Safety 1st
Auto Close Gate, Pressure Fit
5.7/10 overallAround £44.99
A budget pressure-fit metal gate covering standard doorway and hallway widths.
The verdict
The Safety 1st Simply Secure is a sturdy, budget metal pressure-fit gate covering standard 73-80cm doorway and hallway openings at the lowest price point in this category. It's a sensible choice if you don't need a wide extension range or one-handed refinement, but it isn't recommended for the top of stairs and offers fewer extension options than pricier rivals.
This gate covers the essentials without the extras: a sturdy metal pressure-fit frame, a simple adult-opening latch, and a lower price point than Lindam's or BabyDan's ranges. It's a sensible choice for a standard doorway or hallway opening where a wide extension range isn't needed.
What's given up for the lower price is mainly range and reach — fewer extension options for wide openings, and a less refined one-handed mechanism than the Lindam gate — but for a single standard-width opening, it does the core job reliably.
Is the Auto Close Gate, Pressure Fit worth it?
- Lowest price point in this category
- Sturdy metal frame
- Simple, no-fuss installation
What are the downsides of the Auto Close Gate, Pressure Fit?
- Fewer wide-opening extension options than rivals
- Latch is less refined for one-handed use
- Not recommended for the top of stairs
Specs
- Opening
- Manual latch, adult-operated
- Fit type
- Pressure-fit, no drilling
- Opening width
- 73-80cm, limited extensions
- Recommended use
- Doorways and mid-level stairs, not top of stairs
How we scored it
Installation Security
How secure the fit is once installed, and whether it needs drilling into walls or banisters.
Secure for standard openings, not rated for top of stairs.
Ease of Operation
How easy it is for an adult to open one-handed while carrying a baby, without being easy for a toddler to open.
Functional latch, less refined than premium rivals.
Fit Flexibility
Range of opening widths it covers, and whether extension packs are available for wide stairwells.
Limited extension range for wider openings.
Weighted by importance for this category — see our editorial policy for how we test.
How this review was done
We haven't used the Auto Close Gate, Pressure Fit ourselves yet. This review is built from Safety 1st's published specifications and product information, and scored the same way as everything else on the site. We'll update it, and the badge above, once we've tested it hands-on.
How it compares
|  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Around £44.99 | Around £44.99 | £44.99 | Around £49.99 |
| Overall score | 5.7/10 | 7.9/10 | 7.3/10 | 7.7/10 |
| Opening | Manual latch, adult-operated | Auto-close, auto-lock | Manual walk-through, lever handle | Auto-close |
| Fit type | Pressure-fit, no drilling | Screw-fit, wall-mounted | — | Pressure-fit, no drilling |
| Opening width | 73-80cm, limited extensions | 73-80cm, extensions available | — | 74-89cm, wide extensions available |
Frequently asked questions
Is this gate suitable for the top of stairs?+
No — it's recommended for doorways and mid-level stairs, not the top of a staircase, where a screw-fit gate is the safer choice.
How easy is it to install?+
It's a sturdy metal pressure-fit frame requiring no drilling, giving simple, no-fuss installation, though the opening latch is less refined for one-handed use than premium rivals.
What size openings does it fit?+
It covers 73-80cm openings with limited extension options, so it suits a single standard-width doorway or hallway rather than an unusually wide opening.
Why is it cheaper than other gates in this category?+
It covers the essentials — a sturdy metal frame and a simple adult-opening latch — without the wider extension range or more refined one-handed mechanism of pricier gates like Lindam's.
Guides that mention this
Pressure-Fit vs Screw-Fit Stair Gates: Which Do You Need?
Getting this wrong at the top of the stairs is a genuine safety issue, not just a convenience trade-off.
Do You Need a Stair Gate? When and Where to Fit One
Stairs are the obvious place, but not the only one. Here's where gates make the biggest safety difference, and how to pick the right type.
Reviewed by
Sepehr
Software engineer, soon-to-be dad, uncle to four — the tech-obsessed half of the two of us testing this stuff. Currently building this site with my wife, ahead of our own baby arriving.