# Learning Tower vs. Kitchen Helper?



## BeagleMommy (May 26, 2006)

Learning Tower vs. Kitchen Helper?
Has anyone had experience with either or preferably both of these?
I think my mom is willing to get one for my 2.5 yo for Christmas, but I don't know which to tell her we want. DD has already fallen off a stool in the kitchen this week.

Obviously, the Kitchen Helper is cheaper, but Mom is willing to get either.

Experiences?

Also, does anyone have a favorite place to get one?

TIA!


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## mommariffic (Mar 18, 2009)

We have the kitchen helper. I got it for DD last Christmas [ended up giving it to her in November] and we have used it multiple times a day ever since.

I LOVE IT.

We love the dry erase/chalkboard for writing and coloring
We love that it can fold up and be stored

We love that it has lived through spills, my 2 1/2 year old using it as a jungle gym







and basically well, it rules! TOTALLY amazing product. I know I sound like a cheesy informerical but she can cook with me, goes in it to do art projects at the counter while I'm cooking, and sits in it to play.


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## Holiztic (Oct 10, 2005)

Well, we have the KH and our best friends have the LT so I know both well and Ds has been in both several times.

The Kitchen helper is much less sturdy. MUCH LESS. That's really more about how sturdy the LT is, not how unsturdy the LT (DS is 35 pounds at 2.5 and its fine). While the KH does fold for storage, you have to remove a screw to fold it though, so its not as quick as I'd hoped (we were in a tiny condo when we got it and I'd planned to put it in the closet whenever not in use--that didn't happen. It does have the white board and chalkboard (our white board came chipped, we didn't bother to send it back though). We've never used either, but that's just us.

The Learning Tower is so solid and heavy. It would be best in a large kitchen (or wherever) that it could just live in one place. But it is really nice!

I am not sure how our KH adjusts for height as we haven't needed to yet, but it is not obvious that it does. anyone know?

The LT definitely adjusts by moving the platform down as the child gets taller.

Either one fits two toddlers side by side if they squish. I think the LT may be a little more roomy, not sure.

I wish we'd gotten the Learning Tower. I really wish we had. But in fairness, I don't dislike the KH, I only dislike when I compare it to the LT!

Hope that helps!


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## BeagleMommy (May 26, 2006)

These are the kind of experiences I was looking for. I read some bad reviews about the durability of the KH and that had me concerned. I have a largish kitchen, but who really has enough room? I really like the foldability. I saw a video comparing the two, but it was from a place that sold both so there was nothing bad about either of them according to her. She did fold the KH up very easily. I didn't see any screw removal.
I'm still going back and forth on this. I've never seen a LT in real life so maybe the KH won't seem poorly made to me.


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## Holiztic (Oct 10, 2005)

The screw is on the actual standing platform. It is sunk in and requires a hex wrench (and a gazillion turns) to remove. If you do it monthly or weekly--no biggie. But I don't think you'd want to do it 1-3x a day.

I mostly wouldn't mind the KH if I'd never seen the LT. One thing is that when opened the hinged sides don't totally flatten, there's still a little v like folding doors that don't quite shut to flat. KWIM? Could just be ours.

Its also got the Ikea pressboard fell to it. Don't get me wrong, we buy Ikea for some things, I hust *prefer* the heavy duty kind of feel of solid wood. I don't think LT is solid, BTW, it just feels like it!

If I remember correctly, there is a price diff. b/w the 2, but its not crazy, right? No time to look that up right now. But if you can reasonably afford it and don't NEED to fold, I really do recommend the LT. If either of those concerns is significant for you, the KH is still totally awesome to have, we use it several times a day!


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## tbone_kneegrabber (Oct 16, 2007)

ds' grandfather made him one, he tried to copy the KH as much as possible. Ours folds (which is great!) but its easy to fold, you just pull out the standing part and fold it. The LT would not work in our house, even though we have a large-ish kitchen, with 7 people in our house, folding was a must.


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## riverscout (Dec 22, 2006)

We have a Learning Tower and really like it. I got it when my daughter was maybe a year and a half or so and still use it now at almost 4. While it is a bit unwieldy, it is very sturdy which to me is a fair tradeoff. It's very easy to adjust too.

We have a small galley kitchen, but we've managed to make it work, although we did stub our toes on it a lot until we got used to it's presence. I think in a normal or largish size kitchen, it would be no problem at all.

