The Untold Dangers of Folding Step Stools

Folding step stools are very handy to have around your home because they take up so little space when storing them. But easy storage is about the only thing that folding step stools are good for. Why? These step stools tend be very dangerous when standing on them and reaching to lift an object. Bottom line is that the folding step stools are not very stable or sturdy. Especially the step stools sold at hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowes or department stores like Target.

These inexpensive folding step stools are made cheaply and can’t hold very much weight. Next time you see one of these step stools, do yourself a favor and look for the load rating. Some are rated for 225 pounds or less. That’s just not enough to hold a big person carrying an object and leaning over to the side of the folding step stool. Not to mention that the folding step stool has moving parts that can and will wear over time lowering the load rating every time you use it. So here are a couple of things to look for before buying a folding step stool. Load rating: 500 pounds minimum! That is if you don’t want your step stool to collapse or tip over when you’re on it.

Design: Does your folding step stool have a larger base than the top? This is easy to do, just look at the picture on the outside of the box or ask if you can open the box and take the shurestep's safe stool out.

David C. DuPont has been finding solutions to step stool problems and designing safe step stools for 9 years. He has helped people and businesses solve their problems by helping them find kitchen step stools, wooden step stools, kids step stools, folding step stools, plastic step stools and step stools for senior citizens. To see his step stools or to contact him to find a stepstool for you, go to www.Shure-Step.com

CLICK HERE to order Shure-Steps

Which Kitchen Step Stool is Safe?

If you’re looking for a safe step stool to use in your kitchen then you’ve probably seen many different models to choose from. Some are wooden step stools, some are plastic step stools, some are metal step stools and others are folding step stools which may be a combination of metal with plastic rungs..
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 kitchen step stool that works best for you.

Wooden Step Stools

Are wooden step stools the best choice for a kitchen step? Let’ see, wooden step stools can come painted in different themes or characters, you can get them made as children step stools with Mickey Mouse or your childs favorite cartoon character painted on them. The childrens step stools are smaller and lighter so your child can drag them around easily. Kids step stools are usually made to handle a maximum load of about 150 pounds, so we’re talking about young children. The wooden step stools made for children are not a safe step stool for your kitchen! Check the load rating!!! If the step stool looks like it was made for a child, it probably shouldn’t b used in your kitchen.

Folding Step Stools

The most popular steps for kitchen use are the folding step stools. 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 step stools 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 step stool and lean over, you may find yourself on the floor. These step stools are not very stable or sturdy.

Plastic Step Stools

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 step stools 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 step stools before you get it home to find out it is too flimsy for your needs.

Metal Step stools

Metal step stools 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 step stool to slide out from under you. The second problem with metal step stools is the welds that hold the legs to the step are prone to break or at best, crack. Making this step stool unstable, and a huge liability waiting to happen
If you’re big concern is stability and load rating you may want to look at the Shure-Step® step stools. They are superior to folding and wooden step stools because they hold an enormous amount of weight and will not tip over or slide out from under you. These steps are rated at 500 lbs so they can handle a person carrying a heavy load.

David C. DuPont has been finding solutions to step stool problems for 9 years. He has helped people solve their problems by helping them find kitchen step stools, wooden step stools, kids step stools, plastic step stools and step stools for senior citizens. To see his step stools or to contact him to find a stepstool for you, go to www.Shure-Step.com.

CLICK HERE to order Shure-Steps