Small stepladders review and compare

Results table

Full results for all models are shown the table below. 

Table notes

Ease of use score: this includes ease of folding and unfolding, and how secure the ladder feels when stood upon. Both aspects are weighted equally.

Price: recommended or average retail as of December 2007/January 2008.

* = All the platform stepladders have a safety rail at the top.
** = Includes safety rail, where present.
NT = Not tested due to previous damage, or the test isn’t applicable to this ladder.
(A) Discontinued, but may still be available in some shops.

How we tested

We tested the stepladders according to key clauses of the Australian standard AS/NZS 1892.1:1996 Portable Ladders, Part 1: Metal. For the first two tests we tested all ladders with the same loads, but for the remaining tests with a multiple of their rated load, as required by the standard. These are tough tests, but justifiably so, considering it’s your safety that’s at risk.

• For the stability test, testers pre-loaded each ladder with a 120kg force, applied various forces to the front, sides and rear and observed whether the ladder’s feet stayed in contact with the ground.
• The walking tests assess the ladder’s rigidity. Testers loaded each ladder with a 10 kg force, applied sideways forces to each side to raise the legs off the ground (as if you’d leant sideways or reached out) and measured the resulting movement of the front stiles (the sides that support the treads). They repeated this test after the other tests to determine which ladders still passed, and were the most robust.
• The stile bending test checks that the stiles aren’t too flimsy and will survive heavy loading. Testers applied a force of four times the rated load, checked for structural damage and measured the stiles for permanent deflection.
• The tread to stile shear test (with a force of three times the rated load) checks the treads (rungs) will survive heavy loading.
• The tread bending test (with a load two-and-a-half times the rated load) checks the steps’ or rungs’ resistance to bending.
• For the ease of use score, testers assessed how easy each ladder is to fold and unfold, and how secure it feels when stood upon.