Are you looking for a safe step stool to use? Then you probably want compare a couple of different makes & models to find the one that works best for you.
Which one is best for a kitchen step stool? That depends on which features are most important to you. So you may want to ask yourself, "What am I trying to accomplish in the kitchen." This simple question and a little investigation into the features of each step stool will help you choose the right kind for your kitchen that works best for you.
Wooden
Are wooden steps the best choice for a kitchen step? Let' see, this wooden can come painted in different themes or characters, you can get them made for children with Mickey Mouse or your childs favorite cartoon character painted on them. The one for childrens are smaller and lighter so your child can drag them around easily. Kids steps are usually made to handle a maximum load of about 150 pounds, so we're talking about young children. The wooden one made for children are not a safe step for your kitchen! Check the load rating!!! If it looks like it was made for a child, it probably shouldn't be used in your kitchen.
Folding
The most popular steps for kitchen use are folding. Why? For 2 main reasons: First they are the cheapest to purchase and they fold up to store, taking up very little space. You can find the folding steps in most hardware stores like Lowes or Home Depot and in department stores like Target and Wal-Mart. But buyers beware of these folding step stools!! The load rating on these steps is very low, typically between 150-225 pounds. If you stand on the second rung of the folding steps and lean over, you may find yourself on the floor. These type are not very stable or sturdy.
Plastic
Most plastic step stools are single piece construction, but I've seen 1 or 2 that do collapse for storage purposes. The most popular of the plastic kind is the Rubbermaid brand. The reason why is they are easy to find at your local hardware or department store and they are cheaply priced. Be absolutely sure to check out the load rating on these Rubbermaid before you get it home to find out it is too flimsy for your needs.
Metal
Metal type come in various shapes and sizes for different industries, but they all have one glaring problem, the rubber pads used on the bottom the legs will wear through, making it far too easy for this to slide out from under you. The second problem with metal type is the welds that hold the legs to the step are prone to break or at best, crack. Making this unstable, and a huge liability waiting to happen.
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