Little Giant Select Step Ladder - Review
So you're probably all familiar with the Little Giant Ladder. If not, it's a freaky sort of extension ladder that can transform itself through a lengthening or shortening of the legs into one of about fifty different configurations. They're very handy. They're also pretty heavy, but overall, great to have on site.
So last year, Little Giant brought the technology into the step ladder format and called it the Select Step. We thought this was a little strange and redundant, seeing as the standard Little Giant already can convert into something of a step ladder. We got in touch with the company and they sent us one to review. We've had this thing for a while now and honestly, it spent much of that time leaning against the wall in the garage. We never really dug into it until a few months ago when we brought it to the site.
Since then it has become something of a jobsite MVP.
First off it's capable of being a 5, 6, 7, or 8 foot step ladder. It can also be set up with uneven legs so it can be used on a set of stairs. Best of all, the legs can be off-set so that one side of the step ladder is nearly vertical while the other is sloped, meaning you can set it up against a wall. Perfect for hanging crown or any number of other tasks.
The Select Step has all kinds of amenities that make is uber-user-friendly. They've cleaned up the leg adjustment dramatically, so you no longer have to deal with those horrible metal side pins. Now, one one side is a twist grip handle and the other has these nice plastic levers. Both styles work great.
The real champion of the ladder is the tray. The try has two positions, one is with it slid down into the top of the ladder so that it acts as an upper handle to steady yourself when you're on the upper rungs. The other position is sticking out of the top in a horizontal alignment and used as a tool tray. The tool tray is phenomenal. It's got a slot for chisels, a magnetized spot for screws, a large area for a paint can, or a mixing bucket of epoxy, and a couple of slots to hold the end of an extension cord. It's all designed with the tradesman in mind and it's all successful. It's large and can hold a ton of tools. It's one of those things that you never knew you needed, but once you've used it a few times... When not in use, the tray clicks into the ladder rungs for some nice onboard storage.
When we're not using it, the other carpenters are using it, and when they're not using it, the painters are using it, and the electricians, and so on. The ladder is on the heavy side and the sliding rungs make the 'shoulder carry' a little tough, but other than that, this is easily the most useful ladder we've ever seen.
It costs about $200 which is a total bargain in our eyes. It's a little less if you skip the tray, but don't even think about skipping the tray.
At Amazon
Read More in: Benches, Stands, and Storage | Hand Tools | Safety
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Posted by Doug Mahoney at November 7, 2011 5:08 AM
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