Best Cupboard Locks UK 2026: The Hidden Magnet Beats the Strap Everywhere Except the Fridge

COMPARISON · HOME SAFETY

Somewhere between rolling and cruising, every baby discovers the cupboard under the sink. It is usually the same week they learn that drawers slide, that the fridge door has a seal worth pulling, and that the bottom kitchen cupboard keeps dishwasher tablets at exactly crawling height. Cupboard locks are the cheapest piece of baby-proofing you will buy, and the one most families fit in a hurry, the weekend after the first close call.

The trouble is that 'cupboard lock' covers three quite different things. A hidden magnetic lock sits inside the door and only opens with a magnetic key. A drawer catch is a small hook that lets the drawer open a couple of centimetres and then stops it. A strap lock sticks to the outside and bridges the gap between a door and its frame. Each one fails in a different place, so the right answer depends on which cupboard you are locking, not which brand has the nicest box.

We compared three of the most widely stocked options in UK baby shops, one of each type, from Dreambaby, Fred and Safety 1st. We worked through the fitting instructions, retailer listings and a big pile of parent feedback, then weighed each lock on how hard it is for a toddler to beat, how easy it is for a tired adult to open, and what it leaves behind when you take it off. The headline: the hidden magnet wins for most cupboards, but it is the wrong tool for the fridge, and the cheapest catch here solves the awkward top-drawer problem better than either of the others.

Lil' Bubba's verdicts

• Best Overall: Dreambaby Adhesive Magnetic Lock · 8.5/10 - invisible from outside, no drilling and nothing for a toddler to fiddle with
• Best for top drawers: Fred Adhesive Top Drawer Catches · 8.0/10 - fits under a worktop overhang of up to 20mm, where most catches cannot
• Best for appliances: Safety 1st Multi Purpose Lock · 7.5/10 - the only one here that wraps a corner, so it works on fridges, freezers and dishwashers

Quick comparison

Lock	Type	In the box	Price	Visible outside?	Best spot	Rating
Dreambaby Adhesive Magnetic Lock	Hidden magnetic, adhesive	4 locks, 1 key	£15.99	No	Under-sink and cleaning cupboards
Fred Adhesive Top Drawer Catches	Hidden catch, adhesive	2 catches	£6.50	No	Top drawers under a worktop
Safety 1st Multi Purpose Lock	External strap, adhesive	1 lock	£7.99	Yes	Fridge, freezer, dishwasher

How we picked the 3

We started with the baby-proofing locks families add to their Nests most often and that are stocked by UK baby retailers we work with, then cut anything sold only as an unbranded marketplace multi-pack. That left a clear field of established safety brands. We deliberately chose one lock of each mechanism rather than three versions of the same idea, because the most common mistake parents describe is buying a big kit of one type and finding it does not fit half the cupboards in the kitchen.

For each lock we looked at the manufacturer's fitting instructions and stated limits, current UK prices and stock, and the themes that come up again and again in parent feedback: how the adhesive holds up after a few months, how often keys go missing, and whether children work out how to beat it. Ratings are out of 10 and reflect how well each lock does its own job. They are not really competing for the same door, which is the whole point.

What to look for in a cupboard lock

Where it goes. Hidden locks, magnetic or catch, live inside the cupboard, so there is nothing on the outside for a child to pull at and nothing for you to look at. External strap locks stick across the gap between door and frame. They are more visible, but they are the only type that works on appliances, which have no inside frame to fix a catch to.

How you open it. Magnetic locks need the key, every time. That is their strength, because a toddler cannot open one by accident or by copying you, and their weakness, because if the key is upstairs, so is the dishwasher tablet you need. Catches and straps open with a finger push or a two-button squeeze, which is quicker for you and, eventually, learnable for a determined three-year-old.

