6 Best Ladders (2021)

After 14 hours of research evaluating 100 products, we picked Flip-N-Lite 300-Pound Duty Rating 6-foot Stepladder as our top choice.

Ladders are one of those all-purpose tools you must have in your house. It comes in handy for everything – fixing something broken, painting your walls, clearing out old storage, cleaning house, and the list goes on.

You’ll always need a ladder!

A good ladder will be well-built, safe, sturdy, and versatile enough to use for all your to-dos and fix-it tasks. Though they can be a bit pricey (as you’ll see by our list below), they’re worth every penny. You never know how much you really need a ladder until you find yourself without one.

The good news is:

Below, we’ve compiled a list of the best ladders on the market, with an option for every possible task or use around your home. After going over hundreds of ladders, reading thousands of user reviews, and testing more than a few personally, we’ve determined that these are the very best ladder choices for you.

Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.

#1 Best Ladder Overall

Flip-N-Lite 300-Pound Duty Rating 6-foot Stepladder

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A ladder built for strength and durability
Perfect for indoor tasks, cleaning, and chores
Sturdy, compact, and reliable ladder; great value!

Pros Cons

Sturdy, reliable, user-friendly design, lightweight, industrial-rated construction, large standing platform, slim profile, easy to store and transport, stable, non-slip plastic feet, and great for indoor use.

Shorter than desired for outdoor use and wobbly if the floor is uneven.

Product Ratings

9.6/10

Design: This classic step-ladder is as good as it gets, thanks to its durable steel hinges, lightweight aluminum frame, and solid, extra-large standing platform. The four steps are very well-built, with a grooved design that keeps your feet securely in place.

The ladder may be lightweight (14 pounds), but it’s made with industrial-rated materials. Its slim profile makes it perfect for storing in your garage, basement, or even hall closet, and it’s short enough to fit in most truck flatbeds if you want to take it to a job site. It’s perfect for small spaces and shorter indoor heights, but sadly it’s not tall enough for outdoor tasks.

Weight Limit: The ladder can hold up to 300 pounds, making it the best indoor ladder for heavier users on our list!

Safety: The non-slip rubber feet will keep the ladder firmly in place while you climb up. For those who need to get high, the standing platform at the top of the ladder gives you extra standing room for easy, comfortable movements.

The downside: if the ladder isn’t on solid, even ground, it can be a bit wobbly. Otherwise, thanks to the railing at the top of the ladder, it’s one of the safest on the market!

Price: At just under $75, this ladder falls on the cheaper side of the scale. It’s worth every penny if you want a quality indoor ladder to use for all your chores, cleaning tasks, and fix-it jobs around the house.

#2 Best Extension Ladder

Werner MT-13 300-Pound Duty Rating Telescoping Multi-Ladder

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Turns into a stepladder, 2-person workladder, extension ladder, or scaffold
Very long, with good weight rating
Solid construction with high quality materials

Pros Cons

Very solidly built, good weight rating, excellent height, adapts to multiple positions, non-marking rubber feet, double-riveted steps, extra wide-flared bottom, can be used by two people at a time, and easy to fold/store.

Steps can be a bit narrow, and it's very easy to get your fingers caught while retracting.

Product Ratings

9.1/10

Design: This is a highly versatile ladder, with a telescoping/extending design that gives you up to 13 feet of ladder reach. However, you can turn it into a 2-person ladder or even a scaffold platform. Whatever you need for work at home or on the job side, this is the ladder for you.

Werner ladders are known for their quality design and durability, and that’s exactly what you get with this bad boy. It’s made of industrial-grade aluminum, and though it’s fairly lightweight, its design is sturdy enough for any construction site.

Weight Limit: The ladder can hold up to 300 pounds, making it ideal for heavier users or for those carrying heavy tools.

Safety: The ladder is built with your typical safety features: non-marking rubber feet to prevent slipping, double-riveted steps to keep your feet securely in place, and a J-lock to make height adjustment easy and secure. The steps are a bit narrow, but they offer excellent traction so you’ll never slip or fall off. The extra wide-flared bottom of the ladder will give you a wider base of support, keeping the ladder steady and secure on solid ground.

Be warned: there’s a very high risk of catching your fingers while retracting the ladder.

Price: Starting at $120, this is definitely on the pricier side. But given its durability, solid construction, and user-friendly design, it’s absolutely worth it!

#3 Most Versatile Ladder

Little Giant Alta One

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Very easy to use for any job site or cleaning task
Sturdy, well-built, and incredibly versatile
The perfect ladder for tall buildings

Pros Cons

Up to 22 feet long, up to 33 configurations, aircraft-grade aluminum, wide-flared legs, stable, holds up to 250 pounds, exceeds ANSI and OSHA safety standards, and features. an extendable side.

Pricey and hard to extend and lock ladder.

Product Ratings

8.6/10

Design: This ladder is the most versatile on the market, thanks to the fact that it can be adjusted in up to 33 different configurations: from A-frame ladder to extension ladder to 90-degree ladder to three scaffolding platforms. It extends up to 22 feet long, with a standing platform up to 15 feet off the ground. If you live in tall buildings, this ladder is just what you need.

