Toddler towers/stools - are they worth it?

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I've been contemplating for a while whether I should invest in a toddler tower - my 1,5 yo is very clingy and I can never get anything done in the kitchen, he plays a bit and then comes crying to me . If I have to do the dishes or make some food I usually need to put tv on to distract him for a few minutes.

I heard these stools are really good and toddlers can use them to be involved in tasks. They are not cheap so I was wondering what are other's experiences with them, especially if you have a clingy toddler. Thanks!

Simultaneously the best thing and worse thing we’ve ever bought. It is brilliant for the clinginess and really lovely to bake with them etc but my god you have to be so on it with putting things out of reach! We had a couple of close calls with hot pans as well. You can’t relax for a minute unless you e got somewhere you can put it away where they can’t get it out.

I was given one. Definitely glad I didn't spend my own money on it. Now 2 year old has always hated it for more than about 2 minutes, doesn't solve the clingyness at all and she just wants to be held rather than go in there and help out (yes, got her one of those mini knife etc sets, makes no difference).

4 year old likes it, but would do just as well standing on a chair.

It's also really bulky and annoying having to move it out of the way of whatever you need to get to.

It didn't really solve the clinginess for me at that age (perhaps for short periods), but the stool did get used a lot over the years so overall it was worth buying.

Loved mine. It’s on its 6th toddler now and still getting good reviews.

We bought one. Only used it a handful of times because DS just wasn't interested once the novelty wore off. We've always just sat at the kitchen table to do any cooking prep or baking.

Love ours, one of the best things I've ever bought. Now 2 year old eats breakfast in it every morning at the counter, often lunch too and helps prep/eats snacks there while I cook tea. I do have a spacious kitchen though where it doesn't get in the way!

I'd agree they are bulky and annoying, but I reckon we've used ours everyday since getting it and it has saved my back picking him up. Had it over 18 months now so been worth it.

Funnily enough I was thinking how useful our IKEA step stool has been yesterday.

It's not a toddler tower, but both kids used it to help in the kitchen daily when tiny without incident. Smaller & less bulky than a toddler tower & and still useful for me at 5'3.

Currently employed as a bedside table in a childs room!

Love ours - uses it for helping to cook as well as playing play dough while I do, or playing in the water in the sink.

it is bulky but really worth it especially as he also has a regular stool but because the helper has the sides it’s much more secure and doesn’t overbalance like the small step height stool

we made one from a couple of ikea stools using a YouTube tutorial

also - if they’re not ready to do helping things we also tucked a play kitchen against a wall for a few months so he could play chef cafe etc while I cooked

I got the ikea step for £19. HANDS DOWN the best purchase ever. He loves helping in the kitchen, and he uses it to sit at the table after outgrowing the high chair (it's higher than a normal chair, so we now don't need a booster).

Thanks everyone!! Very mixed reviews 😅 Hot pans and other hazards are my worry too. But I am curious about its potential regarding him being clingy... not sure what to do! What is the ikea step like @UnravellingTheWorld?

I got this one https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/bekvaem-step-stool-aspen-10225589/

A quick google search and apparantly you can get something to add to the top that makes it into a tower? Never knew that!

We got ours when DD was just 1 and she still uses it daily at 4.5, absolutely a favourite buy for us. She stands in it to help or draw or eat a snack or play with her toys on the kitchen island whilst we chat and I prepare dinner and it's also the perfect height for me to do her hair. She could just use a step stool nowadays but it's part of the furniture now and is staying for when her baby brother can use it. It is pretty bulky though and we are lucky to have a fairly big kitchen with an island. If I was falling over it everytime i went to the fridge or tried to open a cupboard door I may feel differently :)

Ahh yes that is also the thing, our kitchen is not tiny but not super big and it might be in the way.. but I will still think about it, I'm trying to see if I can find a used one at least! @UnravellingTheWorld ah yes I found it too,,apparently they are being discontinued but they are still available somewhere.