Step Ladders

A step ladder is a self-supporting ladder, and that one fact is the whole buying decision. Unlike an extension ladder, it needs no wall to lean on, so it works in the middle of a room, on a landing, or in a garden bed. The trade-off is height: a step ladder only reaches as high as its own frame, and the top cap and the step below it are not standing positions, so the usable height is always lower than the headline size.

The twelve ladders below cover the four honest classes. Multi-position ladders from Little Giant and Louisville fold into A-frame, extension, staircase and scaffold shapes and replace several ladders at once. Fiberglass step ladders from Louisville and Werner are the non-conductive trade choice for work near wiring. Platform ladders give a standing deck for long jobs like painting and ceiling work. Folding household stools from Cosco, HBTower, Soctone and Delxo cover kitchens, closets and lightbulbs at a fraction of the weight and storage space. Every pick is sold on Amazon, and every duty rating is the maker or listing rating, stated as the total load of person plus tools and materials.