Which is the Best to buy?
Roofers, adjusters, painters, electricians – all contractors who used ladders regularly know how important it is to have a safe, dependable ladder that is easy to use, transport and store.
Homeowners, too, need a ladder on hand for the occasional project, and telescoping ladders have serious appeal. They are easy to move around the house and store in a closet because they are compact.
With several options on the market that vary in height, weight, and price – which is the best to buy?
Dmitry compared three different telescoping ladders available on Amazon that range in price from $149 to $568:
- Xtend & Climb Contractor Series CS155+/300 ($499). View on Amazon
- Telesteps 1800EP Automatic Telescoping Ladder ($568). View on Amazon
- Feete 16.5FT Telescoping Ladder ($149). View on Amazon
Climbing height
Caution! Telesteps brand advertises 18’ as the “climbing height” of the ladder. You wouldn’t be alone if you assumed that was how tall the ladder was, but unfortunately you would be wrong. The ladder is actually 14.5’ and they’re advertising the height you can reach when you’re on top. It’s a lame marketing gimmick that is misleading consumers. Be careful to read the fine print.
Height vs. Weight
From tallest to shortest:
- Feete ladder is 16.5 ft, and is rated for 330 lbs capacity. The product description claims it weighs 30.5 lbs, but it weighed only 27.7 lbs on our scale.
- Xtend ladder is 15.5 ft, and is rated for 300 lbs capacity. The product description claims it weighs 40 lbs and it weighed 39.1 lbs on our scale.
- Telesteps ladder is 14.5 ft, and rated for 300 lbs capacity. The product description claims it weighs 30.5 and it weighed 31.8lbs on our scale.
Notice the cheapest ladder is actually the tallest ladder and can supposedly hold the most weight. How? Well, the Chinese brand Feete has only 13 steps compared to Xtend’s 16 steps.
The steps on the Chinese brand are farther apart making it harder to climb, and the steps themselves are more narrow, making it less comfortable to stand on and easier to slip.
Unboxing
The Chinese brand Feete ladder arrived damaged! One of the steps was dented while the product was still in the box. Clearly, someone along the shipping and handling noticed the damaged box and attempted to remedy the situation by putting a bunch of Amazon branded tape over the box, but that didn’t fix the dented step!
Outdoor test
Dmitry climbed the Telesteps ladder first and noted how flimsy it felt. The cheapest Chinese brand Feete actually felt more solid – not that it’s more trustworthy! Xtend once again proved to be the best – most sturdy, durable of the options. Plus, one of the great things about the Xtend ladder is that you can lock it at any height. Unlike the others that need to be fully extended to safely use, Xtend is more modular.
Conclusion
After 8 years of testing telescoping ladders, Xtend & Climb Contractor Series CS155+/300 remains the best on the market! Dmitry highly recommends this ladder.
This video and blog is not sponsored by Xtend or any other brand. For more product recommendations, check out the Roofing Insights’ Amazon store.
