There are some great tools at Harbor Freight… if you know where to look! To help Harbor Freight shoppers get the most for the money we assembled this HUMONGOUS list of those Chinese gems and stinkers from the tool store we all love to hate! To find these tools I looked in forums where metal workers, woodworkers, farmers, gardeners and mechanics discussed the quality of items that they’ve bought from Harbor Freight. I read well over 1000 individual forum posts to harvest out the good enough, the bad and the abysmal tools and materials from Harbor Freight.
Update: additions to the list from June, 2009.
Do you have a favorite tool from Harbor Freight? Is there a tool or product you think STINKS? Tell everyone in the comments!
Even though there are more than 150 tools in the “good enough” section below you have to remember – BUYER BEWARE! You always get what you pay for, especially at Harbor Freight.
Hey… Got Harbor Freight Buying Guide?
Sections of this article:
1) Developing Your Harbor Freight Shopper Philosophy
2) Top Ten Things NOT to Buy at Harbor Freight (Humor)
3) Derogatory yet Slightly Loving Harbor Freight Nicknames
4) My Harbor Freight Prediction: Prices Way Up Soon… End of the HF?
5) The List: Good Enough, the Bad, and the Abysmal
6) Harbor Freight Tips and Tidbits
7) Harbor Freight Resources Used in this Article
1) Developing Your Harbor Freight Shopper Philosophy
I did an article on woodworking with pallets. Salvaging pallet wood takes patience and diligence and yields small slats best suited for small projects. You have to have the “pallet mentality”. Shopping at Harbor Freight requires a certain mentality too. It definitely helps if you’re the type who enjoys fixing/tinkering with your tools. Also, familiarize yourself with The Harbor Freight Return Policy.
To best capture the spirit of shopping at Harbor Freight I thought I’d offer some quotes I found while scrounging around through over 1000 individual forum posts (not threads…). If you’ve never shopped at Harbor Freight these will prepare you with the proper philosophy. If you have, you’ll probably start nodding your head. As always, I’m quoting the collected opinions of others so your mileage may vary.
“‘if your life or income depends on it, don’t buy it ay harbor freight’.”
I read these sentiments over and over. That said, there are lots of pros who buy stuff at Harbor Freight, especially consumables like gloves and blades… and for cheap tools they can lend out at jobsites with no expectation of return.
“if I use the tool enough to wear it out or break it, I use it enough to buy a better brand as a replacement.”
Some people use HF purchases to help them decide whether it makes sense to invest more money in a higher quality tool. If they use it enough to break it, then go for it. If not, then they saved the cost of the more expensive name brand. This can be pricey, but… if you buy TOO MUCH tool then you’ve wasted money also.
“tools require the usual harbor freight break in”
You will find yourself having to repair/replace/rebuild Harbor Freight tools right out of the box. For regular HF customers this is standard operating procedure. HF has an excellent return policy though, with very few to no questions asked. Also they have a life time trade in policy on hand tools.
“Overall, I try and stick to things without moving parts”
For folks who concentrate on the consumables this was a common sentiment.
“If you need a CHEAP tool that you will only use once or twice then go to Harbor Freight.”
Why pay for more tool than you really need?
And for every guy who swears against buying anything from Harbor Freight with a battery there’s at least one of these: “I really like their 14 volt series of cordless tools. It seems like the best price/performance ratio. Anytime I buy one I buy at least one extra battery. They’re cheap enough that I keep one drill with a drill bit in a keyed chuck and another with a screwdriver bit in a keyless chuck. That really speeds up assembly.”
