Fire is the third biggest cause of accidental death.
Statistics show that 80% of the fatalities occur at home.
Why? Because most people in such situations almost always never get an escape route.
And by the time your smoke detector goes off and firefighters get to your home, you may not even have an escape path at all because it could be blocked owing to the fire.
Most people who are unable to escape from a burning building or home don’t burn to death. They die of smoke inhalation related injuries.
These injuries may include chemical burns to the face or other parts of the body and respiratory tract injury. But the type of injuries depends on the products or objects being burned.
So if you have pesticides, fungicides and other chemicals in your home, not only can they act as a catalyst causing the fire to burn and grow more. The smoke is also toxic and harmful.
And even basic household items like detergents, bleaches and other chemicals can also make things a lot worse in case of a fire.
So if you live in a 2 or more story building, it may be wise to get a fire escape ladder as a safety precaution. More so if you have children.
Fire escape ladders vary in price and design. So you may need to do some research first when finding a ladder that meets your needs and requirements.
But to start you off, below are some ladders suggestions and additional information on how to choose the best fire escape ladder.
Top Pick
The Kidde Three Story Fire Escape Ladder took the top spot on our list of the best fire escape ladders due to its tangle free design, anti-slip rungs that can support up to 1,000 pounds.
So let’s check out what the Kidde 468094 ladder has to offer.
- Worry-Free Escape
- Tangle-Free Design
- 25-foot (Third-Story) Model
- Supports up to 1,000 pounds
- Fast and Easy to Deploy
- Anti Slip Rungs
- No Tools or Assembly Required
- 5-Year Limited Warranty
This choice is our top pick for a reason and with its many great features, it is easy to see why we chose this product. With all the things that this ladder can do, the only thing that it can’t do is order itself for you.
Fire Escape Ladders Comparison Chart
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Material | Steel, Nylon | Aluminum, | Nylon with Resin, Plastic | Steel, DuPont Cordura Nylon | Steel, Plastic |
Height | 25 Feet/ | 25 Feet/ | 8 Feet/ | 14 Feet/ | 15 Feet/ |
Reusable | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Weight Capacity | 1000 lbs | 1000 lbs | 2000 lbs | 1125 lbs | 1000 lbs |
Weight | 12 lbs | 16.1 lbs | 5.4 lbs | 12.8 lbs | 14.85 lbs |
5 Best Fire Escape Ladders (as of April, 2024):
1. Kidde 468094 Three-Story 25 ft Fire Escape Ladder Review
The Kidde 468094 Three-Story 25-foot ladder is ideal when you need to make a quick exit from a 2 or 3-story window.
It is made of steel and this is to ensure that it is strong and sturdy enough to accommodate a weight capacity of 750 to 1000 pounds easily.
The rungs are made of zinc-plated steel to ensure that you don’t slip as you climb down the ladder.
They may hurt the soles of your feet, which may slow you down. But the rungs on this ladder are also 1-foot wide, which may make your descend more comfortable.
The model comes already assembled. So you don’t need to do any assembly, which is great because all you need to do is attach the ladder to a window and deploy it.
And this ladder is tangle-free so it is designed to deploy quickly and easily.
Via: @sweetwaterseassara
The one major issue with this ladder is that it’s not reusable. So you cannot even test it to see how it works, which is a damper.
Main Features
- Attaches Quickly to Most Common Windows
- Worry-Free Escape
- Tangle-Free Design
- Strong and Durable Construction
- 25-foot (third-story) Model
- Supports up to 1,000 pounds
- Fast and Easy to Deploy
- Materials: Steel, Nylon
- Anti Slip Rungs
- Ready for Use
- No Tools or Assembly Required
- 5-Year Limited Warranty
- Zinc-plated steel 1-foot wide rungs for durability, secure footing, and safety
- Rungs are anti-slip for increased safety
- Rungs are designed to prevent tangling and to deploy quickly and easily
- The ladder can be hung from a 2 or 3-story building
- Durable, sturdy, and flame resistant construction
- Lightweight and compact design that allows you to store the ladder in small spaces
- The strap rails are made of nylon for strength
- Can accommodate a weight capacity of 1000 pounds
- Can only be used once
2. Hausse Retractable 25 ft Fire Escape Ladder Review
Although the Hausse Retractable 25 ft fire escape ladder is more expensive than many similar products, it is quite popular.