The build is also quite excellent. It’s made from aircraft-grade aluminum, with a wide-flared base that offers extra stability. Sadly, the extension part of the ladder is a bit challenging at first, and locking the ladder in place can be difficult.

Weight Limit: The ladder has a 250-pound weight rating, making it suitable for most users.

Safety: The ladder is built to exceed all ANSI and OSHA safety standards, and it’s as safe a ladder as it gets, no matter what position it’s in. There’s even a side extension that increases stability on uneven ground—it’s like the ladder has SIX feet instead of four!

Price: At $210, this is the priciest ladder on our list, but also the most useful for a construction site. If you’re looking for a great work ladder, this is your top pick!

#4 Best Fire Escape Ladder

Kidde KL-2S

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A quick and easy solution in case of a fire
Easy to install and secure in fire escapes
Very well-built, solid materials that won't break or bend

Pros Cons

Quick and easy escape route, hooks onto any regular window, quick deployment, anti-slip rungs, no assembly required, tested to 1,000 pounds, 13 feet long, and includes a 5-year warranty.

Very heavy and only suited for second floor window.

Product Ratings

8.1/10

Design: This fire escape ladder is designed for quick installation, with hooks that slip over any regular window frame. When the time comes to flee, you simply pull the ripcord and the ladder descends. The 13-foot length makes it ideal for second-story windows (no taller buildings, sadly!), and though it’s a bit heavy to move around, once it’s installed it will provide you with a safe fire escape route.

The ladder is a bit narrow, but the handles are very sturdy and easy to grip. The ladder comes ready to use right out of the box—no need to figure out assembly or installation!

Weight Limit: The ladder is tested up to 1,000 pounds, meaning it can hold 3-5 people (depending on size/weight) at once. However, in cases of emergency, it may be able to support more weight.

Safety: The ladder is very secure, and its anti-slip rungs will keep your feet in place as you climb out of a burning building. The manual shows you how to quickly slip the hooks over the window sill, and once it’s installed, it will never slip out of place.

Price: At $33, this is one of the best-priced options on our list. It’s definitely not a handyman’s tool, but it will be a must-have if you own a two-story home or office and need a quick escape in case of fire.

#5 Best Folding Ladder

OxGord Aluminum Folding Scaffold Work Ladder

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A reasonably tall ladder with very reliable operation
Durable, easy to adapt, and incredibly useful for multiple home/construction tasks
User-friendly design

Pros Cons

Three hinges, up to 7 different positions, very durable, lightweight, 300 pound weight rating, hinges automatically lock in place, good height even in stepladder position, easy to assemble and use, and comes at a decent price.

Instructions are hard to read/understand.

Product Ratings

7.6/10

Design: The ladder comes with three hinges, which allow it to be adjusted to up to 7 different positions, including A-frame, stepladder, extension ladder, and scaffolding platform. The hinges automatically lock in place as the ladder is extended, making it easy to snap it from one configuration to the next.

When fully extended, the ladder reaches a height of 12.5 feet, but it folds down to just 3.33 feet in height. It’s built with quality aluminum, and it’s both beautifully lightweight and very durable.

Weight Limit: The weight limit on this ladder is 300 pounds, making it suitable for heavier users.

Safety: The extra-wide base of the ladder with its non-marking, anti-slip rubber legs will keep you solidly in place. The instructions include safety details, but they can be a bit hard to read/understand. However, thanks to the design of the hinges (snapping into place automatically), you should have no trouble adapting the ladder safely to each task.

Price: At just under $80, this is one of the best-priced ladders on our list. It delivers a versatile design, solid construction, and simple operation, all at a price tag you can afford.

#6 Best Lightweight Ladder

RRT Light Weight Multi-Purpose 12′ Aluminum Ladder

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The perfect ladder to have around the house or office
Lightweight, compact, and portable
Beautifully versatile; can adapt to multiple positions

Pros Cons

Lightweight, compact when folded, non-slip rubberized feet, exceeds European safety standards, foldable, adapts to multiple configurations, good weight rating, portable, and features a rustproof frame.

The locking system can be frustrating to figure out.

Product Ratings

7.6/10

Design: The ladder comes with three hinges, which allow you to adapt it to a step-ladder, scaffold platform, bridge, A-frame, extension ladder, and more. It can be a bit tough to figure out the hinge locking system, but once you do, it’s easy to snap the ladder’s various segments into place.

The frame is made of aluminum, with an anodized surface that is resistant to wear and corrosion. Whether you use the ladder outdoors or inside the house, it won’t be worn down or damaged by the elements or heavy use.

Weight Limit: The ladder can hold up to 300 pounds.

Safety: The ladder is built to exceed all European safety standards, and it’s one of the safest ladders on the market thanks to its wide base and non-slip rubberized feet.

Price: At $67, this is the best-priced ladder on our list, and worth every penny for both indoor and outdoor use! Whether you’re on a construction site or cleaning house, this is the budget buy worth considering.