Best Babyproofing Door Knob Covers and Lever Locks of 2025, Tested by Experts
A doorknob cover can keep your curious toddler out of areas that may not be fully childproofed. Here are the most effective ones from our tests.
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Until you have a toddler walking (or running) around your house, you might question the need for babyproofing doorknob covers. But once your little human suddenly starts moving faster than you can catch them, having a few handy deterrents in place can save you a lot of headache—not to mention protect your tot from potential injuries. A doorknob cover or a handle lock (for lever-style handles) can close off areas in your house that you might want to keep your small speed-racer away from.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unintentional injuries are a leading cause of death in children between the ages of 1 and 4. Babyproofing products such as doorknob covers can prevent some injuries down the line, says José Amézquita, who leads CR’s babyproofing product testing, but only if they’re properly installed. “It is very important for parents and caretakers to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when installing babyproofing products,” Amézquita says.
Babyproofing your doorknobs is a smart step once your tot is able to start moving around on their own—and is tall enough to reach the handle. That milestone may differ for every family, but some babies start to pull up to stand and start “cruising” along furniture between 8 and 12 months, and many start taking independent steps between 12 and 15 months. Starting to babyproof your doorknobs by the time your little one is 9 months old is a safe bet.
In our lab, CR’s product testing team evaluated six different doorknob covers and two door handle lever locks on how easy they were for adults to install and use, as well as estimating how difficult they might be for a child to defeat. Find our top choices below.
How We Tested Doorknob Covers and Lever Handle Locks
We tested each doorknob cover and lever handle lock on two doorknobs and two handles in our testing lab. Here’s what we looked for.
Ease of installation: We evaluated the number of steps to install each cover or lock, as well as the number of tools required. “We count the number of steps from the manufacturer’s installation instructions and add any steps that may be missing for a proper installation,” says Amézquita, who gives examples such as cleaning and drying the surface before installing, or adding in extra wait time for an adhesive to set. This way, you get a clearer picture of the work involved.
Ease of use: Testers evaluated how easy each knob or handle was to use by first turning the knobs with their dominant hand and then their nondominant hand. We also evaluated how easy the covers were to clean.
Force to disengage: We measured the minimum amount of force in pounds required to disengage the cover or lever handle lock, which is akin to pulling the cover apart and removing it. Products with a higher minimum force are estimated to better withstand the force of a determined toddler trying to open a door. Because every child is different, we used a force gauge to get an objective measure for every sample. (Note that we didn’t bring actual toddlers into our testing lab for this test.)
Overall design: Our testers evaluated how well a babyproofing product integrates with their home’s existing decor. Was it invisible—or an eyesore? You’ll probably need to keep your babyproofing products in place for several months, if not years, so design can be a big factor when making your choice.
Inside Our Labs
How we test doorknob covers and lever handle locks