And this could be because it is reusable and sturdy.
Some ladders are not reusable, which is a great disadvantage when you need to show your kids or other members of your household how to use the ladder.
The rungs on the ladder are slip-resistant and steady. And this is to ensure your safety as you climb down the ladder. It has a retractable hook that you can extend for ease of use of the ladder.
Like many foldable fire escape ladders, this one has a tangle-free design to make deployment fast and easy. And since the ladder comes already fully assembled, all you need to do is attach to a windowsill and deploy it.
The hooks on the ladder are designed to firmly hold in place to avoid them slipping off causing injury.
The ladder can extend up to 25 feet and support a weight capacity of 1000 pounds. This means that you can have two people climb down the ladder at the same time. Probably even more, if they don’t weigh too much.
Main Features
- Tangle-Free Design
- 25-foot (3 Stories High) Model
- Supports up to 1,000 pounds
- V – Shaped Support Frame
- Retractable Hook
- Slip-Resistant Rung
- Strong & Durable Rope & High Strength Screws
- Attaches Quickly to Most Common Windows
- No Tools or Assembly Required
- Fast and Easy to Deploy
- Red Durable Canvas Bag
- Lightweight for easy portability and storage
- Designed to deploy easily and quickly
- Comes already assembled for easy and quick use
- Can support a weight capacity of up to 1000 pounds
- Retractable hook that you can fully extend when using the ladder
- Non-slip rungs for safety when climbing down the ladders
- Sturdy, strong, and durable
- Ideal for 3-story buildings
- Affordable
- Comes with a pouch for easy storage
- Slightly more expensive than similar models
3. ISOP 12 Emergency 8 ft Fire Escape Ladder Review
The ISOP 12 Emergency 8 ft fire escape ladder is great when you live in a 5-story building because it is designed to help you escape from a 4th-floor window.
It is pretty much made of strong ropes and carabiners to provide you with stability as you climb down the ladder.
It’s not your typical steel or aluminum made fire escape ladder, but it is sturdy and strong.
And more child friendly. It is lightweight and easy to carry.
Even your child won’t have a problem carrying this ladder. It is designed not to tangle making it easy to deploy.
In an emergency situation, you don’t need the hassle of trying to deploy a ladder, especially when you need to act and move quickly.
So it’s great that the ISOP fire escape ladder is designed to deploy in a flash. Well, probably not in a flash, but you know, quick enough.
So if you are two adults and let’s say you have three full-grown kids, you can all climb down the ladder at the same time increasing your chances of survival. Most fire escape ladders have a capacity of 1000 pounds.
And if you live in a household of 5 or 6 family members, the more ideal rope would be the ISOP because it can support a much larger load capacity.
This is the kind of ladder that can be useful in a situation whereby many people need to get out. So it is ideal for school and office use.
Main Features
- Hold Reliably Kids & Adults of All Ages
- Easy to Use & Fast to Deploy
- Compact Design & Lightweight
- Premium Quality Materials
- Highest Quality Thick Rope & Resin
- Heavy-Duty Carabiners
- Size 8 feet
- Weight Capacity up to 2000 lbs
- Breaking Strength of 11.2KN
- Designed Specifically for Roof, Playset, Tree House or Fire Escape
- Polyester Waterproof Bag
- Can be hung from a 5-story window
- Sturdy, strong, and weather-resistant
- Can support weights of up to 2000 pounds
- Designed to prevent tangling when deploying
- Solid construction with strong carabiners to give you a steady hold and an easy descent
- Solid and thick ropes to prevent falls
- Ideal for school, work, and home use
- It can be used more than once
- It has strong safety hooks to keep you safe and steady when you descend
- Lightweight and compact for easy storability and portability
- Comes already assembled for easy use
- Decently priced
- You have to buy the window hooks separately
- Some consumers have complained that the rungs are way far apart which can make descending for kids a problem
4. First Alert EL52-2 Two-Story 14 ft Review
This 2-story fire escape ladder by First Alert is fully assembled to make it easy for you to deploy in just a matter of seconds.
