If you are looking for a great item that will keep your little one safe whenever they want to participate in the kitchen activities, this is the right article for you. Kitchen helper stools are what you are looking for. These great items are a much better and safer alternative to using regular chairs.
These pieces of furniture double as stepstools and give your toddler the much-needed boost so that they can reach high countertops and sinks. They are convenient and are well designed with your toddler’s safety in mind.
This article tells you all you need to know about this piece of furniture.
Our Top Pick:
#1. Best Overall – WOOD CITY Toddler Step Stool For Kitchen
“Non-slip feet design protects your little one from falling, while the rear side design allows you to place it steadily to the ground without worrying kids falling into the gaps.”
#2. Best For Kitchen Helper – SDADI Adjustable Kids Learning Stool
“Adjustable height allows for either counter height and bar height for kids to get help in washing, multiple functions as well as the durable design fits both bathroom and kitchen area to use.”
#3. Best Wooden – KidzWerks White Wooden Kitchen Toddler Helper Stool
“White colors brings the look of modern and contemporary, full cover with handrail supports your kids in learning the kitchen stuff.”
#4. Best Adjustable Height – Guidecraft Heartwood Non-Slip Kitchen Helper Stool For Toddlers
“Lightweight and adjustable design enables you to move it around for different usages, folding types fits the small space after use.”
#5. Best Convertible – ComfyBumpy Kitchen Step Stool & Desk For Kids
“19” platform height suits well with most of the kitchen counters, convertible design allows you to use it as a toddler kitchen helper stool and a small desk or seat.”
#6. Best Cheap – ECR4Kids Reach-Up Step Stool with Handles
“Small size meets the needs of reaching kitchen counter for kids around 8 years old, built-in handles prevent kids from losing balance in use and falling.”
Quick Pick on the Best Kitchen Helper Stool
How to Pick the Best Kitchen Helper Stools?
Kitchen helper tools are indeed handy in any house. They are functional and offer great convenience. However, with the wide selection of these furniture pieces in the market today, finding an ideal one may be challenging. Below is a list of factors that will help you narrow down your choices and ultimately make the right decision.
Height and stability
The kitchen helper stool height you need to buy will be determined by your kitchen counters and sinks’ height. Some models resemble a simple staircase, while others are height-adjustable to fit a wide range of heights. Also, ensure that they have a stable construction regardless of the height.
Anti-slip surface
Safety should always be your top priority when looking for kitchen helper stools for your toddler. One way to assure this is an anti-slip surface. The stepping surface of the stool should be slip-proof or made with an anti-slip material. This provides a firm foothold for the young ones, preventing them from falling off or losing balance quickly.
Material
Kitchen helper stools are made with a wide variety of materials. The common ones are wood, plastic, or polypropylene. These materials are not only safer but also lighter than metal. They are also durable to ensure extended service use. The material should be easy to keep clean as well.
Weight
To determine the right weight limit requirements of the stool, you intend to buy, you need to consider the location, type, and frequency of stool usage. The materials also determine the weight limit. It would help if you were keen on this factor as a light stool may break under your child’s weight and cause a dangerous accident.
Size
The available floor space in your kitchen will determine the size of the stool you will buy. The stool should fit in your kitchen while allowing you to move freely and easily in the room. Some are conveniently foldable, so you can tuck them away when not in use.
Colors available
The kitchen helper stools are available in a broad spectrum of colors. They provide you with a wide range of options so you can choose your child’s favorite color. You can also choose one that blends with your kitchen décor.
Warranty
A warranty gives you peace of mind and confidence in the product’s durability and performance. You can choose to go to the stools with a manufacturers’ warranty. Therefore, you can test the product with a money-back guarantee for a specified period.