2) Top Ten Things NOT to Buy at Harbor Freight (Humor)
I can’t resist things lists like this. This one comes from DetroitTom in Tractorbynet forum…
10 Things I Wouldn’t Buy from Harbor Freight:
1) Parachutes
2) Fire Extinguishers
3) Pacemakers
4) Vaccines
5) Birth control devices
6) Elevators
7) Bullet proof vests
8) Trigger locks
9) Pitons (I didn’t know what this was either…)
10) Scuba Gear
3) Derogatory yet Slightly Loving Harbor Freight Nicknames
Unfortunately I can only remember/find one: “horror freight.” I know there was another one I saw out there… I think it was “hardly freight…” Update… here are some nicknames from the comments on this article and in recent forum threads:
Harbor Fright Bottom of the Harbor Freight Harbor Hate The Chinese Cheesecake Factory For their inexpensive, thrice-yearly-use Chinese air tools, we call them, “INGERSOLL-CHAN.” I thought that I would tell you what my wife calls HF; we speak Russian at home, and she calls it vonuchka, or “little stinker.” She hates that HF smell of uncured rubber. “Harbor Sheight” (…Shite) China Fright
4) My Harbor Freight Prediction: Prices Way Up Soon… End of the HF?
I know Grizzly’s prices are going up due to the price of iron and, I assume, shipping. Grizzly’s made overseas, as are most (all?) of the tools sold at Harbor Freight. Because of rising material and shipping costs, HF may have to raise it’s prices, or even shut its doors. They may have been a little to aggressive with building their business model around unsustainable advantages! I’d love to hear input or insight into my armchair economist opinions ;)
Containership Preparing Harbor Freight for Your Next Shopping Spree…
5) The List: Good Enough, the Bad, and the Abysmal
Here goes, the feature attraction. I went through and identified all the good, bad and abysmal tools as described by woodworkers, metal workers, mechanics, farmers, DIYers, gardeners and even pond tenders. Keep in mind that an abysmal band saw for a woodworker may just be a good band saw for a farmer. When possible I included the item number. When I couldn’t find it or there were multiple variations of a tool I just left the tool as described in the forum I found it.
Good (Enough) Tools From Harbor Freight
These are tools and other items that got at least one favorable mention. I broke the multiple mention tools out for you and put them on top – I’m assuming these will give you the most “miles per gallon.” Also, before you dig in, a quote regarding “consumables,” from someone who I believe works with metal: “All of their consumables such as cotter pins, grease fittings, roll pins, O-rings, Internal and External lock clips, 12″ sanding disks, 12″ cutting wheels, 3″, 4″, 4-1/2″ grinding wheels are OK too.”
The guys at WoodworersZone compiled a list from WoodNet called “Harbor Freight Gems.” I not only copied their list for this post (in addition to many other sources of course), but borrowed their format of #item number followed by the name of the tool. I put any relevant quotes in parenthesis.
HF Clamps (on most of my HF clamps I’ve got more than my money’s worth.): 26
#36649 16 Piece 1/2″ SAE Deep Wall Impact Socket Set: 10
#37052 Pack of 100 X-Large Nitrile Gloves: 8
#95578 4-1/2″ ANGLE GRINDER (i buy from harbor freight a angle grinder for $17.00 works great): 6
#47257 Harbor Freight 6″ Digital Caliper: 6
#93440 18 Volt 3/8″ Drill with Keyless Chuck: 5
#4095 Harbor Freight VARIABLE SPEED RECIPROCATING SAW: 4
#46092 ADJUSTABLE SHADE AUTO-DARKENING WELDING HELMET: 4
the welding magnets : 4 (mentioned several times, did not specify type…)
Every compressor I’ve purchased from HF has worked like a champ.: 4
#38142 Heavy Duty 16 Speed Bench Drill Press: 4
#38160 Oscillating Spindle Sander: 4
#32208 14″ 4 Speed Woodworking Bandsaw: 4
#41983 3-in-1, 1″ SDS Rotary Hammer: 3
#54878 90 Amp Flux Wire Welder: 3
#93762 4″x6″ horizontal/vertical metal-cutting Band Saw: 3 (Harbor Freight metal bandsaw review – great review, will help you get started if you decide on the band saw)
#46320 50 Ft. Auto Rewind Hose Reel with 3/8″ Hose: 3
#97572 1/2″ Crown Air Stapler: 3
#97869 2 HP INDUSTRIAL 5 MICRON DUST COLLECTOR (A true bargin): 3
#36697 FEATHER BOARD WITH ANGLE FINDER: 3
#41796 1LB. Dead Blow Hammer: 3
#00623 1″ Travel Machinist’s Dial Indicator: 3
#4312 1/2” TITANIUM IMPACT WRENCH: 3
#46309 18 Gauge 3/8″ to 2″ Air Brad Nailer: 3
-18 ga nailer. People really rip on this one. It was jamming on me for a while. I kept trying to oil up the hammer, but it would jam again. I finally removed the entire piston assembly (allen bolts through the exhaust vent cap) and oiled it up well and it’s worked great ever since. $15 nailer!!!
