This content was originally published on OldHouseOnline.com and has been republished here as part of a merger between our two businesses. All copy is presented here as it originally appeared there.
Bed steps are lifesavers for many and extremely useful for others. They are primarily used to climb up on high furniture like beds and sofas, but one might wonder why you even need bed steps to do that. That’s where their true utility comes in.
Bed steps are lifesavers for those with back and leg injuries. They are also used by elderly people to safely climb up and down their beds. Similarly, people suffering from other injuries and ailments also need the help of bed steps.
Moreover, adults also use bed steps to climb up and reach higher places like a shelf. They also provide safety for pets and kids to climb up and down beds and other furniture.
Now that you understand the usefulness of bed steps, take a look at our reviews of some of the best bed steps that we’ve handpicked.
Compare The Best Bed Step
King’s Brand Bed Step
– Best Overall
Made up of sturdy wood with a cherry finish, King’s Brand’s bed steps are the perfect bed step to provide utility as well as elegance in your bedroom. It is compact in design and is suitable to fit in small spaces, as well as blend in with the rest of your furniture.
The bed step has a solid build and is strong enough to support the weight of an adult. The bottom of the bed step provides a strong grip against the floor, whether it is tiled or carpeted, ensuring your safety. And as the cherry on top, it has a storage space at the top that can be accessed by removing the lid that also serves as a step.
Pros
- Has storage space
- Strong build and elegant design
- Reasonable weight tolerance
- 2-steps for extra height
Cons
- Needs to be assembled
- Prone to get dirty
Furhaven Bed Step
– Runner Up
Furhaven bed steps are the best performing bed steps as they have a great range of 4 steps. The build is also very classy with multiple wooden logs to support the weight well. The steps are also padded with fur for both a stronger grip and less damage done to your floors.
Though ideal for pets, they can also be used by kids, but might not be a suitable option for adults. Furhaven has gone the extra mile to come up with the best bed steps for pets’ safety; being used outside of that is not optimal.
Pros
- 4 steps
- Strong build
- Adjustable height with assembly kit
- Available in multiple colors
Cons
- Limited usage
- Might be challenging to clean
PetSafe Bed Step
– Honorable Mention
PetSafe provides foldable bed steps for easy storage and portability. Their bed steps are made up of lightweight yet strong plastic material that weighs only around 5 pounds but can support over 150 pounds.
PetSafe has also kept safety under consideration and equipped its bed steps with fabric tread that provides non-skid feet and non-slip steps. Moreover, they also feature side rails to prevent them from flipping over.
Some other important features are that they are easy to clean and install as they require no assembly. The lightweight and foldable design also make them easily portable. But, it also has to be kept under consideration that these are designed as bed steps for pets and might be used as bed steps for kids, but cannot support an adult in any way.
Pros
- Foldable design
- Lightweight yet strong
- Easy to clean
- Requires no assembly
Cons
- Available in one color only
- Scratchable surface
4
ECROCY Bed Step
– Also Consider
If you do not have a lot of preferences and are only looking for a bed step that can help you climb on your bed, the Ecrocy wooden bed step might be the best choice for you. It is a single-stepped bed step designed to get you to bed safely.
Being uni-purpose does not mean it has to be ugly. It’s still pretty stylish as it comes in a rosewood color and has a varnished finish. It can easily blend into most bedrooms, further adding to its elegance.
It also has a stable base and rounded corners for extra safety and is designed to support adult weight, making it a fantastic bed step for the elderly.
Pros
- Strong build
- Elegant look
- Stable base
Cons
- Only one step
URFORESTIC Bed Step
URFORESTIC bed steps are probably the most intelligently designed bed steps that we’ve reviewed so far. Made out of Australian beechwood, they weigh 5.5 pounds and can support up to 500 pounds because of their solid build quality.
The best feature of these bed steps is that they have an extra step folded under the primary step. You can easily pull it out using the draw handle installed on it for extra safety, making them the best bed steps for hospital patients. And when you don’t need it, you can slide it back in to save space.
They also provide a reasonable foot grip and are recommended as bed steps for the elderly and patients. Adults, kids, and pets can also use them.
Pros
- Has an extra step
- Easily move with carrying handle
- Lightweight yet strong
- Does not require assembly
Cons
- No padding
- Cleaning requires effort
Pet Gear Bed Step
The Pet Gear easy step is designed to provide comfort and safety to pets when they climb up and down furniture. For this, Pet Gear has placed a carpet tread on each step while also making the steps wider and deeper. It is a 3-stepped bed step, making it ideal for pets of different sizes, supporting a weight of up to 150 pounds.
Pet Gear has also considered the mess that little paws can create and have made these bed steps easily cleanable as the carpet treads are removable and can be washed. Moreover, it requires no assembly and is ready to use out of the box.
Pros
- Wider and deeper steps
- Compatible for different heights
- Ease of cleaning
- Strong grip and hold
Cons
- Portability issues
- Occupies space
AMP Research Bed Step
When used outdoors, bed steps are mostly used to get in and out of the car, making it quite inconvenient to carry them around all the time. They can also occupy unnecessary space in your car.
