Munchkin- It’s the Little Things® (Deco Wood & Steel Designer Gate)

Munchkin- It’s the Little Things®

By Christine:

In 1991 Munchkin was founded by Steven B. Dunn to develop clever, innovative products that excite and delight parents and children making parenting and life safer, easier and more enjoyable.  In 1995 Munchkin was granted it’s 1st US patent, and by 2001 it had 25 US patents.

The Munchkin Mission Statement reads: "To rid the world of tired and mundane products by developing clever, innovative solutions that excite and delight families — making parenting safer, easier and more fun. Munchkin knows it’s the little things® that often make the biggest difference."

I was sent the Deco Wood & Steel Designer Gate to try out and review. This safety gate blends the designer aesthetic of wood and steel with all the latest safety features.  The wood components add a natural softness to the appearance of the gate and the steel U-shaped pressure power frame creates a strong four point pressure seal when the gate is in position.  The dual action opening system and secondary locking mechanism makes it difficult for small children to open, but easy for adults (even with one hand).

It Deco gate came just in time, as our very curious one year-old has taken to climbing the stairs at every available opportunity.  While making dinner one evening I had to recover her 15 times from the stairs, needless to say our home was well overdue for a gate.  While shopping online I came across all different styles of gates, many of which were functional but quite honestly flat-out ugly.  My husband and I have worked very hard to maintain our sense of style even with having two kids, and didn’t want to settle for a gate that was plastic, white or otherwise unsightly.  The Deco Wood & Steel Gate by Munchkin is exactly what I had in mind.

Another challenge I encountered while shopping online is the width of space I need to gate off.  Virtually no gates would expand wide enough to securely adhere to the wall on both sides.  After some work I determined that the Deco Wood & Steel Gate would fit with two of the 10" attachments- one on each side.  For safety’s sake Muchkin doesn’t recommend parents use any more extensions then that, as the structural integrity and safety of the gate may be compromised.

The Deco Wood & Steel Gate is everything I was looking for in terms of style, and everything I need to keep my very curious toddler safe.

A few things I appreciate about this gate:

– I can open it with one hand, which comes in handy when holding a wiggly 14 month-old

– it swings both ways, which makes traveling through with a large load easier

– it is by far the best style of ANY gate and compliments the decor of our home

– it is safe and secure

Deco Wood & Steel Gate Specifications:

Color: Dark Wood
Dimensions: 29.5 – 40.5" w x 29.5" h
Material: Wood and Steel
Mount Type: Pressure or Hardware
Model Number: MK0007
Included Extensions: Three (x3) 2.75”

Sample provided

About Christine:

Christine is our in house baby product reviewer. She has two children that are quite adorable, one is 3 1/2 months old and the other is three and in my son’s preschool class. When she’s not taking maternity leave she works at the local children’s hospital