#91039 3000 Lb. Capacity Lightweight Aluminum Racing Jack: 3
#41150 36” Bolt Cutters (their huge cheap bolt cutter worked fine): 2
#45276 14″ x 40″ Lathe with 6″ Sander (I bought the HF wood lathe. It’s definately nothing like what “Norm” has, but I have no plans to replace it in the near future.): 2
#34542 PORTABLE TIRE CHANGER: 2
#3418 10/2/55 BATTERY CHARGER/ENGINE STARTER: 2
#621 SPRING LOADED CENTER PUNCH: 2
#44094 Benchtop Bar and Rod Bender: 2
#47840 PORTABLE VARIABLE SPEED BANDSAW: 2
#30289 6″ Industrial Rabbeting Jointer (I took a chance on a 6″ jointer (Not the base model) and so far it has worked like a champ.): 2
#47569 4-1/2” GRINDING AND CUTTING WHEEL ASSORTMENT FOR METAL AND MASONRY, 10 PACK: 2
#03629 7 Piece Forstner Bit Set (Good starter set): 2
#93656 1/2″ TO 1″, 23 GAUGE AIR PIN NAILER: 2
#93179 9″ HEAVY DUTY ANGLE GRINDER: 2
#05645 Multipositional Magnetic Base with Fine Adjustment: 2
#34214 DIAL GAUGE ANGLE FINDER: 2
#44566 Stacked Dado Set: 2 (A good first set)
#35837 29 Piece Brad Point Wood Drill Bit Set: 2
#36221 9″ Drill Press Locking Clamp: 2
#37861 10 Piece T-Handle Hex Key Set: 2
#90007 3 Piece SAE Ratcheting Wrench Set: 2
#90008 3 Piece Metric Ratcheting Wrench Set: 2
#42305 9 Piece Metric Wrench Set: 2
#00659 Magnetic Parts Holder: 2
#42288 Magnetic Pick-Up Tool: 2
#93762 HORIZONTAL/VERTICAL METAL CUTTING BANDSAW: 2
#37793 2-1/2 HP Plunge Router: 2
Other “Good” Tools (Note some of these are on the Bad list too…)
#93212 7″x10″ metal-cutting mini-lathe
#91129 Harbor Freight 500 AMP CARBON PILE LOAD TESTER (This battery tester got a decent recommendation in the Rigid Forum.)
#97418 Garden Wagon (nice wire mesh garden wagon at Harbor Freight for a really good price. I’ve been happy with it.)
#94076 12V ROTARY TOOL SET WITH 30 ACCESSORIES (for the accessories, found for $7)
#96957 6″ STAINLESS STEEL NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS
#97337 2″ x 20 Ft. Heavy Duty Tow and Recovery Strap (used my HF tow strap to tow a UPS truck out of a ditch by my house, no problems)
#1753 10″ Straight Jaw Locking Pliers
Harbor Freight 2.5 HP, 8 GALLON, 120 PSI AIR COMPRESSOR (“I bought one like that last year on sale for $99 and it was the best $99 I ever spent. It is used almost daily to air up tires and works great with my nailer and sprayer.”)
REAR AXLE BEARING PULLER SET (Threads on slide approximately 50+% depth of attaching axle/ bearing accessories and stripped after moderate usage. Recommend rethreading and using graded nut.)
