The Best Step Stools
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Ryan V. Editor-in-Chief
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Bob Vila's testers put 10 step stools through the same routine: open it, fold it, carry it, then climb, lean and jump on it. The HBTower 2-Step came out as Best Overall with a 4.6/5 rating and a perfect 5 for stability. Glenda Taylor wrote, "The HBTower is rock solid. It didn't budge when I leaned to the sides or even when I jumped." Her earlier standalone review of the same stool scored it 9/10.
Two details explain that steadiness. A metal safety buckle locks automatically as you open the frame, and a cross brace across the back keeps the legs from racking. The treads are wide enough for heel-to-toe footing, and a padded handgrip runs across the top, so you have something to hold as you step up. Bob Vila measured the top step at 18.7 inches, which puts most upper kitchen cabinets within reach.
It also stores better than most stools this tall. Bob Vila measured it folding nearly flat to 1.6 inches (HBTower's own listing says 3.15), and Taste of Home picked it because it slides behind the fridge or into a pantry closet. Every other stool in our lineup trades one for the other. The Little Giant Jumbo Step and the Gorilla project ladder scored higher on raw stability and build, but they weigh 16.4 and 18 pounds and Bob Vila found both bulky. The Rubbermaid 2-Step folds thinner, yet testers saw it tip when they leaned sideways.
What It Won't Do
The treads are molded plastic. Bob Vila warned they can be slippery when wet, and Taylor said she'd rather have rubber. The capacity numbers don't agree either: the sticker on the stool and Bob Vila's table say 500 pounds, the current Amazon spec table says 330, and Taylor only tested it with about 300 pounds. There's no ANSI duty rating to settle it, so treat 330 pounds as the real limit. HBTower also has no working website we could reach, which leaves Amazon as its only real storefront.
Rubbermaid's 1-Step earned the same 4.6/5 overall from Bob Vila as the HBTower, which made it the testers' Best Bang for the Buck. Portability got a perfect 5. The stool weighs barely over 2 pounds, yet Rubbermaid rates it for 300.
Simplicity is the appeal. It's a single molded shell with skid-resistant pads on the legs and a lightly textured top, so there are no hinges, latches or rivets to work loose. The Bob Vila reviewer keeps one in the garage for grabbing paper towels and has owned a similar Rubbermaid stool for decades. The Kitchn made it the budget favorite in its kitchen stool roundup, pointing to its grippy top and non-skid feet. More than 4,000 five-star Amazon ratings back that up.
A 9.5-inch platform covers more daily reaching than you'd expect: the top closet shelf, the back of the pantry, the cabinet over the washer. Go any higher and you'll want a two-step like the HBTower.
What It Won't Do
Height is the limit. The 9.5-inch platform won't get most adults to upper kitchen cabinets, and there's no handgrip to steady yourself on. It doesn't fold, so it needs a 12.5-inch square of floor or shelf space wherever you keep it. Rubbermaid's warranty runs only one year, short for a stool owners report keeping for decades.
Who Should Buy Which
HBTower 2-Step Folding Step Ladder
Bob Vila's top pick from 10 stools tested hands-on, with a 5/5 stability score and a frame that folds slim enough to slide behind the fridge
- Kitchens with upper cabinets just out of reach
- Apartments where the stool has to fold away behind the fridge or in a closet
- Anyone who wants a handgrip while stepping up
- Renters who need one stool for cabinets, curtain rods and smoke alarms
Rubbermaid Roughneck 1-Step Plastic Step Stool
A 2 lb stool rated for 300 lb that matched our top pick's 4.6/5 in Bob Vila's test and is The Kitchn's budget favorite
- Closets, laundry rooms and garages with shelves just out of reach
- Anyone who wants a stool light enough to carry with one hand
- Budget shoppers who still want a 300 lb rating
- Households adding a second stool for another room