate is tall enough so that pets cannot
jump over the gate, and the bars are close enough so that pets can’t get through the gate. It also helps that the gate is easy to step over so that you don’t have to open the gate after you have put your pet away and risk them running out again.
Age Range
The Regalo Easy Step Gate is made for
pets of all ages or children up to two-years-old. The gate can be used for children older than two-years-old, but you will have to contend with the fact that older children will be able to open and close the gate themselves, which may be something that you are okay with. As long as your child knows how to be safe, it shouldn’t be an issue.
Portability
As long as your Regalo Easy Step Gate is not screwed into your wall, you can take the gate virtually anywhere. Some parents who have used the suction cup/pressure screws to hold their gate in place, remove the gate from the wall and take it with them when they travel. Whether you are going to visit grandparents or going to the neighbor’s for a play date, the gate is so
light you can take it from your doorway and bring it to where you are going and set it up in that location just as easy as you set it up in your home. You never have to worry about running around after your child in another person’s home. As with all things, when you are in someone else’s home it is always advised that you monitor your child as you may be unaware of certain safety hazards.
Price
The Regalo Easy Step Gate is extremely affordable considering you may have the gate for many years. Once installed, the gate can remain in your doorway for as long as you need it. It can last you through all of your children’s toddler years and for as long as you have a family pet. People with pets have decided to screw their gate into the wall because they knew it would be there for a long
time. When you consider the length of time you could potentially have this product coupled with the low price, it appears to be a no-brainer of a purchase. The gate is durable and has a long life span and will keep your children safe.
Conclusion
The Regalo Easy Step Gate has been praised as being one of the best purchases a lot of parents have made. The gate comes in one standard
color and has zero to no frills. The gate door is already installed and all you have to do upon opening the box is place the gate in the doorway and secure it to the walls. After that, you can have the peace-of-mind that your child is safe and contained and cannot fall down the stairs, get out of the house, or get into a room that could pose a huge safety hazard for them. The Regalo Easy Step Gate is an affordable purchase the fits into any parent’s budget, and for the price and extreme ease of use, the gate is a fantastic investment that will last you several years until you don’t need its security anymore.