Best Kitchen Helper Stool Reviews
#1. Best Cheap – WOOD CITY Toddler Step Stool For Kitchen Helper
#2. Best Adjustable Height – SDADI Mothers’ Helper Kids Learning Stool
#3. Best White – KidzWerks Toddler Tower Kitchen Step Stool
#4. Best with Non-Slip Mat – Guidecraft Heartwood Adjustable Folding Step Stool
#5. Best Durable – Naomi Home Children Kitchen Helper Step Stool
#6. Best Standing Tower – SDADI Kids Step Stool For Kitchen Area
#7. Best Convertible – ComfyBumpy Easy Folding Kitchen Step Stool
#8. Best For Toddlers – KidzWerks Wooden Kitchen Helper Step Stool For Children Learning
#9. Best Learning Tower – Little Partners Explore Adjustable Kitchen Step Stool
#10. Best with Handles – Guidecraft High-Rise Step-Up Kids Kitchen Step Stool
#11. Best Bamboo – UNICOO Toddlers Kitchen Helper Stool
#12. Best Compact – ECR4Kids Reach-Up Step Stool with Support Handles
#13. Best Easy Cleaning – Simplay3 Toddler Adjustable Kitchen Helper Stool
#14. Best For Kitchen and Bathroom – Guidecraft Contemporary Wooden Baking Tower
#15. Best Modern – Naomi Home Kids Kitchen Helper Stool
#16. Best Foldable For Small and Large Kids – Guidecraft Classic Kitchen Helper Stool
What is a Kitchen Helper Stool?
A kitchen helper stool is a piece of furniture that doubles as a step stool with rails around the top that work to ensure your child does not easily fall off. These items are designed to boost your children to reach high countertops and sinks in the kitchen. Their curious minds will often lead them to help you out and learn what goes around in the kitchen.
Unfortunately, they are too short to comfortably and safely reach the kitchen counters. And that is where the kitchen helper stools come in handy. They give your toddler independence and confidence in climbing up and down safely.
Anytime you are preparing meals in the kitchen, your young one may want to help or provide support by being there. They could help you cook, watch as they learn, or play with their toys on the counter or with water at the sink. These stools give you peace of mind as you are assured that your kid will not fall off.
They offer a comprehensive, stable step that ensures the toddlers are not standing on their tiptoes for added safety. Kitchen helper stools also feature supportive and comfortable sides for the child. They also encourage your children to spend time with you in the kitchen.
Benefits of Kitchen Helper Stools
Kitchen helper stools are very beneficial in any home. These work to ensure your child is ever safe and comfortable any time they are in the kitchen. The sidewalls provide excellent support and prevent the children from quickly falling off in case they lose balance. These stools provide a safer and more convenient alternative to the regular stools or chairs. Also, they can conveniently be folded when not in use to save on kitchen floor space.
Helps your kids to reach the countertop
These user-friendly stools give your children a significant boost to comfortably reach high kitchen countertops and the sinks as well. The platform is also conveniently height-adjustable, so you can easily customize it to suit your child’s size.
Bond with your kids
These stools are also an excellent way for you to bond with your child as they watch or help you out in the kitchen. They give them great confidence and help them achieve independence in many aspects, such as washing their hands in the sink without help. Moreover, kitchen helper stools are suitable for smaller spaces when compared to the leaning towers.
Attain some practical skills
Kitchen helper stools help your children to attain some practical skills any time they are in the kitchen, such as cleaning, cooking, and much more. Also, every time they climb up and down the stool, they get excellent gross motor practice. Once they safely reach the kitchen counter, they attain additional fine motor skills as they help in tearing herbs, kneading dough, stirring ingredients, among other activities.
Guarantee kids’ safety
With the incorporated safety features such as anti-slip surfaces, sides, and non-skid feet, these stools keep your child’s safety in mind. This means that you spend less time worrying about them falling as you teach them how to cook. These stools promote their budding independence as they are equipped with practical skills. Enjoy quality time with your children with one of these.
What Makes Them Great for Kids?
