The best drywall stilts, compared.
Top pick: Installoo consumer, 38–58 cm – Highest score: 38–58 cm, up to 105 kg printed, a manual listed, and the lightest pair at 5.8 kg. Best value: iElyiEsy silver, 18–30 in – Highest score per pound among pairs whose reviews describe the printed size, at about £99.00. Updated October 2026.
Drywall stilts, usually called plastering stilts in the UK, are a sprung aluminium pair you strap on so you can walk while boarding, skimming or cutting in a ceiling. The Health and Safety Executive says workers may use them for plastering or painting if you are trained and competent, the floor is not uneven or wet, and there are no trailing cables or other trip hazards. Extra height is a higher fall, not spare safety. The Stilts shelf on amazon.co.uk also lists straps and loft risers, which are not this category. The [drywall stilts buying guide](/hub/painting-supplies/drywall-stilts/sub/drywall-stilts-buying-guide) orders height, a printed load, the floor and the straps. Judge a pair by a height that matches the room, a load the maker actually prints, and straps and springs you can inspect.
Drywall stilts, usually called plastering stilts in the UK, are a sprung aluminium pair you strap on so you can walk while boarding, skimming or cutting in a ceiling.
22 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +18,600 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How much lift have you measured?
The Installoo consumer pair, part 20US, is 38–58 cm, lists a manual, weighs 5.8 kg, and prints up to 105 kg on the title, at £156.79. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.4 from 350 ratings. Of 50 review texts in the file, one is headed United Kingdom: after fitting, about ten minutes of practice was enough for that decorator, nearly 50, to cut in at ceiling edges. Other texts call the height adjustment understandable and the pair sturdy for ceiling work such as removing wallpaper, instead of moving steps, including a note about resting after about four hours. Assembly can need spanners that are not in the box, a size-38 shoe felt tight, and one delivery was missing the upper straps, nuts, bolts, and a side lock. The 350 count is the listing figure, not 350 written UK job reports. One review's claim that they are banned for the advertised jobs is that reviewer's statement, not a line in the listing. It is the top pick on this method.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A first clear ceiling where you want a printed 105 kg line and a manual, at the mid price in this set.
Less suitable: Anyone who reads 4.4 from 350 as 350 UK plastering reports, or who needs a numeric shoe range.
Specifications
Common questions
What load does the title print?
Up to 105 kg. That figure is on the title. It is not a separate lab report in the file.
Can the height be changed without tools?
The bullet says you adjust wing nuts on both sides and that no tools are required for the 38–58 cm range.
Are they stated as suitable for uneven floors?
The listing asks the question. The bullets describe a non-slip rubber sole. They do not say the pair is for uneven ground.
Across 13 United Kingdom review texts, at 4.3 from 20 amazon.co.uk ratings, buyers used this silver iElyiEsy pair to board and paint a 50 m² ceiling and, in another report, to strip, board, and plaster high ceilings over five weeks. The title range is 18–30 in in five wing-nut positions, the pair weighs 6.9 kg, and the shelf price is £99.00. Reviewers who tightened the fit describe the aluminium as sturdy, and one plasterer called the pair good value. The listing does not print a kilogram limit, and the included-components field names only the stilts, so clearer instructions are a review complaint rather than a listed manual. Getting on is awkward enough that more than one buyer wanted a second person, and the first minutes feel frightening if the floor is not clear. One pair arrived with a piece of plastic broken off; that reviewer said the function was unaffected. The spec field prints ac, which is not a motor or a lead. It is the best value on this method.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A first clear ceiling where you want the £99 pair with the longest UK review file in this set, and you can leave the load figure blank.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a printed kilogram limit, or a room that needs more than 30 in of lift.
Specifications
Common questions
What weight do these silver stilts allow?
The listing asks about maximum weight and does not print a kilogram figure. The pair weight in the spec is 6.9 kg, which is the stilts, not the wearer.
Can you change the height without tools?
The bullet says a wing-nut design and no tools, across five positions from 18 in to 30 in.
Is a manual in the box?
The included-components field says drywall stilts. It does not name a manual. UK reviews say the instructions could be clearer.
At £90.31 this blue iElyiEsy pair is the lowest price in the set, with the same HCST-24SI model field, an 18–30 in range in five wing-nut positions, and a pair weight of 6.96 kg. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.3 from 16 ratings, and six review texts are headed United Kingdom. Buyers call it a good kit at the price, with springs that absorb knocks, and one reviewer at 6 ft 3 in and about 78 kg used them for a ceiling, gutters, and branches. The same file says the stock straps were uncomfortable, and that buyer bought padded replacements. The first wear is described as terrifying, and once you are strapped in you stay upright, so the room has to be planned before you mount. Several of these texts also appear on the 24–40 in ASIN, so this 4.3 is not a private sample. No kilogram limit is printed, and ac in the spec is not a mains lead.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who wants the cheapest 18–30 in pair and is ready to replace the straps.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a printed load, or review text that is not shared with the taller blue file.
Specifications
Common questions
Do the blue 18–30 in stilts need mains power?
The spec field prints ac. The bullets describe springs, wing nuts, and rubber soles. No motor, battery, or lead is listed.