When it's not in use, I just store it in an adjoining room. I never minded that it didn't fold because even if it did, it's not like it would be super small or anything and I would still have to find someplace for it. Also, it gets left out pretty much all day anyway.


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## JudiAU (Jun 29, 2008)

We have learning tower and love it. Use it all the time. Very sturdy and well made. Easy to sell on CraigsList too because it stands up to a lot. We have the easel/chalkboard attachment as well.

We bought it instead of the KH because the KH isn't really folding, etc. there are screws involved etc.

Yes LT is big, but even with a small kitchen we make it work.


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## katiesk (Nov 6, 2007)

a little off topic - but it might be important to you so i thought i would share.

i was going to buy a lt for dd (i think they are so amazing!) but discovered that they are made in china, and in correspondence with the designer and head of the company, she would not provide me with any info regarding the ethical/unethical business practices, working conditions, etc...

i found that unsettling and so terribly disappointing. i wrote about it on my blog.

i decided to find someone local to make something similar.

(but then changed my mind about getting one at all...a little broke right now!)


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## slgt (Feb 21, 2007)

Hm, we just use a step-stool, folding white stool with 2 black steps. Very sturdy, DD can reach the counter & get up & down no problem. Does that make us bad parents?


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## riverscout (Dec 22, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *slgt* 
Hm, we just use a step-stool, folding white stool with 2 black steps. Very sturdy, DD can reach the counter & get up & down no problem. Does that make us bad parents?

Who said or even implied anything like that?







If you don't feel confident about what you are doing, then that is your issue.


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## spmamma (Sep 2, 2007)

We have the Learning Tower and love it. DD has been using it since she was about 18 MO and it's a great way to keep her safe while she helps do dishes, cooks and hangs out in the kitchen. She can get in and out very easily and I don't ever worry about her falling.

We also have one of those black-and-white folding step stools and tried using it for a time when she was younger but she was just not steady enough to trust that she wouldn't fall off and hurt herself. There are times when she's standing in her LT and is bouncing around with excitement because of whatever we're doing - but she's corralled and safe so I don't worry about it.


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## ammcmaho (Apr 20, 2009)

we're considering the same. for those who've had one built for them - are there any specs online? i'msure i could commission my uncle to build one for us, but he'd want to see some specs i'm sure.


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## mommy2abigail (Aug 20, 2005)

We have a LT, and I love it. We have a small L shaped kitchen, so it does get on my nerves when I'm trying to maneuver around it, but it is worth the hassle. Not sure about the KH...


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## MamaLBJ (Oct 27, 2009)

I am not familiar with the Kitchen Helper. We have a Learning Tower. I am a cheapskate, but I finally buckled down and purchased one new from www.drugstore.com. That was the cheapest price I could find at the time. I didn't have any success finding one used on craigslist.

I do not know what I would do without it. We travel a lot, and I sorely miss it when we are away from home. The one aspect about it that I have particularly appreciated is that it withstands the jostling that it gets from my two large dogs without overturning, moving excessively, collapsing, etc. I think that anything less stable would have met with calamity by now -- not to mention DD. I don't know if this is an issue for you, but it is something that had never occurred to me before using it.


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## tvantol (Oct 10, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *riverscout* 
Who said or even implied anything like that?







If you don't feel confident about what you are doing, then that is your issue.

Why such snarkiness to someone's response?


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## melodyka (Aug 3, 2006)

We have the LT and chalkboard/easel attachment. My daughter loves it! She can use it with a friend as well. Now that we have a little one on the way, we are sure it will get much use by the 2 girls for years to come.

can't see the LT, but here is my daughter cooking

here she is with an 8 year old friend- they both fit comfortably


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## rere (Apr 21, 2005)

We have a learning tower that I got from Craig's list.It's been in constant use in my house for the last 4 yrs plus I know it was used in 2 different homes before it came to us.It is still in great shape!


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## jjawm (Jun 17, 2007)

I considered both, but decided on using a kitchen chair. I must say, though, that dd is good about being safe on it. I've seen friends who have KH and LT, and they really do get in the way. I'm all for multi-use products.


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## Sofija Reimane (Apr 4, 2017)

*I have learning tower at home*

I just love it and my son loves it too. I found it on Etsy - Montessori learning tower ''Wise Monkey''. We have this learnig tower, it is so cute and adorable. The delivery is fast, comunication with sellers are excelent and the most important - quality is just great!


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