For this purpose, AMP Research has introduced bed steps for cars that can be installed with the bumper so that you don’t have to carry them around and give up your space. They are retractable so you can pull them out only when you need them and slide them back in while driving.
They are made up of corrosion-resistant material and are anodized for outdoor endurance and durability.
Pros
- Hyper portable
- Strong material
- Extremely space efficient
- Suitable material for outdoor use
Cons
- Can only be used with cars
- Can cause inconvenience while driving if not closed
Buying Guide for the Best Bed Steps
There are so many options, variations, and types of bed steps available that it can be overwhelming to choose one. The bed steps that we reviewed are the best in some way or another, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t others out there.
We have written a comprehensive bed steps buying guide for you and jotted down some expert questions that will lead you to your ideal bed step if you answer them. To begin:
1. Who Will Use the Bed Steps?
The first question that you need to consider while looking for bed steps is who is going to use them. Answering this question will narrow down your list quickly, as some of the bed steps are good for the elderly, while others are for pets and kids only.
According to the user, you’re going to check each bed step that you’re considering for its safety, height, and weight capacity, and you should only go ahead with it if it matches the needs of your user.
2. Why Do You Need Bed Steps?
The second most important question is what purpose you want your bed steps to serve. If they are just to climb up and down the bed, a single stepped bed step might work for you. But if you want something that can help your pet to climb up on the couch or for you to reach to the ceiling, your priorities are a bit different.
Answering this question will also help you in determining the dimensions and material of bed steps that you’re considering.
3. What Bed Steps Design Is Good for You?
This is another important aspect when it comes to buying bed steps as you don’t just want to use it just for climbing, but you also want it to blend in with other furniture in your house.
For example, if you have wooden furniture, using a grey-colored plastic bed step might look odd with it. After you have ensured the essentials of its usefulness, you should evaluate the design of your bed steps.
4. How Safe Is a Bed Step?
The primary function of a bed step is safety and not all of them are the best bed steps for safety. Considering the safety features will also help you decide on the design you want your bed steps to be.
For example, if you want a bed step for the elderly, you might want to have one with a decent hand railing with it. Similarly, if you want it for a patient, you might want it to have a stronger floor grip than anything.
If you want a bed step for pets, you should consider the step height and if it is for kids, you should consider the corner and edges of the bed step.
5. What Purpose Do Bed Steps Serve?
Once you have evaluated a bed step for its design, and safety, the next step is to decide its purposefulness. While some serve a single purpose, there are also some multipurpose bed steps that can be used at more than one place for more than one reason.
If you want a bed step that can also help you with climbing for chores such as reaching the top shelf or the ceiling, you might want one with a wider base and more steps. Similarly, if you want to use it in more than one place, you should also consider it for its portability.
6. Do You Want an Adjustable Bed Step?
Adjustability also plays a part in choosing a multipurpose bed step. If you can adjust the height, you’ll be able to use it for both beds and shelves.
This is why you need to consider the adjustability a bed step provides if you want it to be multipurpose. You should consider a foldable bed step or one which allows you to draw out a step.
You should also try to look for a compact bed step, otherwise, most of it will be occupying your space unnecessarily.
7. When Should I Get a Portable Bed Step?
A portable bed step is never a bad idea. In fact, you should always consider portability whenever you are buying a bed step because it’s mostly used by elders and patients who often need to be transported for their scheduled checkups if nothing else.
If you don’t buy a portable bed step, you will still be facing the same inconvenience that you were facing without it and the risk of injury to the elders or patients will also remain high. The same goes for pets if you like to take them out with you.
8. How Can I Assemble a Bed Step?
If you don’t know how to assemble a bed step, either learn it or even better, go for a bed step that does not require any assembly in the first place.
If you are not good with tools, you will not only feel inconvenienced transferring, disassembling, and cleaning your bed step, you might also require help often and can end up damaging your bed step.
To avoid all the problems, the best would be that you go for an assembly-free bed step.
9. How Can I Clean a Bed Step?
There is a range of bed steps available and all of them have different styles and designs. Some are made up of hardwood with a varnish finish and some have a matt finish on plastic material. The cleaning of a bed step depends on its design.
Wooden material is generally more affected by dust and is easy to clean off stains. Plastic handles dust well but can have stubborn stains on the matte surface. Similarly, some bed steps have carpets and fur on the steps that can be really hard to clean.
Considering cleaning can save you a lot of hassle later on if you analyze the environment where you want to use your bed steps before buying them.
Bed Step FAQ
Q: What is the most common bed step material?
A: Mostly, you will find wooden bed steps on the market, but there also are plastic and metallic bed steps. All these materials are good for different purposes.
Q: What is the best material for bed steps?
A: Wooden bed steps are the best for adults as they can take the most weight. Similarly, plastic bed steps are ideal for pets and kids whereas metallic bed steps are good to be used outdoors.
Q: How much weight can bed steps bear?
A: Different bed steps have different endurance of weight but for an idea, a plastic bed step of 5 pounds can bear 150 pounds whereas a 5.5-pound wooden bed step can handle around 500 pounds.