It can extend up to 14 feet and it can support a load capacity of 1125 pounds.
It uses nylon strapping to ensure your safety when climbing down the ladder. And it is made of steel for strength, durability, sturdiness, and reliability.
The First Alert EL52-2 Two-Story 14 ft ladder is strong and sturdy enough to support both adults and children at the same time. This allows you to make a quick exit without one person having to wait for the other to reach the ground first to climb down.
And what’s more is that the rungs on the ladder are slip-resistant and coated with epoxy coating to increase your safety.
They are made of steel to help keep you steady as you descend. This is important particularly when more than two adults including children need to climb down the ladder together.
So the ladder is extremely strong and what’s also great about it is that it’s foldable. You can fold it easily and store it under your bed or your child’s bed, or any other small but easily accessible space.
Main Features
- For a Two-Story Home or Apartment
- Easily Deploys & Stores Compactly
- 14 Foot Length
- Weight Capacity up to 1125 lbs
- Steel Stabilizers
- Epoxy-Coated Rungs
- DuPont Cordura Nylon Strapping
- Fully Assembled & Ready to Use
- Designed for Window Sills Between 6 – 10 inches Wide
- Tested to ASTM Standards
- 6-Year Limited Warranty
- Epoxy-coated rungs that are wide and slip-resistant to increase your safety as you down the ladder
- Can be hung from a two-story building
- Can accommodate a maximum weight capacity of 1125 pounds
- Steel construction for strength, durability, and stability
- Wide hooks you can secure on any windowsill
- Designed to deploy quickly and easily
- It is foldable to make it easy to carry and store
- It is reusable
- Budget-friendly
- It is heavy and not child-friendly
- Window hooks don’t hold tightly to the windowsill
5. Res-Q-Ladder FL-15-SL 15 ft Review
This Res-Q-Ladder FL-15-SL model is the 15-foot fire escape ladder designed for 2-story buildings.
There is the 25-foot model for 3-story buildings. So you have the option of choosing the one that meets your needs.
This ladder is a little more expensive than similar products. But it is still within the range of affordability.
Some key features that make this ladder so popular is for one it is reusable. Some ladders are not, and while that’s not so much of a big deal. You do want a ladder that you can be able to use more than once.
The other great feature is the construction of the ladder. If you want a sturdy and steady ladder that can keep you well-balanced and safe as you climb down, this is it.
The ResQladder has been used in real fire situations and it has received a lot positive feedback.
In essence this is a ladder you can rely on when in an emergency situation. It is made of steel for strength and steadiness. And it comes fully assembled for quick and easy deployment.
It is a bit heavier than other similar models, which is why it’s more steadier than others. And it can withstand a total weight of 1000 pounds, which is pretty standard, but the steel construction makes it extremely steady.
But then again, the trade-off is that it can keep you safe and steady as you climb down.
Via: @shopyesterdaysnumbers
Main Features
- Designed For Standard Windowsill
- Deploys Quickly and Easily
- Folding & Portable
- Overall Height 15 Feet
- Number of Steps 12
- No Installation Necessary
- Easy to Install or Remove Standoffs
- Plastic Sleeves Enhance Comfort
- Customizable Standoffs for Stability
- Strong, 18/20-gauge steel hooks, rungs & 2/0 Double-Loop Chain
- Weight Capacity up to 1000 lbs
- Weight 14.85 lbs
- Lifetime Limited Warranty
- Weight capacity of 1000 pounds
- Steel construction for steadiness and sturdiness
- Customizable standoffs for improved stability
- Steel rungs for stability, durability, and steadiness
- Ideal for 2-story buildings
- It a bit expensive
- Needs to be assembled
Buyer’s Guide
When deciding on a fire escape ladder, you need a ladder that can help you make a quick escape.
