Head-to-head · Best Step Ladders

Gorilla Ladders GLX-5B 5.5 ft. Aluminum Dual Platform Ladder with Removable Project Bucket vs Rubbermaid RMA-3XST 3-Step Lightweight Aluminum Step Stool with Oversized Project Tray (250 lb, Type I)

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Gorilla Ladders GLX-5B 5.5 ft. Aluminum Dual Platform Ladder with Removable Project Bucket comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.5 vs 3.7). Gorilla Ladders GLX-5B 5.5 ft. Aluminum Dual Platform Ladder with Removable Project Bucket is best for: Homeowners doing indoor and lower-reach outdoor jobs, like painting, window cleaning or light-fixture installs, who want a stable, comfortable standing platform and a place for tools, and who don't need a nonconductive ladder for electrical work. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Step Ladders

Gorilla Ladders GLX-5B 5.5 ft. Aluminum Dual Platform Ladder with Removable Project Bucket

4.5

3 sourcesall derived

Wirecutter names the Gorilla GLX-5B its top stepladder pick, Business Insider calls it the best overall ladder, and The Spruce ranks it as the runner-up for best overall. All three credit the two deep platform steps and the included project bucket. Wirecutter and The Spruce report noticeably less foot fatigue than on standard rungs, and the ladder folds to about 4 inches thick. The main caveat is the aluminum frame, which reviewers say isn't suitable for electrical work.

Strengths

— Top platform is 10 in deep and the step below is 8 in, versus about 3 in on a traditional stepladder, so the whole foot is supported (Wirecutter's measurements)
— Wirecutter and The Spruce both reported noticeably less foot and leg fatigue; Wirecutter testers rarely needed to brace a knee against the ladder
— Included removable project bucket, about 15 x 8 in with 3-in sides, clips to the top and stores between the rails when not in use (Wirecutter; also praised by Business Insider and The Spruce)

Watch-outs

— Aluminum rails conduct electricity, so it isn't for electrical work (flagged by Business Insider and The Spruce)
— The top cap and tool tray sit 6 in lower than on a comparable 6-ft ladder, so you bend further to reach tools (Wirecutter)
— At 17.6 lb it's about 6 lb heavier than the lightest single-platform stepladder Wirecutter considered

Buy at homedepot.com Full review →

Ranked #4 in Best Step Ladders

Rubbermaid RMA-3XST 3-Step Lightweight Aluminum Step Stool with Oversized Project Tray (250 lb, Type I)

3.7

1 source$179.91as of Oct 24

Rubbermaid's RMA-3XST is a 250-pound Type I three-step aluminum stool built around an oversized magnetized project tray. Real Simple named it Best Lightweight Ladder and The Spruce featured it in its step-stool roundup; both are Dotdash Meredith titles and appear to describe the same six-month home test. Both say it never felt wobbly and both found the paper-towel bar flimsy. Bob Vila's hands-on step-stool test gave it 4/5 overall, praising the stable top step but noting it can tip if you lean sideways. The independent evidence is fairly thin, and the current price of about $180 is steep.

Strengths

— Felt sturdy and wobble-free in Real Simple's six-month test, helped by wide steps and non-slip, non-marring feet that stayed put
— Large magnetized project tray holds a paint can, with brush/tool holes, a removable screw box, and a paper-towel bar; Real Simple gave it a perfect features score
— Big platform top step: Bob Vila's testers stood, jumped, and turned around on it confidently, useful for overhead painting

Watch-outs

— The paper-towel bar is flimsy (Real Simple and The Spruce both flag it)
— Tends to tip if you lean too far to either side (Bob Vila)
— At $179.91 on Amazon when checked, it costs far more than most 3-step stools; the roughly $100 Target listing reviewers cited is gone

$179.91 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Gorilla Ladders GLX-5B 5.5 ft. Aluminum Dual Platform Ladder with Removable Project Bucket

The only dual-platform design here and the least expensive full-size pick. It weighs about 3.5 lb more than the Little Giant Flip-N-Lite, but its 10-in top platform plus 8-in second step give more standing room than the Flip-N-Lite's single platform. Unlike the fiberglass Little Giant King Kombo 2.0 it conducts electricity and has no extension mode; it reaches higher and carries more weight (300 lb vs 250 lb) than the Rubbermaid RMA-3XST step stool.

Rubbermaid RMA-3XST 3-Step Lightweight Aluminum Step Stool with Oversized Project Tray (250 lb, Type I)

A three-step stool rather than a full 6-ft ladder: at about 11 lb it is the lightest pick and the only one with an oversized magnetized paint tray, but its 33.5-in platform sits below the 3 ft 9 in top standing level of the Gorilla GLX-5B and Little Giant Flip-N-Lite, and its 250-lb Type I rating is the lowest here. At its current price it costs more than the Gorilla GLX-5B, which reaches higher.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Gorilla Ladders GLX-5B 5.5 ft. Aluminum Dual Platform Ladder with Removable Project Bucket	Rubbermaid RMA-3XST 3-Step Lightweight Aluminum Step Stool with Oversized Project Tray (250 lb, Type I)
Height	5.5 ft	—
Max Reach	10 ft	9 ft 3 in
Platform Heights	3 ft 9 in / 2 ft 9 in	—
Load Capacity	300 lb	250 lb
Duty Rating	ANSI Type IA	ANSI Type I (A14.2)
Material	Aluminum	Aluminum
Weight	17.6 lb	10.5-11.2 lb (sources vary)
Folded Dimensions	68.3 x 22.4 x 4.2 in	60 x 20.7 x 4.7 in
Warranty	Limited lifetime	1-year limited
Steps	—	3 + oversized platform top step (13.2 x 10.4 in)
Platform Height	—	33.5 in

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