#94081 Harbor Freight INDUSTRIAL POCKET BLOW GUN
#47779 Harbor Freight WALL-MOUNT HANG-ALL
#43468 Harbor Freight 12″ Direct Drive Bench Top Disc Sander
#95385 2.5 Horsepower 10″ Industrial Tile/Brick Saw
#95129 4 Lb. Sledge Hammer with Hickory Handle
#93253 MAGNESIUM COIL ROOFING NAILER
#43048 HEAVY DUTY UTILITY KNIFE
#95028 3″ Composite Air Cut-Off Tool
#91907 1-1/4 CUBIC FT. MINI CEMENT MIXER
#47872 16 Oz. Claw Hammer with Fiberglass Handle
#93458 3/16″ AIR HYDRAULIC RIVETER
#94355 2 HP, 8 GALLON, 125 PSI OILLESS AIR COMPRESSOR
#4095 VARIABLE SPEED RECIPROCATING SAW
#3994 21 Piece SAE 3/4″ Heavy Duty Socket Set
#93784 50 Amp 6V/12V Battery Load Tester
#41577 Two Piece Foldable Saw Horse Set
#90899 7 Function Digital Multitester
#93983 NON-CONTACT POCKET THERMOMETER
#2623 1/2″ EARTHQUAKE IMPACT WRENCH
#47257 6″ Digital Caliper (A true bargin)
#43430 High Volume Low Pressure Gravity Feed Spray Gun
#30224 HEAVY DUTY AIR PAINT SPRAY GUN
#00113 HIGH SPEED AIR BODY SAW (cut up a whole pickup with this little gem)
#35570 MORTISING MACHINE (Put XY vise on it and its just a piece of cake to use)
#32222 3-1/4” ELECTRIC PLANER (used it for several doors now, works fine)
#44914 1/4″ Trim Router (Base isn’t much but works fine. similar to Ryobi, lots cheaper)
#02957 3/4” INDUSTRIAL ROTARY HAMMER (These things are cool!! lots better than a hammer and chisle)
#44768 1.5 WATT SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER (use them to keep the batteries in the lawn mowers up, over the winter)
#04486 2″ Mini Lathe Chuck with MT-2 Shank
#03577 28 Piece Transfer Punch Set
#1210 45 PC. THREADED INSERT RIVETER KIT (last seen for $13.99)
#5889 29 Piece Titanium Nitride Drill Bit Set (I think their twist drills are a great deal when they’re on sale for $10 for a full set of fractional sizes)
#92956 – 3/8″ Close Quarter Drill
#04182 – 2″ Industrial Grade Chip Brushes
#42428 SPLIT LEATHER WORK GLOVES
#45690 230 Volt Spot Welder (you gotta be FAST on the trigger, or you’ll blow a hole)
#96997 Compact Air Needle Scaler
#94098 3/8″ to 2″ Ratcheting Pipe Threader Set
#92148 Harbor Freight 18 Gauge Sheet Metal Shears (“I found these metal shears to work good. I only needed them for one project.”)
#07535 1/4″ Air Hose Swivel Connector with Regulator
#37862 10 Piece Color Coded T-Handle Metric Hex Key Set
#1903 7 Piece, 3/8″ Shank, 1/4″ to 1″ Titanium Nitride Coated Forstner Bit Set
#41338 36 Piece 1/2″ Horsehair Bristle Acid Shop Brushes
#46086 Adjustable Roller Stand
#46752 Pack of 10 Medium Grade Aluminum Oxide Sanding Sponges
#91525 3/8″ x 25 Ft. PVC Air Hose
#94024 4 Piece Solid Brass Quick Coupler Set
#39721 1/4″ Socket Rail (all sizes of rails)
#96035 2.5 Horsepower Industrial Breaker Hammer Kit
#93085 Utility Blades, 10 Pack
#65330 20 Ton Air/Hydraulic Shop Press with Oil Filter Crusher
#93983 Non-Contact Pocket Thermometer
#92623 7″ Variable Speed Polisher/Sander
#97759 Wheel Hub/Stud Resurfacing Kit
#66098 1600 Watt Heavy Duty Dual Temperature Heat Gun
#43468 12″ Direct Drive Bench Top Disc Sander
I bought some ratcheting wrenches a few years ago that I’ll put up against anything out there.
