The Genius Way To Invisibly Babyproof Your Kitchen Cabinets So Guests Can't See The Hardware

Babyproofing your home is important if you have a little one running around. You don't want their curious hands to get into somewhere they shouldn't, and this is especially important in the kitchen. You want to protect them from accidentally getting into the cleaning product cabinet and want to steer them away from making a mess out of the pantry cupboard. While a slew of products on the market will help lock doors and drawers from curious toddlers, they're often bulky and ruin the kitchen's aesthetic. Sometimes, these locks look like zip ties that go over the cabinet handles, and other times, they look like chunky belts that secure the door or drawer to the cabinet frame. If you feel dissatisfied with the clunky locks that ruin the face of each kitchen cabinet and drawer, you'll be excited to learn there are alternatives that will invisibly babyproof the space. 

All you need are magnetic locks, which go inside the cabinet rather than on the outside door. This keeps them hidden, allowing your stylish kitchen to maintain its appearance. These magnetic locks work the same as the traditional ones, except you use a magnet to unlock them. 

If you love interior design and have invested a lot of time and money to make your kitchen aesthetically pleasing, slapping a bunch of plastic white locks on your cabinet can be a nightmare. While keeping your kids safe in the space is extremely important, it takes away from all the hard work you poured into making your kitchen look classic and elegant. But magnetic locks can help you avoid that and are highly effective. These specific locks are installed inside the cabinet and are kept firmly shut due to a hinge that pops up when the door is closed. The only way to move the hinge down is to use a magnet that comes with the kit, which acts as your "key." Simply place the magnet on your cabinet and move it down, pushing the hinge down with it. 

These locks are so effective that even GearLab Baby, a pediatrician-run baby product testing site, recommended them. They're also extra effective against toddlers who like a challenge. Some kids like to study the babyproofing device and eventually figure out how to unlock it (just think of how some kids know how to disengage a baby gate), but they won't be able to do that with this. That's because the mechanism is inside and hidden from their view, making it impossible for them to tinker with it.

While these are a great way to babyproof your home so it is safe and stylish, there are a few caveats to keep in mind. First, look for a set of locks that come with screws. Many of the magnetic locks are installed using an adhesive backing, which allows you to install them without tools or holes. However, if you have especially curious toddlers or kids, it might be wise to purchase a set with hardware. A larger kid can forcibly yank the door handle and possibly pop off the lock if it's installed with only adhesive. That would be impossible to do if it's screwed into the cabinet or drawer. Such a product would be Vmaisi Adhesive Magnetic Cabinet Locks, which cost $30 on Amazon.

It's also a good idea to buy an extra replacement key that you can have on hand. While most of the packs come with two keys, you might accidentally misplace both eventually. If you do so, you will be locked out of your kitchen cupboards and drawers until you hunt down a replacement, which could be very inconvenient. To prevent that, order a replacement key that matches the lock brand you buy. For example, you can get three Vmaisi replacement keys for $16 on Amazon.