The First Years Hands Free Gate

The convenient foot pedal is easy for adults, but difficult for children, to open.

Adjustable pressure mounts don't require screws and won't mark up your walls.

Before you buy, there are two things to be aware of. One, the actual opening for parents, kids, and/or pets to walk through is only about 18 inches wide. Two, if you want to use this in a doorway and be able to close the door, the foot pedal sticks out too far to allow this. For use with children up to 24 months.

This gate is NOT for everyone. The opening is only 18" wide, so this would not be for a home with a wheelchair. Although it installs easily, I wouldn't suggest this one if you plan on moving it from doorway to doorway on a regular basis. It takes a few minutes, not something I'd want to do all day. But it is very easy to move, such as if you where having a party or needed to move furniture.

This gate is well made, but I do have one concern about durability. It has a plastic pin that locks the swinging part into place. I wonder if someone who does not push the pedal enough and pushes the gate, probably an unfamiliar adult or older child, could break it. I haven't seen anything to that affect in other reviews, so maybe not. Still, I'd have prefered to see metal. Maybe that concern is unfounded, I guess we'll see. Buy this gate.


LOVE THIS GATE!!! BUYING MORE!!!   October 10, 2001
 33 out of 33 found this review helpful

I have had this gate for 6 months with no problems. I can see how the pedal could break and cause a problem however, This gate works so well in my house, it would be worth a little inconvenience if I had to replace the pedal or return the gate for a replacement. Even with that possibility I still rate it 5 stars!! It is located in the most traveled area of my house and it works beautifully!!! Besides my daughter, I also have 3 dogs that have tried to get through to the other side without causing any damage!!! I contacted First Years about this gate because I WANT MORE!! Only problem is it only goes to 34". I need wider for my other openings. I have been informed that they have created and shipped out extensions which will add up to 5" per side, to be sold exclusively at Toys R Us. I have contacted our local store and they have received them in stock. On my way to buy 2 more!!!!!


Best gate yet!   October 16, 2002
 29 out of 29 found this review helpful

I use this gate for my 2 year old's room. She has a habit of getting out of bed in the middle of the night and running through the house. Not only is that unsafe for her, but nerve racking for me. I used to have a regular pressure mounted gate up to her room, but she learned how to use the criss cross bars to climb up and over it. Im not comfortable closing her door, so I needed a gate that a) she couldnt climb b) wouldnt ruin the door way with drill holes and c)easy to open and close.

This gate was the answer to our prayers. First of all, it requires NO hardware. It is pressure mounted and if you do it tight enough, it wont move an inch. We've had it installed for over 6 months and it has NEVER moved, even when DD has a fit and tries to move it at night. The foot pedal, knee pad is awesome. When she falls asleep in the living room, we can carry her into her room and open the gate with both hands full. The one problem some may not like is if you use it in a doorway, you cant close the door. I for one like that b/c I dont WANT her door closed. I can peek in at her all night and not have to worry about her running through the house and getting hurt.

During the day, she likes to play in her room and close the gate. We simply put scotch tape over the little things so it doesnt lock shut. She can open and close it all day without locking herself in all the time. The box recommends that you dont use it if your child is over a certain weight and age b/c then they could step on the foot pedal and open it themselves. My toddler is 31 lbs and hasnt been able to open it yet.

I think this gate is a great investment and I will buy more when the time comes.


This is the one to buy!   May 18, 2002
 26 out of 26 found this review helpful

We've had the gate for about a year, set between our kitchen and the front foyer (near the stairs). No problems whatsoever. Assembly is easy and you can't beat the convenience of being hands-free. First Years clearly did its homework in finding the ideal functional solution - in one smooth motion, you can release the lock by stepping on the sturdy pedal and open the door by nudging your knee against a wide square on the center edge of the door. Closes and locks (everytime) with a somewhat forceful flick of your hand or foot. Makes carrying laundry, furniture, or a baby very easy. It is also extremely sturdy - we have not had to reposition it once in a year - though you will need a solid wall area on either side, as with most gates. Now that our oldest is 18 months, we have no worries about him hanging on it and, in case you have pets, our cat has no problem jumping over it. While we don't have it at the top of our stairs (no walls for support, just rails), I would totally trust it there if your house has walls to support it. Beyond that, the bars are wide enough (including near the door release) so your toddler won't hurt himself and there are absolutely no sharp edges. I know it's "just a gate", but it is the last line of defense between your toddler and a bad accident. Because of that, you can trust this gate to be convenient for you, and safe for your toddler. Highly recommended.


The best gate for high-traffic areas.   December 29, 2001
 25 out of 25 found this review helpful

As parents of precocious twins, we've placed gates all over our house. We have tried five types, and this is the only one that I like.

In our former house, we placed the gate in the highest traffic area--between the den and the hallway to the rest of the house. I could carry two babies while opening and closing the gate. When we put our house on the market, we really appreciated the fact that we could easily remove the gate for the daily showings and leave no marks or hardware behind.

In our new house, the gate fit only one opening, and we had to look for other gates. The extension was not available at our BabiesRUs, and we didn't know it existed.

Finally, after a year of use, the foot pedal broke off. I called The First Years, who will replace the part for free.

This is one of the taller gates out there, which has discouraged my climber from scaling it so far. Also, I appreciate the fact that it has a base, so you don't make a mistake of installing it too high off of the floor.