There is a real difference between blocking a doorway and securing the top of a staircase, and most barriers sold for both jobs are only honest about one of them. This one rolls out to close off a gap, packs down small, and needs no permanent fixings at all, which makes it genuinely useful for doorways, hallways, rented flats and trips away from home where drilling is not an option.

The mesh panel measures 180cm by 72cm and tensions between telescopic poles that extend in 72cm and 22.5cm sections, held by wall hooks rather than screwed brackets. That is what makes it portable: nothing is drilled, nothing is left behind, and the whole thing rolls up when the room goes back to being a room. Two sizes are listed, both in black.

• 180cm x 72cm mesh panel
• Telescopic poles in 72cm and 22.5cm sections
• Wall hooks instead of fixed brackets
• Rolls up compactly for storage or travel
• Two size options, both black

Please read this before using it on stairs. We would not. Anything guarding the top of a staircase should be screw-fixed, because a hook-mounted or pressure-held barrier can shift under a determined dog or a leaning child, and the consequence is a fall down a full flight. Use this for doorways, hallway gaps, holiday lets and keeping a dog out of a room.

Who it's for: Owners who need a packable barrier for doorways and rooms, particularly when travelling, rather than anyone securing a staircase.