What it sticks to. All three locks here use adhesive rather than screws, which is ideal for renters but means the surface matters. Clean it thoroughly, let the adhesive cure for the full time in the instructions (usually 24 hours) before you test it, and avoid textured, flaking or very glossy finishes where you can. Most adhesive failures parents describe come from testing too early.

Finger traps. A catch lets the door or drawer open a few centimetres before it stops. That gap is how you reach in to release it, but it is also a pinch point. A magnetic lock holds the door fully shut, so there is no gap at all.

How many you need. Count the cupboards and drawers below waist height that hold anything you would not want in a small mouth: cleaning products, medicines, knives, bin bags, dishwasher tablets. Most kitchens need four to eight locks. You rarely need to lock every door, and locking the safe ones (pans, plastic tubs) gives a curious toddler somewhere to explore.

1. Dreambaby Adhesive Magnetic Lock / 10 · Best Overall

Dreambaby's Adhesive Magnetic Lock is the type most safety-minded parents end up with in the kitchen. Each lock sticks to the inside of a cupboard door with a matching catch on the frame, so from the outside the door looks completely normal. To open it, you hold the magnetic key against the outside of the door over the lock, the latch releases and the door swings open. Close it again and it relocks by itself.

The box costs £15.99 for four locks and one key, which works out at about £4 a cupboard. There is no drilling, which matters if you rent or simply do not want holes in a new kitchen, and the adhesive mounts are designed to come away when you no longer need them.

What parents love

• Nothing to see, nothing to fiddle with. Because the whole lock is inside the door, a toddler has no button, strap or catch to work at. We hear repeatedly from parents that this is the type children are least likely to beat, because there is no visible clue to how it works.
• No drilling. The whole system sticks on, which makes it one of the few genuinely secure options for rented homes and fitted kitchens you do not want to mark.
• No pinch gap. The door stays fully shut when locked, so there is no part-open gap for little fingers to get caught in.
• Four locks per box. Enough to cover the under-sink cupboard and the main danger spots in one go.

What to know before you buy

• One key for four locks. There is no spare in the box. One parent told us: 'The key is a little tricky to get right the first time.' Find the sweet spot, mark it with a small sticker on the outside of the door, and keep the key somewhere fixed and high.
• Door thickness matters. The key works through a standard kitchen door, but very thick or solid wood doors can weaken the magnetic pull. Test one before you fit all four.
• Fitting takes care. The lock and catch need to line up precisely and the adhesive needs time to cure. Rushing either is the most common reason parents give for a lock that does not hold.

Best for

• Under-sink cupboards with cleaning products and dishwasher tablets
• Renters who cannot drill
• Toddlers who have already beaten a catch
• Kitchens where you would rather not see the baby-proofing

2. Fred Adhesive Top Drawer Catches / 10 · Best for top drawers

The top drawer is the one most catches cannot do. In a typical fitted kitchen the worktop overhangs the drawer front, which leaves no room for a normal catch to hook on. Fred's Adhesive Top Drawer Catch is designed for exactly that job: top drawers and cupboards where the worktop overhangs by up to 20mm. At £6.50 for a pair, it is also the cheapest lock in this comparison.

Like the Dreambaby, it sticks on with adhesive and sits hidden inside the unit. Unlike the Dreambaby, there is no key. The drawer opens a couple of centimetres and stops, you slip a finger into the gap, press the catch and the drawer slides out. Fred includes an alignment tool so the two halves meet properly, and rates the catch to resist a 30 Newton tug, roughly a determined toddler hanging off the handle.

What parents love

• Solves the overhang problem. Built for top drawers under a worktop overhang of up to 20mm, which is usually where the knives, foil and cling film live.
• No key to lose. A finger push opens it, so it is quick for adults and does not depend on a key being where you left it.
• Neat and hidden. Fitted inside the unit, it disappears completely when the drawer is closed.
• Cheap enough to fit everywhere. Two catches for £6.50 means you can cover a whole run of drawers without thinking twice.

