I bought this because I wanted a nice looking step ladder for my kitchen. Prior to getting this, I was using a more industrial looking step ladder that worked great - it was light weight, opened and closed easily, and sturdy. But not all that attractive. This ladder is much nicer looking, but it's a lot heavier. Not so much so that I can't move it easily, but heavy enough that it might be difficult for someone without a lot of strength or a kid. My second complaint is when you go to fold it, you have to push a little lever into the mechanism - and it's a little difficult to do. It obviously costs a lot more than the cheap industrial model I was using before. So if you looking for ease of use and price, I would choose the metal and plastic step version. But if you want something that looks nicer this might be a good choice for you.