A kitchen helper stool becomes essential once your kid wants to become more independent and help you out in the kitchen to make some cookies, decorate pizza, or cook with you. Therefore, they are ideal for kids because they are a safer alternative to the regular chairs and stools and can be folded to a compact size to save on space. They are fitted with side rails and an anti-slip surface to ensure your child is safe at all times. You can now enjoy peace of mind knowing they are safe at all times.
These stools are a fantastic tool for toddlers as they promote independence, accessibility, as well as freedom of movement. Your child can start using them as early as 18 months, and they will empower your child as they grow. Moreover, they are a great way to invite your children to get involved in practical activities such as cleaning, cooking, and much more. These skills are valuable for young ones, and they have a fun time learning them.
Moreover, these stools are an excellent choice for kids as climbing up and down the stool is a perfect gross motor practice. When they reach the counter, they are equipped with fine motor skills as they stir ingredients, knead the dough, tear herbs, and other activities. You also get to spend quality time with your toddlers with the help of these stools. Any time they are with you in the kitchen, helping you prepare a meal or washing dishes creates an ideal bonding time for the parent and the toddler.
What is the Best Age for Kitchen Toddler Stools for Toddlers to Use?
Kitchen helper stools for toddlers are the best choice for you. The best age will determine the size of your child. However, between 18 months and six years of age, these stools can be of use. Therefore, as young as 18 months, your baby can use these stools to help them reach the kitchen counters and other hard-to-reach areas.
And by six years, they will have done a great job of promoting accessibility, independence, and freedom of movement. These stools are also height-adjustable so that they can accommodate your growing child. You can easily customize them by the size of your child.
Keep in mind that before your toddler starts using a kitchen helper stool, they should be a confident walker and be relatively steady on their feet. You can also refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations if you are still unsure. Most of them can be used for up to 3 to 6 years.
Therefore, you are advised to get a high-quality kitchen helper stool sturdy enough to last you several years. These stools are an excellent investment for your child and possibly future siblings.
Kitchen Helping Stools vs. Learning Tower
Kitchen helping stools and learning towers are a great way to get your young one involved in the kitchen activities. They are both safer alternatives to the regular chairs and stools and have a broad age range- from 18 months to 6 years. Like the kitchen helper stools, learning towers create a bonding time for parents and their children. They are similar products with slight differences.
Construction and features
The leaning tower is also known as a kitchen helper tower. They are sturdily constructed of solid wood and relatively easy to assemble. Kitchen helper stools resemble a step stool with side rails. They are made with various materials. Adjustable learning towers have a sturdier construction than the kitchen helper stools built to accommodate two children.
The helper stools are just for one child at a time. Moreover, unlike the kitchen helper stools, the learning tower has various attachments that can be purchased to make it multi-purpose such as a puppet stage curtain or an easel. You can also cover it with a sheet to create a fort. The learning tower features a ‘lip’ at the back for added safety, while the kitchen helper stool does not.
Folding
The kitchen helper stools are ideal for small spaces. This is because they are collapsible and have smaller dimensions compared to the leaning towers. Learning towers are large and do not fold as they are made from solid wood. This makes storage difficult, and they take up much kitchen floor space.
Convenience
Both the learning tower and the kitchen helper stools have height-adjustable platforms. However, for the helper stool, tools may be required to adjust the platform and even fold it while the learning tower is tool-free. The children can fall off if on the highest level for the learning towers as there are no rails at the top. Both of these come in various colors to allow you to choose your child’s favorite color or one that matches your décor.
Price
When it comes to price, you will have to choose between the two as well. Kitchen helper stools cost $50 less than the learning towers. Here you can consider the durability, convenience, or if you have two toddlers in that age range to make a decision. Otherwise, both of them are very functional.
Your choice between the kitchen helper stool and learning tower is a personal one.
Safety with Children Kitchen Helper Stools
With kitchen helper stools, safety should be a significant concern. When you purchase a stool, you need to ensure it adheres strictly to the child safety standards.
It should also be foldable and lightweight, so your child can easily fold them and store them. The platform should be height-adjustable, so the kids are always perfect when performing various tasks.