US General tool boxes and chests
#90154 1195 Lb. Capacity 48″ x 96″ Heavy Duty Foldable Utility Trailer
#95189 5.5 HP, 2400 Watts Max/2200 Watts Rated Generator Set
#65324 2″ 235 GPM Dirty Water Pump
#42202 Abrasive Blast Cabinet (with mods and fixes)
#65685 600 Lb. Capacity Appliance Hand Truck
#33795 2 Ton Air One-End Frame Lift
#1694 8 Piece Heavy Duty Screwdriver Set
#95987 Blind Hole Bearing Puller
#95121 2 Piece Valve Lapper Tool
#42292 Automatic Battery Float Charger
#45338 1/2″ Variable Speed Reversible Hammer Drill
Bad Tools That Don’t Suck Bad Enough to Not Get Them
These are the tools that suck but still work well enough to justify the purchase (there will be some people who’d suggest that all the tools in the “Good” category would actually fit here). They are bad tools, but if you know what to expect then they’re ok. One guy called this category “tolerable.”
-long locking welding pliers
-chainsaw sharpener
-bar clamps and c-clamps
-HF log splitter
-Drill Bits are pretty bad.
-12 speed 10″ bench top drill press for $89
-8 Piece Silver and Deming Drill Bit Set
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=527
-The cheap (especially on sale) HF blades do not last as long as “BRAND” blades but are the best price/performance ratio by quite a margin. Changing blades is trivial and quick so if I use 5 HF blades instead of 2-3 DeWalt blades I am way ahead on $.
-the Harbor freight roller stands
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46086
8″ 3/4hp (yeah right) grinder
3 piece ‘large’ locking C-clamp set
8 ton comealong
-If you want a cheep 18 gauge nail gun for a weekend woodworker, buy HF and tweak it to work well …
-Pittsburgh wrenches: Wouldnt recommend. Just junk wrenches you dont mind abusing. Chrome on your arms if you wrench too hard. Good warranty though.
-Hand operated well pump
-HF biscuit joiner
-stationary power tools
Abysmal/Broken-In-The-Box/Don’t Bother
Steer clear of these… though it became clear to me that one man’s broken is another man’s good. To give you a sense of abysmal, read this: Harbor Freight 18-Gauge Brad Nailer/Stapler. It’s a review by Tom Hintz. I’ve read lots of his reviews – they have great pictures and he works hard to be fair and scientific. To my knowledge this is the only tool he destroyed with a 10 pound sledge hammer after completing his review.
-260fp impact wrench
-3″ red vice
-My small drill press broke the top gear spindle. I used liquid steel to fix it.
-Some of the small sanders don’t hold the sand paper.
-The sand paper does not have the grit glued on at all. (+1)
-3 ton hydraulic floor jack – leaks, sucks (…also on do-buy list)
-thumb ratchets
-battery charger
-Do NOT however buy the bi-metal hole saw bits
-Garden Tractor Cart/Trailer
-don’t recommend the cement hammer bits
-One was the flatbar (16″ prybar) that bent
anything with an integrated blade
anything with rechargeable batteries
any of their 2% duty cycle welders
any of their pot-metal vises
-I’ve had bought for me a lot of items in the hand tool category like end wrenches, ratchets and such. Those all fall in the total failure group.
-But I will only give my Worst HF purchase…. that 50$ CRAP chop saw! It’s like trying to cut a knife with butter. (…with a good blade this saw gets high marks)
-the mini die grinder (also showed up in the “Good” list above…)
-carving knives
-Chicago Electric close quarters drill #92956
-the plastic wire ties.
-NEVER buy the bunjee (tie-down) cords!!
-The 4″ jointer (65673-1VGA) is useless, mainly because of the poor quality fence.
-Nitrile Gloves: NOT “I’m not a chemist but sodium hydroxide,(paint remover) ate through HF Blue Nitrile gloves.”
-bench drill press (…often recommended)
-3/8″ Corded drill.
-I got a small benchtop blasting cabinet. I HATE IT!!