Because the quicker you get out of a burning building or house, the less likely you’ll suffer any smoke inhalation related injuries or burns.
Plus you want a ladder that can help you escape easily. Not make things worse for you. Some fire escape ladders come fully assembled.
And this makes your escape easier because all you need to do is secure the ladder from a windowsill and then deploy it. No assemblage needed.
Via: @realtorsardella
Those that don’t come fully assembled can be a problem and you should never consider buying one even if you live alone.
If a ladder takes more than 2 seconds to unfurl, get a model that unfolds faster. The reason why you need to avoid fire escape ladders that are not fully assembled.
Other features that are important when choosing a fire escape ladder are as follows.
Rungs
It is important to select a ladder that has sturdy and anti-slip rungs. If in the product specification, there is no indication that the rungs are anti-slip, you better off not buying it.
Many ladders today come with anti-slip rungs and they indicate this on the product labels. And the reason why you should avoid emergency ladders that don’t have anti-slip rungs is because in an emergency situation, you need to get out fast and safely.
Standoffs
Get a ladder that comes with standoffs. And these are features that create a space between your ladder and the wall of your house or building.
By creating this space, your ladder stays protected from a hot wall in case of a fire, it keeps your ladder stable and steady, and provides you with more room.
Material
Most manufacturers use nylon, or plastic and steel or aluminum to make fire escape ladders. Steel fire escape ladders are sturdier than aluminum ladders.
But when it comes to weight, aluminum ladders are much easier to carry because they are lighter.
So if you have children, it would be best to get an aluminum fire escape ladder, because it’s light enough to be carried by a child easily.
Both materials are heat resistant, but steel can withstand heat more than aluminum.
So when you are considering ladder material, take into account who you live with and the heat resistant level of the material.
Size and Weight
Fire escape ladders vary in size and weight. If you have children or live with elderly folks, a ladder that is light enough to be carried by a child easily is what you need.
When it comes to the size of the ladder, this will depend on whether you live in a story building. Fire escape ladder sizes range from between 13 to 25 feet.
So check to see on the product label what story height it is designed for or inquire from the company if that information is not available in the product description.
Ease of Use
Fire escape ladders are designed to help you make a quick exit in case there is a fire in your building or home. And having to deal with a ladder that is complex to deploy and use in such a situation, can be frightening.
And when you have children or elderly people living with you, this is the last thing you need to deal with. So to avoid such a scenario, make sure that you get a ladder you can deploy and use quickly and easily.
Many fire escape ladders come fully assembled to help you make a quick exit in case of an emergency.
Because when you think about it, would you have the time or the focus to start assembling a fire escape ladder? I hardly think so and neither do the manufacturers.
So before you buy a fire escape ladder, check to see that it is fully assembled and that it has a tangle-free design for fast and easy deployment.
And ensure that it has anti-slip rungs and sturdy rails to help you and others climb down quickly, comfortably, and safely.
Single Use or Reusable
Believe it or not, some fire escape ladders can only be used only once. After which they have to discard them. This poses a problem as you don’t know how well the ladder works because you cannot test it.
Because if you do test it, you would need to discard it and buy a new one. So you would need to rely on the manufacturer’s word that the ladder works as well as they say it does. And this can be a bit hard for many people.
But the choice remains with you. You can choose to get a single use ladder or a reusable ladder. We would recommend getting a reusable one because you won’t need to buy another one after you use it unless it gets damaged.
Price
Fire escape ladders vary in price. Some are expensive and others are not. The expensive ones come with extra safety features which is why they are pricey.
It’s much better to save up until you get enough money to buy an expensive one that can assure your safety and that of your loved ones in case of an emergency.
Final Notes
Thanks to fire escape ladders, many people have escaped from burning buildings without a scratch.
If you live in a story building and you don’t have an emergency ladder in case a fire breaks out, consider getting one. More so if you have children.
We have already discussed some ladders you can get and how to go about choosing a fire escape ladder. We only advice that you get one, if you don’t already own one. It can mean life or death in emergency situation.