What do reviewers say about the straps?
One UK review would have given five stars except the straps were uncomfortable. That buyer bought padded replacements.
Is the 4.3 score only for this height?
This file is 4.3 from 16 reviews. The same image URL and overlapping review text also appear on the 24–40 in ASIN.
The title says a blue pair from 24 in to 40 in in five wing-nut positions, at £100.79 and 7.8 kg, with 4.3 from 16 ratings. The model field still prints HCST-24SI, the same code as the shorter iElyiEsy files. The six review texts match the blue 18–30 in file, and one of them still describes 18–30 in stilts, so that star line is not evidence for this taller band. No review in the file describes a job done at 24–40 in. The listing does not print a kilogram limit, and the pair is the heaviest iElyiEsy row. Extra height on a 2.4 m ceiling is a higher fall, not spare safety. The spec prints ac without a motor or a lead.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A measured room that needs more than 30 in of lift, if you accept that the stars are borrowed from the shorter blue pair.
Less suitable: A 2.4 m domestic ceiling, or anyone treating 4.3 from 16 as a separate test of this height.
Specifications
Common questions
How high is this blue pair?
The title and the bullet say 24 in to 40 in, in five wing-nut positions. The model field still prints HCST-24SI. That is about 61–102 cm.
Do the reviews describe this taller size?
The six review texts match the blue 18–30 in file. One of them still describes 18–30 in stilts. Treat the shared 4.3 from 16 as one block, not two tests.
Is a kilogram limit printed?
No. The listing asks the question. The spec gives item weight 7.8 kg for the pair, not a wearer limit.
Installoo's Skywalker size L, part 51US, runs from 45 cm to 75 cm, weighs 7 kg, costs £443.99, and prints up to 105 kg on the title, with a manual in the included-components field. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.2 from 77 ratings. A UK plasterer who had worn Marshalltown stilts for 10 years bought these for daily plastering and recommended them, and another UK plasterer said they were as good as or better than Marshalltown Skywalkers. The manufacturer field says Installoo, not Marshalltown. In the same UK comments a foot spring came apart after three days, a safety opened on the first day, and both stilts snapped after what one reviewer called too little use. Those are individual reports, not a failure rate. The image URL matches size M, no carry bag is named, and the bullets do not say the pair is for uneven floors.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A working plasterer who already walks stilts and has measured a ceiling that 38–58 cm will not reach.
Less suitable: A first day on the highest setting, a 2.4 m ceiling, or anyone who wants a pair made by Marshalltown.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the Marshalltown Skywalker?
The manufacturer field says Installoo, model 51US. UK reviewers compare the pair with Marshalltown stilts they have owned. The listing does not say Marshalltown made it.
What failures do UK reviews name?
A foot spring came apart after three days, a safety opened on the first day, and both stilts snapped in another report. Other UK plasterers recommend the same listing.
Does the box include a manual?
The included-components field says Manual. It does not name a carry bag.
Skywalker size M, part 50US, covers the same 38–58 cm band as the consumer pair, at £418.19 and 7 kg, with up to 105 kg on the title and a manual listed. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.0 from 46 ratings. Three of 15 review texts are headed United Kingdom, including one that calls them just like the Marshalltown sky walkers and recommends them. Other notes say the leg straps could not be tightened enough, a lock would not lock, and the pair did not feel sturdy. The size L reports of a failed spring and snapped stilts belong to the other ASIN, not this one. The included-components field does not name a carry bag, and the bullets do not approve uneven floors. You pay about £261 more than the consumer pair for the same printed height and the same 105 kg line.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who wants this Skywalker M listing after reading the three UK texts, and who already walks stilts.
Less suitable: A first ceiling that the consumer pair's 38–58 cm already covers, or anyone importing size L's failure reports.
Specifications
Common questions
How does size M differ from the Skywalker L listing?
This file prints 38–58 cm, part 50US, £418.19, and 4.0 from 46 reviews. Size L prints 45–75 cm, part 51US, £443.99, and 4.2 from 77. Both titles say up to 105 kg and share one image URL.
Is a carry bag included?
The listing asks. The included-components field says Manual and does not name a bag.
Are uneven floors approved in the bullets?
The listing asks. The bullets describe a non-slip rubber sole and do not say the pair is for uneven ground.
Each score is out of 100 on the six amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison, snapshot 16 October 2026. It is not a laboratory test and it does not rank the wider UK aisle. Forty points come from the star line, with deductions for a thin sample, copied review text, or a large count that has only one United Kingdom heading in the stored texts. Twenty-five points come from what you can check on the listing: a printed kilogram limit, a manual, tool-free wing nuts and pair weight. Twenty points compare the price with that check, inside this folder only. Fifteen points start from limits that are actually in the review file. The highest score is the top pick. The best value is the highest score per pound among pairs whose review texts describe the size on the title. The four weights below are those blocks. They sum to 100.
Star line and sample
40%The base is the amazon.co.uk stars divided by 5, times 40. Fewer than 20 reviews lose 8 points, and 20–49 reviews lose 4. A count of 50 or more takes no sample deduction. Copied review text that still names the other size loses a further 10 on the 24–40 in file. A count of 50 or more with only one United Kingdom heading in the first 50 texts loses 6, because that count is not 350 UK job reports.