-black bar w/ orange grip bar clamps. (clamps are #1 recommended item at HF… beware though :)
6) Harbor Freight Tips and Tidbits
These little bits and pieces needed to get out there, but they didn’t have theme that suggested a solid category. So they’re here.
In-store no-hassle replacement policy:
“One tip is that Harbor Freight offers an in-store no-hassle replacement policy for a few bucks. I use it when I know I’m going to be using a product hard. For example, I bought a clear water pump (less than $40) and even with the proper pre-filter, the motor seized after three months. I walked in with the pump and the guarantee, showed the melted motor fan, picked up a replacement and walked out. It was that simple. The new one has worked fine.”
Company Reviews for Harbor Freight Tools from Employees Here’s a peek at what the managers have to deal with.
Harbor Freight at Wikipedia:
“Harbor Freight Tools is a retail tool and hardware company that started in 1968, primarily selling through its mail order catalog, which still exists today. The Camarillo, California-based company offers more than 7,000 varieties of tools on its web site, mail order catalog, and retail stores. Harbor Freight Tools has over 314 retail store locations nationwide.”
7) Harbor Freight Resources Used in this Article
Here are my sources.
Harbor Freight Tools that don’t suck (Best overall thread on finding good values at HF… this is from a Farmers’ forum.)
Sunday trials and tribulations at Harbor Freight.
Mark the time please, I am done with single use cheap tools
Harbor Freight
Anyone shop at Harbor Freight Tools?
Harbor Freight roller stand
HF Drill Press Table
Harbor Freight Tools…good or bad?
Harbor Freight Sewing Machine Any Good?
Harbor Freight: Good Prices, POOR Inventory Control, Ok Products (a really good epinions review)
The scoop on ‘Harbor Freight (HarborFreight.com)’ (a review of the harbor freight green house from Dave’s Garden)
Harbor Freight vs. Beverly for a throatless shear
Harbor Freight Angle Grinders
HF tools that don’t suck
HF tools that suck
Review: Harbor Freight Folding Shop Crane
Harbor Freight Digital Caliper Review
Harbor Freight 7×10 Mini Lathe
Band Saw Review – Harbor Freight/Central Machinery
Harbor Freight Portable Air Compressor Review
Harbor Freight 1/2″ Bandfile Belt Sander
Harbor Freight Log Splitter Review
Harbor Freight vs Costco Portable 12v Air Compressor – In Depth Review w/ Pictures
Harbor Freight 3×21″ belt sander (short review)
Harbor Freight Plate Joiner
More Harbor Freight Sucks…. (fish pond enthusiasts having problems with Harbor Freight)
06/05/09 Resource Update:
And Yet Another HF Gem
Another Harbor Freight Gem?
HF Oscillating Spindle Sander & Biscuit Joiner….GemS??
Your favorite Harbor Freight (HF) Bargain?
Email to a friend
By toolcrib | RSS | permalink | trackback
toolcrib Says:
August 7th, 2008 at 11:59 am
my Grandfather just sent me an email… “garrett that’s a great review. i just cancelled my order for birth control pills”
He’s 92 and an incredible project supervisor.
Todd Bordner Says:
August 13th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I can not agree with the consensus of this blog. I have seen $300 PC routers burn up in a dozen cabinet doors and a Harbor Freight 3hp plunge router finish the job and I still use it today. Harbor Freight sells industrial throw away tools…. or tools that are made to do a job and then be junked, not repaired, not partsed out or fixed. If you want tools to last for more than 100 hours in your lifetime, then Put your money where your tool is and buy a good named tool!!!
Central Purchasing (the main purchaser for Harbor freight, Grizzly, Northern industrial, ect, ect.)
selects tools that would be used in a factory condition where the tool pays for itself in one job. Not that the tool lasts for more than that job. If you want a cheep 18 gauge nail gun for a weekend woodworker, buy HF and tweak it to work well … (I have done this with my HF air nailers and they work fine for friends that want to borrow my tools…. that way the Senco and Bostich guns stay in the shop!!) I worked for an industrial production work shop…. Building woodworking items that make the home owner blush with envy, but even there I used HF tools because of theft in the shop …. (Dewalt 12v drills seem to grow legs) so I bought a pair of 19.4 v HF drills and I have used them for the last 3 years. (Not bad at $38.00 a piece).
