opinions needed on outlet covers

[cak]

I'm in the process of babyproofing my house. I originally wanted to just cover most of the outlets with the blank plates that cost so little but I have a single center screw type outlet and can't find blank ones that will go over them. So, I decided to get the swivel outlet covers instead of the plastic plugs. I had heard the plugs could be a choking hazard plus I like the fact the swivel plugs close after something is pulled out in case my daughter starts to unplug things. I bought about 10 plates from Home Depot to test out. They're the ones from Safety First and cost about $2/plate. After living with them for about a week, I'm not so sure. They seem to not allow the plugs to go all the way into the receptacle, especially heavier plugs. I can get a connection but it seems unstable. I'm concerned that there is a gap within the plate that might be dangerous, possibly starting a fire or something like that. I've seen another version for sell in catalogs like One Step Ahead that slide over the plugs instead of swiveling but they're more expensive (I think around $8/2). I don't want to be cheap here and cause a problem. Has anyone used the other type, the slide ones? Do they allow for a more complete connection? Should I just buy the plastic plug covers or are they dangerous?

[SylviaC]

I use the covers that slide to the side rather than swivel. For the most part, the connection with the plugs have been just fine, although I do notice that heavy plugs (like ones with a grounding box) will pull out of the wall if they are not plugged into the top outlet. I didn't try the swivel kind so don't know if they are any better or worse, but they were expensive as you say. I found mine at Safe Home Product's website:
[http://www.safehomeproducts.com/SHP/SF/Care_cover.asp]

I got a couple 12 packs for $44ea so that worked out to $3.70 per cover plus around $6 shipping.
I didn't want to use plug covers that pop out as both my niece (5) and nephew (3) knew very early on how to take them out and stick thinks in the outlets, yikes!! not to mention putting them in their mouths.

[jubywuby]

Maybe this is because we live in an old house with old outlets, but...

My husband converted almost every outlet in our house to the slide type, and we've been very unhappy with them. I've found that heavy plugs actually stay in better, but light-weight plugs -- particularly lamps and our cell phone chargers -- pop out or can't go in all the way. Some of the outlets require us to put duct tape over the plug to get it to stay in the wall!

We're now slowly converting to a different type of safety outlet. I don't know the exact name for it, but it has some kind of plastic inside the plug holes which makes it impossible to shove just about anything into the holes other than a plug. Big improvement.

Julie G.G. in Baltimore

[loungeboykip]

Can you provide some more detail on the new type of safety outlet your husband's putting in?

I'm a husband with "safety duty" too, and I've been trying to research the best alternative. We have a gazillion outlets in our house.

[mommymaria]

We also installed some of these different outlets with the blocked holes when we bought our house a few years ago. For some odd/sloppy reason, the previous owners had painted shut many of the outlets so we decided to think ahead and baby proof them at the same time we were making them usable. We have had no problems plugging anything into them.

Our son is now 6 months old, and we are about to convert the rest of the outlets. Glad to hear you have had luck with this style.

My husband is in charge of the baby proofing and does not remember the exact brand name. He knows he found them at Home Depot. Just hope they still carry them.

Maria

[eisens]

The ones you plug in are worthless. I bought replacement cover plates that turn the plug holes on an angle. To use them you just insert the plug and turn it until the holes in the plate line up with the holes in the outlet.

[mommymaria]

For anyone interested, these outlets are from Kiddy Cop by Leviton and are simply called "tamper resistant outlets". Home Depot carries them in Ivory and White.

[raynjen]

We had the same dilema. We found outlet covers from Safety 1st that cover each plug separately but are attached to a base that is attached by a screw to the existing plate. Each cover has a latch that must be depressed in order to open it. Safety 1st also manufactures a plug cover that allows you to have stuff plugged in while its covered up - it only works on standard sized plugs, but is useful.
I found it on Safety 1st website http://www.safety1st.com/safetyaids/00117.html model #'s 10403 and 10404 they were both about $1.99 a package at our local Toys'R'Us, we also found them (for more money) at Lowe's.