I Got This Cramer Step Stool as a Housewarming Present, and Now It’s What I Give Everyone Else

After making it to the finish line that is the IKEA checkout line, my husband’s cousin—who had generously come with us—reached into our cart, pulled out a plastic folding step stool and said calmly, “No.” We looked at her confused. “I’ll send you the best step stool of all time. It will be my housewarming gift,” she comforted us. 

The thing was, I absolutely needed some sort of step stool ASAP. With limited storage in our apartment, we built up. So, if I ever want to reach a suitcase or a pair of clogs I stashed away for winter, I need assistance. Not to mention, most of my kitchen cabinets are high up. So, in order to avoid an avalanche of canned goods, spices, oils, vinegars and the random box of Oreo Thins my husband typically stuffs in there, a step stool is a must.

At the same time, our cousin has impeccable taste. She’s worked in the high-end furniture industry forever, and her guidance on all things interior decorating—from what size area rug to get to what shape table we had to go with—is shrewd and always right. If she had a step stool that we had to have, I could wait a few more days.

And finally, it came: the Cramer Kik-Step.

If it looks familiar, that’s probably because it is. The ingenious design has been around for 50 years. Chances are you’ve probably seen it in libraries, garages, homes and more.

Why is it so great? For one, it’s not flimsy. I feel like so many things I buy these days break after a couple of uses. The Cramer Kik-Step is old-school quality. This thing will not buckle beneath you. Its solid steel construction can support up to 350 pounds.

Also, you may not be able to fold up and tuck it in a corner, but you can roll it around for days—hidden casters make it easy to roll from one place to another, and its wrap-around bumpers protect your walls and furniture. (Plus, it’s only 10 pounds, so if you need to lift it, no biggie.)

Yes, it rolls, but the smart design works on spring-mounted casters. That means you can roll it when you need it to be mobile, but as soon as you step on it, it’s locked where you are.  

The best part is that it’s $50, available on Prime and comes in different colors like orange, steel and red…which makes it a great housewarming gift.

 A step stool may just be a utility, but having (and giving) ones that are thoughtfully designed and super useful in everyday life is definitely an upgrade.