Also, ensure that the stool is positioned far away from hot pots, sharp objects, and such stuff as children can easily stray and play with them, causing accidents.
Diy Option: Kitchen Helper Stool Plan
For the DIY fans, here is how you can make your kitchen helper.
The materials you will need are:
- Wood glue
- 1-1x4x10 common boards
- 6- 2x2x8 furring strip boards
- Sandpaper sheets – an assortment of 100, 150, and 220
- 1-1/4-inch pocket hole screws for ¾” thick wood joinery
- Two ½-inch pocket hole screws- for 1 1/2″ thick wood joinery
- 4 – 1-1/4″ screws- they must be flathead or bugle screws to sink beneath the wood face surface. Or you can countersink your pocket hole screws.
The tools you will use are a miter saw, orbital sander, Kreg jig system, and a cordless drill driver with a clutch. The first step is to hit the hardware store and get all you need. Ensure you get straight wood and then move on to the cut list. Cut:
- 5- 1x4x20-1/2″ -platform
- 4- 2x2x36″ -countertop height
- 19- 2 x 2 x 17- ½” -horizontal cross-connections; set aside three for safety cross supports.
- 2- 1x4x8-3/4″ -rough crosscut, halving the leftover 1×4 piece for guides under the platform.
The next step is to Kreg jig pocket holes 2x2s. Start by setting the Kreg jig drill guide to 1-1/2 and the metal collar on the stepped drill bit to 1-1/2.
Drill one hole on both ends of one face of all the 19- 17-1/2″ boards. For the 1x4s, set the drill guide and the metal collar on the stepped dill bit to ¾.
Drill three holes per 1x4x20-1/2″ board. The holes should be approximately 2 inches from either end, with one in the center.
Afterward, assemble the two facing sides following the given layout instructions, using screws and glue for reinforcement, and connecting each side.
Build the platform following the given layout and then attach the safety cross supports.
After you are done, use the orbital sander and sand all the edges and corners. Then paint the stool with a lovely color of choice.
FAQ:
1. Why Can’t I Just Use a Stool or a Chair?
Keeping kids safe in the kitchen is a priority for every parent. Unfortunately, a chair is not always the safest item to use. And thus, the kitchen helper stools are a necessity. Chairs and stools are not well suited for kitchen use by toddlers.
Chairs and stools are also very ‘open’
Nothing is stopping a child from falling off the chair and is therefore unsafe. Kitchen helper stools feature sides that ensure your child does not fall off easily. Kitchen helper stools promote independence, safety, confidence, and skill development.
Some chairs are heavy
Weight and take up much floor space restricting movement in the kitchen. It is difficult for children to move around. Kitchen step stools are not only lightweight but also collapsible for storage convenience and safety.
Some stools or chairs may be rickety, posing a danger to the little ones. They may fall off from the stools or break under their feet, causing dangerous accidents. Kitchen helper stools are height-adjustable, so you are can customize it to reach the countertops. Some stools or chairs may be too short, leaving children standing on their tiptoes. This way, they can quickly lose balance and fall off.
2. What is the Age Range of Kitchen Helper Stools for Kids?
Right when your toddler is a confident walker and can climb up a few steps, or when they turn 18 months, you can introduce them to the kitchen helper stools. These stools are ideal for when they are 18 months to 3 years of age. At this age, they can quickly and regularly use the kitchen helper stool.
These stools give them the necessary boost to the kitchen counters and sinks, which are too high for them. Therefore, as young as 18 months, your baby can use these stools to help them reach the kitchen counters and other hard-to-reach areas. And by six years, they will have done a great job of promoting accessibility, independence, and freedom of movement.
Conclusion
All parents know that their children love being in the kitchen. However, until they are a bit older, it is difficult for them to be of much help for several reasons, including size. But have no fear anymore because the kitchen helper stools are precisely what they need to stand with you in the kitchen safely. Some basic things you should keep in mind are adjustable height, easy to clean feature, and of course, guard rails.
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