It all boils down to the Realization that if you compare apples to oranges, there’s always gona’ be that guy that complains about both of them and buys a peach.
Scott Van Says:
August 14th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
I bought a benchtop drill press years ago from HF when I was young & not too bright. I couldn’t figure out why I was having trouble drilling to a specific depth until I noticed that the Chinese engineer who designed the depth gauge divided an inch with 8 equally spaced marks, thus creating an inch with ninths not eighths!
jerry gira Says:
August 16th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
On the $40 chop saw, I tend to disagree. If you use the crappy blades (the real problem), yes, it takes forever and a day to cut through a brick paver. I solved the problem by scoring a 14″ diamond blade on ebay. Paid $60 for a $350 blade. The difference is night and day. I’ve built 3 walkways, 5 retaining walls, and currently am doing a flagstone path with this “crappy” saw. It just won’t die! It’s been left out in the rain, hosed off to remove the tons of brick dust, and used for hours and hours for the past 3 years. Again, the secret is in the blade, not the unit that turns it.
R Richard Poitras Says:
August 18th, 2008 at 7:02 am
I’ve bought some bar clamps from HF and they work pretty good but the carving knives are junk not worth rating. Since I’ve bought from HF, now I’m being bombarded with catalogs, 39 of them since January. I sent them an email but they still keep coming. I guess if you sell junk you have to send alot of catalogs just to stay in the game. Seems like they spend more money on catalogs than they make selling junk.
toolcrib Says:
August 18th, 2008 at 7:59 am
@Todd: great quote here “if you compare apples to oranges, there’s always gona’ be that guy that complains about both of them and buys a peach.”
I’ll include your experience with the router in our next newsletter. I have to say that it’s a shock to hear a HF router outperformed a PC, especially the $300 model.
@Scott Van: great story! That’s hilarious and a perfect example of a quirky HF purchase ;)
@jerry gira: Thanks for this note – I will include it in the next newsletter as a reminder to folks. I can’t believe what a beating you gave that chop saw and it kept cutting.
@Poitras: good warning. I guess I need to write an article about top 10 ways to use HF catalogs in your workshop.
Thanks for your comments so far – this is great stuff and should help future HF shoppers make smarter purchases and have better expectations.
Brian Says:
August 18th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
And talk about lousy customer service. I’ve tried since February to get them to send me a missing part from a new item — no response.
But I decided to give them one more chance to do the right thing. This time with an unopened pathway solar light I purchased a while back, that has a bad switch. Nope — they’d rather save a few bucks instead of keeping a long term, blogging customer.
I wonder if the Chinese, who are good long-term business people, is familiar with HF’s performance, or lack thereof.
Jairo Says:
August 25th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
I shop at HF only for sales. I mostly buy consumeables such as their .99 cent leather gloves, nitrile gloves, box cutting blades etc.
However I have also purchased these items:
20-ton hydraulic press:Have used it to replace the rear axle shaft bearings on my 65 CJ5, and press in new studs into the front and rear hubs of the samve vehicle. Also replaced the front bearings on my wife’s 02 Corolla. Not to mention all the use that it sees from my friends, neighbors and relatives. True gem.
Impact Sockets: Always using these to remove wheels for rotation or brake work on our three vehicles. Have yet to break a socket.
Noncontact thermometer: As accurate as the $80 craftsman counterpart.
Welding Magnets: Have three of these. Great holding power. Great price.
Pittsburgh wrenches: Wouldnt recommend. Just junk wrenches you dont mind abusing. Chrome on your arms if you wrench too hard. Good warranty though. On second set of pittsburgh wrenches. For the home/weekend wrencher I recommend Craftsman/Husky. They both come out of the same factory.
Sta-lube fluid pump: A must for those differentials, transfercases, or gearboxes where you cant tip a gear oil bottle.
