Last Updated on January 4, 2024
EDITOR’S NOTE: Aldi sold this stool for $8.99 in January of 2024.
There are times you need to get up to the roof, and times you just need to see above the refrigerator. Aldi, to our knowledge, hasn’t ever sold any solutions to the first problem, but the Easy Home Folding Step Stool appears to be a good solution to the second. The height is modest, but this clever little device may be just what you’re looking for if just a few precious inches separate you from where you need to get.
As the name suggests, this is a foldable stool. When open, it is the size of a small box and has a textured top to prevent slipping. When closed, it is not much thicker than a large novel. The mechanism to switch between the two is rather ingenious; you pull it apart at the bottom to open it, and to close it all you need to do is lift it by the handle and gravity pulls it closed.
The packaging puts the dimensions at 11.42 inches x 8.66 inches x 8.66 inches when fully opened. That means you’ve got about a foot of length from heel to heel, about eight inches from front to back, and about eight inches off the ground. Eight inches may not seem like a lot vertically, and to be honest it isn’t — this is not something you’ll use to climb up into the attic.
But it’s also not nothing. Standing on this stool, for me, was the difference between staring up at the roof of my SUV and staring down at it. It was the difference between straining to reach the top shelf of the closet and being able to access it without trouble. And it was the difference between my 4-year-old staring up at the kitchen countertop and being able to work on the surface with ease.
The stool is, in fact, as well-suited suited for child use. It’s very simple to open and close, easy to carry, and has a textured surface that does a good job of preventing slips. It seems to rest solidly on the ground, another plus when you’re talking about young feet. (A four-year-old’s feet are in the picture above.)
I felt just as stable standing on the stool as an adult. The stool is very light, made of a firm plastic, but it also feels substantial enough that I wasn’t worried about what was holding me up. The stool says it will support up to 330 pounds, and having tested it, I believe it.
The Verdict:
The Easy Home Fold Step Stool is a sturdy platform if you (or your kids) need a few extra inches around the house, and it folds easily and compactly when you don’t need it. Recommended.
