Aldi's about to crush the fancy kids' furniture market with a £35 learning tower (and I'm here for it)

By HOAR Team 15 April, 2025 5 mins read 78 Views

I nearly spat out my coffee when I saw this one. Aldi's doing that thing again where they make the expensive brands look ridiculous. You know what I'm talking about - those moments when you wonder why the hell you ever paid full price for anything.

My sister dropped £150 on one of those fancy learning towers last Christmas. ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDS. For what? A wooden stepstool with delusions of grandeur. And now Aldi's about to launch basically the same thing for £34.99.

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What's this magic furniture thing anyway?

If you don't have kids under 5, you're probably wondering what teh heck a "learning tower" even is. It's basically a convertible piece of furniture that transforms from a kitchen helper (so your toddler can "help" make dinner without falling off a chair) into a table and chair setup for arts and crafts. My niece uses hers daily, though half the time it's just collecting stickers and forgotten apple slices.

The original version from The Learning Tower Company costs a jaw-dropping £159.

Aldi's version? £34.99.

That's 78% cheaper for what looks like the exact same thing.

The Middle Aisle Strikes Again

Listen. We all know the middle aisle at Aldi is where impulse purchases go to multiply. I once went in for milk and came out with a wetsuit. I don't even swim in the ocean.

This learning tower hits stores next Monday (April 21st), and I'm already planning to be there at opening. Not because I have kids - I don't - but my brother's expecting in June and I'm determined to be the cool aunt who brings the practical gifts.

Will it actually be any good though?

That's always the question with these dupes, right? The original costs £159 for a reason... supposedly. But I've bought enough Aldi Specialbuys over the years to know they're usually surprisingly decent.

The photos show a white wooden structure with a chalkboard panel that can be configured different ways. It weighs about 10kg and claims to be "versatile and flexible" while "promoting development and confidence." Marketing speak, sure, but the same stuff the expensive brand says.

Back in 2022, I bought their wooden play kitchen (£49) when my friend's daughter's birthday was coming up. The identical Smyths version was £120. She still uses it daily and it's holding up perfectly. My friend's response: "Stop making me feel stupid for buying expensive toys."

You'll need to move FAST

These things sell out in approximately 7 minutes.

I'm only slightly exaggerating. Aldi Specialbuys are like concert tickets for a Taylor Swift tour - gone before you've finished your first coffee.

If you're desperate to grab one, I'd recommend calling your local store first. Nothing worse than dragging yourself there at 8am only to find some smug grandmother bought all three they had in stock.

The bargain baby bonanza continues...

Apparently this is just one of several kid-related items landing in the middle aisle next week. They're also dropping a baby stroller for £39.99 (compared to £85 at Boots) and adn even launched a video doorbell yesterday for £16.99 - which is insane considering Ring doorbells can cost upwards of £200.

Which? recently named Aldi the cheapest supermarket for 2024, so at least we know we're probably getting decent value.

God. My wallet is already feeling lighter just thinking about next week's "essential" shopping trip.

I spent £47 in that middle aisle last month on stuff I absolutely did not need. Zero regrets though.

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