The No. 1 Tool for Petite Cooks, Per a 5-Foot Food Editor

Do you find yourself climbing onto the countertop to reach your highest cabinets? Grabbing your longest spatula when the smoke alarm starts beeping? These scenarios are all too familiar for petite cooks like myself. As a 5-foot-tall food editor, there’s one thing I always keep in my kitchen: a reliable step stool.

Between retrieving Champagne glasses from the top shelf and dusting off ceiling light fixtures, so many essential kitchen tasks are a struggle for petite cooks If you can relate, grab my favorite folding wooden step stool while it’s on sale at Amazon.

Taranta 2-Step Folding Step Stool

Amazon

This Taranta stool is 24 inches tall when opened (26 inches folded up), giving me complete access to every nook and cranny in my kitchen. I can even reach my overly sensitive smoke alarm without breaking a sweat. If you think you don’t have room for a kitchen ladder, think again. This one is less than 2 inches wide folded up, meaning it’s easy to store — even in my small New York City apartment. I keep mine hidden in the tiny crevice between the fridge and the wall, so it’s always at the ready but doesn’t get in my way between uses.

As it turns out, I’m not the only member of this step stool’s fan club. “We have this ladder in our large pantry and it is great for getting to the top shelves with ease,” wrote one Amazon shopper. A second customer, who purchased the Taranta kitchen stool for their 4-foot-11-inch wife, calls it “perfect for short people” who need to reach high cabinets.

The 2-step ladder is stable enough to trust. According to the brand, it can support up to 330 pounds. It comes equipped with non-slip rubber foot pads that keep the ladder from sliding around while you’re using it, which is also a win for your hardwood floors.

There are countless step ladders to choose from at Amazon, but if aesthetics matter to you, it doesn’t get better than this. With its black aluminum frame and wooden steps, the two-toned Taranta step stool is as visually appealing as it is useful.

I’ve tested out many different step stools and kitchen ladders over the years, but this is the first one I’ve found that checks all of my boxes. From its sturdy frame to its space-saving design, the Taranta folding step stool is a must-have in my kitchen, and you can grab yours for just $34 when you shop Amazon’s Spring Sale today.