What to know before you buy

• Measure the overhang first. 20mm is the stated maximum, and plenty of worktops overhang more than that. Measure from the drawer front to the edge of the worktop before you buy.
• There is still a gap. The drawer opens slightly before the catch engages, which is a small pinch point and, in time, something a patient older toddler can learn to reach into.
• Two per pack. Fine for one drawer stack, but a full kitchen will need several packs.

Best for

• Top kitchen drawers holding knives, scissors and foil
• Kitchens with a shallow worktop overhang
• Drawers you open many times a day and do not want to unlock with a key
• Topping up a magnetic setup on a budget

3. Safety 1st Multi Purpose Lock / 10 · Best for appliances

Safety 1st's Multi Purpose Lock is the classic strap lock: two adhesive pads, one on the door and one on the side, joined by a flexible strap with a latch in the middle. To open it you squeeze two grey buttons at the same time, which takes the hand strength and coordination small children do not yet have. The strap length adjusts, so the same lock can bridge a flat cupboard gap or wrap round the corner of a fridge.

That corner wrap is the reason to buy it. Hidden locks and catches need an inside frame to stick to, and fridges, freezers, dishwashers and washing machines do not have one. At £7.99 for a single lock it is the dearest per door of the three, but it does a job the other two simply cannot.

What parents love

• Works on appliances. The flexible strap wraps round a corner, so it secures fridges, freezers, dishwashers, microwaves and washing machine doors as well as cupboards.
• Heat-proof adhesive pads. Made with appliances in mind, and the strap length adjusts to fit the door.
• Two-button release. A toddler has to press both buttons at once while pulling, which is beyond most under-threes.
• Quick for adults. No key, so the fridge is still easy to open with a baby on your hip.

What to know before you buy

• Not for ovens. Strap locks of this type are not designed for oven doors because of the heat. Buy a dedicated oven lock for that job.
• Adhesive can be stubborn either way. A parent shared: 'The adhesive popped off the strap, and the adhesive was still stuck to the fridge.' Clean the surface well, let it cure fully, and when it is time to remove it, ease the pad off with dental floss.
• On show. It sits on the outside of the door, so it is visible, and older toddlers will happily spend time working at it.

Best for

• Fridges and freezers
• Dishwashers and washing machines
• Cupboards with no inside frame for a hidden lock
• Parents who want a keyless lock on the doors they use most

What about oven locks and big magnetic multi-packs?

None of these three is designed for an oven door. If your toddler can reach the oven, look for a dedicated oven lock rated for heat, and think about a hob guard too.

You will also see 10 and 20-lock magnetic kits from unbranded marketplace sellers, often cheaper per lock than the Dreambaby. We left them out because we cannot vouch for their consistency and they are not sold through the UK baby retailers we work with. If you do go that way, check how many keys are in the box and whether replacement adhesive pads are available.

How to choose

Pick the Dreambaby Adhesive Magnetic Lock for the cupboards that matter most: under the sink, the cleaning cupboard and anywhere medicines or dishwasher tablets live. It is the hardest for a child to beat and leaves nothing on show. Just give the key a permanent home. Jump to the Dreambaby.

Pick the Fred Adhesive Top Drawer Catches for drawers, especially the top one under a worktop. Measure the overhang first; if it is 20mm or less, this is the neatest and cheapest fix here. Jump to the Fred.

Pick the Safety 1st Multi Purpose Lock for the fridge, freezer, dishwasher and washing machine, and for any cupboard without an inside frame. It is the only lock here that wraps a corner. Jump to the Safety 1st.

In practice most kitchens end up with a mix: magnetic locks on the high-risk cupboards, catches on the drawers and a strap on the fridge. Between the three, you can cover a typical kitchen for well under £40.

Add it to your Nest

Baby-proofing is easy to forget until your little one is on the move. Add the locks you need to your free BubsNest registry now, alongside stair gates and corner guards, so friends and family can help you get the house ready before the crawling starts.