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The 4 Best Child-Proof Door Knob Covers

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by Ileana Morales Valentine

There are levels to babyproofing, and once your little one is on the move, you’ll quickly realize there are still a few more things to secure around your home. When your toddler figures out how to turn doorknobs, they can end up where they shouldn’t be. For peace of mind, the best child-proof door knob covers are made of sturdy plastic that stands up to toddler antics, but also aren’t so much of an obstacle that they’ll be annoying for you to use every day.

Most door knob covers are made of plastic, making them lightweight and affordable. You might find some made of TPR, a plastic that feels like a synthetic rubber for a softer grip that looks a little sleeker than standard plastic.

First, door knob covers should install easily, usually by just snapping over the knob, and without needing tools. And though they’re designed to keep your little one from opening doors, a good door knob cover should still be easy for adults to use with a quick-release design to open or close a door. You might also find some door safety designs that include a pinch guard to prevent little fingers from getting slammed in doors.

Child-proofing your home is a process, but you’ll be glad to know each of the best door knob covers below install in just a few seconds. They’re also suitable for all standard door knobs.

1. The Overall Best Child-Proof Door Knob Covers

This set of door knob covers is a longtime favorite with a 4.5-star rating and over 14,000 reviews on Amazon. Each of the four covers is made of soft plastic and TPR, and many reviewers commented these are sturdier and stay put better than others they’ve tried.

To install, just slide the piece over the door knob without using any tools. Once you slide the piece on it’s difficult to remove (which isn’t a bad thing) but will come off easily with a screwdriver. When you need to open the door, just press the double buttons and the knob turns easily.

A helpful review: “These are a life saver in our household! My toddler boys discovered how to open doors, and unlock the front door, so these were a must have. [...] Very easy to install and lock. My toddlers have not been able to figure them out, thank goodness, so they are doing their job. It took us (mom and dad) a few times to get it down, but they are overall very easy and simple to maneuver to open doors with them on once you do it a few times. They are also fairly easy to pop off, but not easy enough for the kiddos to remove. Overall this has been a life saver in our home, and I highly recommend these door knob covers.”

2. The Best Door Lock With Pinch Guard

Say your kiddo is one who intrepidly scales baby gates and outsmarts childproofing tactics, then consider this Door Monkey lock. Instead of fitting over a door knob, this design can be attached to a standard door out of your toddler’s reach. Just clamp it over the side of the door, and the “tail” keeps the door open a sliver to prevent pinched fingers, but it won’t open enough to let your child out. Remember to measure your door and frame before purchasing this one, though, because it won’t fit non-standard doors or frames.

This plastic lock doesn’t require any tools for its simple installation, and it has soft rubber grips to protect your door. Plus, it can be operated from both sides of the door. With over 7,000 reviews, parents report their toddlers are also happier to stay in their rooms at bedtime with the door slightly open, even if the lock keeps them inside.

A helpful review: “My Toddlers going through a stage where he all of a sudden doesn’t want us to close his door at night. But if we leave it cracked open, we’re looking at an hour and a half of bedtime shenanigans coupled with at least 35 trips back up the stairs and into his bed. So after exhausting several other options (ie: a gate, a second gate to put on top of the first...which he scaled right over with ease, bribery, Macgivered 3M latches & belts, etc), I ended up stumbling upon the Door Monkey [...] It took a few days with the bathroom & hallway lights on. But now he’s just using his night light and most importantly because his door is cracked open at all times, he’s now able to go to sleep much easier and feeling safe & comfortable! Which means WE can go to sleep much easier feeling safe and comfortable and SANE!”

3. The Best Value Pack

For securing lots of doors from your curious child, here’s a value pack of child-proof door knob covers. This set of six plastic TPR covers snaps on knobs without any tools, and adults can press the two buttons on each side to easily open doors. This set also comes with four corner protectors for furniture and could also serve as a good option for doors used less frequently, like those to the garage, pantry, or attic.

A helpful review: “All the knob covers fit my knobs and clicked easily into place. I can still access the locks on the doors. The grabbing mechanism doesn't slip and turns the knobs without sliding around. 5 stars for easy installation, working as intended, value for price.”

4. The Best One For Doors With Levers

You’ll need a door lever lock to secure this kind of door knob, and this is a highly rated one with a 4.7-star rating and over 3,000 reviews. Like the other picks, installing this lock requires no tools and takes just a few seconds. The lock is adhered over the handle and is easy for parents to use by pressing the buttons on the side, and there’s a prominent decoy button on the front to keep clever toddlers from figuring it out.

The locking arm can also be pushed down when not in use; a yellow indicator makes it obvious at a glance when the lock is deactivated. This plastic door lock also comes in a two-pack or four-pack.

A helpful review: “My son is almost two and very curious. Our front door has the handle like this and he figured out how to open it. [...] There are two buttons you have to push at the same time for the lever to move. They are located on each side of the part that moves. The thing I love the most about this item is that it includes a fake button. My son learns so fast and if it wasn’t for the fake button, he would have likely learned how to open the child lock within a few weeks. We have had it for a few months now and he still can’t open it. [...] This is one of the most ingenious child locks I’ve ever seen.”