Having recently fallen off a wobbly old kitchen chair whilst trying to find the saffron which I knew was somewhere in the back of my spice cupboard, just out of reach, my husband suggested I invest in a small set of stepladders for in the house. We are not talking decorating kit or DIY assistance, just something sturdy and safe (and unlikely to tip to one side as the chair did) for me to use from time to time because I am rather short.

I therefore checked online for basic stepladders and came across this one from the Argos value range, priced at £12.99. Even better, I had around £15 in Nectar points stored up so I could effectively pay for it with that and it would be a freebie! I do love the Argos website and the fact you can check stock at your local stores (we have 3 within a 10 mile radius) and then reserve one for collection later, this is what I did around a month ago.

The ladders are not so big and clunky as to be a pain to get home, in fact I got them home on the back seat of my KA which gives you an indication of the size somewhat. They weigh just over 4kg so although not especially lightweight they are easily managed by me. The top step is only 46cm so around half a metre or a couple of feet - whilst this is not the highest of ladders, it is exactly what I need to get at thing in the top of cupboards etc.

The feet have rubber grips on them and will not slip on tiled or lino floors. These are not really designed for use outdoors and I have not tried them outside of the house so cannot vouch for them in that capacity. The rungs are quite wide and are also ridged for added grip. The ladder does not wobble or pose any difficulties when being used. It folds up easily and smoothly and can therefore be stored easily enough in it's flat form.

I notice that they had a tag hanging off them when bought which stated that the maximum load they can bear is 150kg - as this converts to around 23 stone it is plenty for what I need it for and seems quite heavy duty!

For what I wanted these for - occasional use and a steady base - they are perfect and great value for money.