What the listing prints
25%Ten points if the title prints a kilogram limit, five if the included-components field names a manual, and five if a bullet says the height change needs no tools. Pair weight scores five at 6.0 kg or under, three above 6.0 kg up to 7.2 kg, and one above 7.2 kg.
Price against that check
20%Inside this folder only. A printed limit under £200 scores 16. A printed limit over £400 scores 8, because the kilogram line matches the mid-price pair. No printed limit, a price under £100, and reviews that describe this size score 12. The same price band with texts that overlap another size, while the file still names 18–30 in, scores 11. No printed limit and no review of the printed height scores 4.
Limits in the review file
15%Start at 15. Points come off for a broken plastic piece on arrival, uncomfortable straps, no review at the printed height, a delivery missing straps or lock parts, UK texts that name a spring failure or snapped stilts, a thin UK sample that must not inherit another size’s failures, and straps or a lock that would not hold.
Match the height to the ceiling, then read whether a load is actually printed. A hop-up or a tower comes before stilts when the floor is poor or you cannot yet walk unaided.
Drywall stilts, usually called plastering stilts in the UK, are a sprung aluminium pair you strap on so you can walk while boarding, skimming or cutting in a ceiling. Judge a pair by a height that matches the room, a load the maker actually prints, and straps and springs you can inspect. Six walking pairs remain in this set. The Stilts shelf on amazon.co.uk also lists straps and loft risers, which are not walking stilts. Height comes first.
Amazon's Stilts shelf also lists straps and loft risers. Those are not a walking pair. This comparison keeps the six pairs you strap on. Check the title for a height band before you add it to the basket.
The 24–40 in title is about 61–102 cm of lift. Extra height on a 2.4 m domestic ceiling is a higher fall, not spare safety. A rule of thumb from UK plasterers, not a standard, keeps the tall band for a ceiling the short pair will not reach.
The iElyiEsy spec field prints ac. The bullets describe springs, wing nuts and rubber soles, not a motor or a lead. The blue 24–40 in file repeats review text from the blue 18–30 in file, including a line that still says 18–30 in. That 4.3 from 16 is not a separate test of the taller size.
Match the band to the ceiling and to your own height before the brand. The lower bands in this set are 38–58 cm on both Installoo size M listings, and 18–30 in, about 46–76 cm, on the silver and the shorter blue iElyiEsy pairs. The tall band is Skywalker size L at 45–75 cm, and the blue iElyiEsy title at 24–40 in, about 61–102 cm. Five wing-nut positions are printed on the iElyiEsy bullets. The Installoo bullets say you adjust wing nuts and that no tools are required.
Read a load only if the title prints it. Installoo titles in this set say up to 105 kg. The three iElyiEsy files do not, and the pair weight, 6.9 kg to 7.8 kg, is the stilts, not the wearer. One blue 18–30 in review describes use at about 78 kg and 6 ft 3 in. That is one person's report, not a rating you can copy onto the other two iElyiEsy listings. The floor and your competence come before the springs. Stilts are work at height.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are boarding or skimming more than one ceiling and the floor is clear. The Installoo consumer pair is about £156.79, 38–58 cm, with up to 105 kg on the title and a manual listed. It is the top pick. The 4.4 from 350 is the listing count, and only one stored text is headed United Kingdom.
You can leave the kilogram line blank and you want the £99 pair whose UK reviews describe this size. The iElyiEsy silver pair is 18–30 in, 6.9 kg, 4.3 from 20. It is the best value. A helper is often needed to stand up, and no manual is named in the box.
You have measured a ceiling that 38–58 cm will not reach, and you already walk stilts. Skywalker size L is 45–75 cm at about £443.99, with up to 105 kg on the title. UK plasterers compare it with Marshalltown pairs they owned. The same comments include a failed spring, a safety that opened and snapped stilts.
The top pick is the Installoo consumer pair at about £156.79. It is 38–58 cm, prints up to 105 kg, lists a manual and weighs 5.8 kg, with 4.4 from 350 ratings on amazon.co.uk. Only one of 50 stored texts is headed United Kingdom, so that count is not 350 UK job reports. The best value is the iElyiEsy silver pair at about £99.00, 18–30 in, 4.3 from 20, where the reviews describe this size and no kilogram limit is printed. The cheaper blue 18–30 in pair does not take that badge, because the straps were a complaint and some texts overlap the taller file. Skywalker size L scores next, at a much higher price for the same 105 kg line, and its UK comments include failures as well as praise.
Installoo consumer, 38–58 cm
Highest score: 38–58 cm, up to 105 kg printed, a manual listed, and the lightest pair at 5.8 kg.
iElyiEsy silver, 18–30 in
Highest score per pound among pairs whose reviews describe the printed size, at about £99.00.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources on work at height, equipment inspection and stilt training, plus height talk from working plasterers. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in the six listings, snapshot 16 October 2026. Prices move.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Scores follow the 16 October 2026 method on these six listings. They are not a laboratory test.
