Sturdy and simple
These KidCo gates are sturdy and simple. We have 2, one at the top of the stairs and the other at the bottom.

My complaints with other gates is that they have fancier locking mechanisms that tend to break. There's very little that could break on these gates. It's really just 2 metal gates that you bolt together to be the appropriate size, and then slide into PLASTIC hinges that are screwed into the wall.

Yes, the hinges that attach this metal gate to that wall are plastic. That's my only complaint. The hinges appear very sturdy; however, the plastic makes me a little uncomfortable. I know other people have complained that they cracked while they were screwed into the wall. This sounds like an installation error. You never want to crank a screw into plastic as hard as you can turn it or as hard as a power screwdriver will turn the screws. Plastic is just too brittle to take the pressure created by that much torque. The screws should be tight and secure, but not tightened to an extreme level.

I love the fact that the entire gate swings open, that makes it easy to get through the opening. We have other gates that have built in doors, and they're much harder to walk though while you are holding things. The latching mechanism on these gates is easy to use, but it does not close automatically. If automatic closing is important to you, pick another gate.

Installation was easy for me, but I do major home renovations myself. It seems like anyone could do it without problems as long as they took care in using the included templates. Note that the gate can be installed without extra hardware in locations that are not quite straight openings. This results because one side is on hinges that fully swivel, so the gate can rest at an angle that is not perpendicular to the wall. The latch side must be perpendicular to the wall.

As a final aside, I'm not sure why people are afraid to drill holes into drywall or a wood banister. Using the included screws and drilling into wood, you'd be left with a hole that's about 1/8" or less. When you take the gate down, invest in wood putty that matches your banister and you can fix the hole in a matter of seconds. Drywall takes marginally longer to fix with some spackle and paint, but it's still quick and easy. Filling in holes is much easier than fixing dents created by pressure mounted gates.

Best on the market
I actually read reviews from other sources (like consumer reports and such) before I bought this gate. This is rated the top gate for the top of the stairs. My husband installed the gate with no problems, although we did use larger screws than the ones that came with it, and we made sure it was screwed into a stud. The locking mechanism isn't the most convenient (it doesn't lock automatically when swung shut), but it is secure and sturdy. My two-year-old cannot unlock this gate, but his 6-year-old cousin was able to, which is fine because a 6-year-old won't fall down the stairs! We had the problem of a gap in between the gate and the top stair just because of the location of the stud, but the gap is not large enough to crawl through or get stuck in. We also purchased the accompanying kit that connects the gate to a wooden banister, preventing damage. If you don't purchase any extra supplies (either the kidco kit or your own hardware), both ends will screw into the wall and/or banister. Overall, I think this was a great purchase. I know my son and soon-to-be-crawling daughter will not be able to get down the stairs!

love this gate for kids and dogs
We bought one of these 11 years ago when we moved to a new home with stairs. It lasted 10 years and we just bought another to replace it. At first it was just for the safety of our little ones. Now we use it to keep the dogs in one area of the house. We were without one for almost a year and finally caved in and bought another. Easy to put up and very sturdy. Our youngest is 4 and hasn't figured it out yet which is nice because she can't get to her big sisters' room and go through their stuff. Little troll.

Will Wound More Often Than Protect
After a few weeks of use, the hinges started to sag. Once that happened, it became difficult to close securely.

My son was pulling on the gate when the latch popped free and the sharp, bare metal bolt that snaps into the latch hit him in the mouth, cutting his lip and knocking him over.

When it does manage to close securely (and you can't tell from looking whether it is secure or not), it is difficult to open. When it does open, the latch gives way suddenly and violently - I have taken chunks out of my thumb and hand on that same sharp metal bolt.

Overall, I think this gate does more harm than good; it is worth more being junked for scrap metal.

Great - by comparison
I purchased this gate and the Summer Sure & Secure gate at the same time. One for the top and one for the bottom of the stairs. If I purchased again, I would have just gotten two of these gates. It has less parts but has a much safer latch/locking mechanism. Also, it is easier to assembly. Even the screws didn't strip for me like the super cheap ones usually do. I only wish it had anchors for the screws included. I had to use my own on the one side.