9 LED Flashlight: Not bad for a 5 dollar throw-in-your truck light. One wrap electrical tape around the battery pod seated it better to stop the flickering. Works great now. Very bright.
Hand operated well pump: Old pot metal junk. Does work. Just dont overtighten. Looks good in the garden. Broke the first one. Returned no questions asked.
That about summarizes my HF experience. They have a good return policy. Enjoyed the blog. I bookmarked it.
toolcrib Says:
August 27th, 2008 at 7:10 am
@Brian – I hear their customer service is good in the store. Your comment is the first I remember of them being bad through email.
@Jairo – thanks for adding your gems to the list! That will be a big help to future readers… I’ll make a mention of your finds in our newsletter.
G
cc Says:
August 28th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
…. are you kidding I can get tools that I can’t even begin to justify. I bought 5 $10 angle grinders and have a different blade or brush on each one for less than the price of a name brand grinder. What a luxury .
TONY BRUNS Says:
August 29th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
The power tools labeled Chicago Electric that Harbor freight sells, is China import. The company in Chicago area called Chicago Electric has nothing to do with these tools. It is not in the tool business.
They get many calls (1 from me) complaing about the tools and looking for parts and replacements.
yoyo Says:
August 29th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
blades and bits are the big harbor freight secret…I can’t tell you how many harbor freight drills, staplers, and that kind of stuff I have broken or burned up over the years. I thought they were all “one use tools” but then my buddy asked me if I was using there bits, blades, etc…of course I was! Why wouldn’t I? I paid 9.99 for the drill, why pay for bits? He was right. I have put almost every tool to the test, 18v cordless drill with high end bits…use the hell out of the thing. 10inch compound miter saw with a 70$ carbon blade from lowes, use the hell out of the thing…do the math though, the money I’ve invested in the tool and better bits/blades, I’m still way ahead of the game for say a dewalt…
Apple design Kitchens & Granite Says:
August 30th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Had two framing nailer out for repair so purchased hf nailer to our surprise still work well
18 volt cordless drill out lasred dewalts
have purchased pure junk but was returnable
Nicole Says:
September 20th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
I’ll agree that there are things I don’t buy there. But with consumables and with some handtools and things like clamps, squares, and various cutters, how could you go wrong? LOVE this place. Seriously.
ray burge Says:
October 8th, 2008 at 8:38 am
My wife used to work at the dreaded HF. and I saw her end of the customer service nightmare. and her biggest complaint was that people would buy a very low end power tool and expect it to last like a high end one. wich is fine if you buy the replacement plan….. but if you dont buy the plan on the 33rd day the tool will die. thats just HF Karma. Then when HF wont replace it people get attitudes…
oh and by the way it was a sad day in my shop when my wife stopped working there she had a 20% discount on all items….
Think Racing Says:
November 11th, 2008 at 10:49 am
The aluminum racing jack is great. The jack stands, both steel and aluminum are great. They have great deals on tarps, as well as things like grinding wheels, anvils and hammers.
I have only had to return a large air compressor (went with a Craftsman) and exchanged a metal cutoff saw.
They also have great engine hoists, stands and other large items.
Hands down, Harbor Freight is the best when you figure out the items to get and not to get.
Great article.
Jeff Says:
November 19th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I bought an 18in belt sander 5yrs ago, it works great, I only use it once a week or so as a hobby wood worker. I bought a 3/8 close quarter drill that could not drill 4 hole through 3/4 plywood before it started grinding and not drilling using a paddle bit. I have also bought a digital protractor that works pretty good for a crown molding project. Their sawzall blades suck, I will stick with Lenox. Their 1/16 and 3/32 8016 welding rod works well on 3/16 plate.
Grant Says:
December 1st, 2008 at 10:26 pm
How about:
–Harbor Fright
–Bottom of the Harbor Freight
–Harbor Hate
–The Chinese Cheesecake Factory
UncleBuck Says:
December 4th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
For their inexpensive, thrice-yearly-use Chinese air tools, we call them, “INGERSOLL-CHAN.”
Ron Says:
December 13th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
bought a plasma cutter,returned every one 7 times and they gave me a new one every time,finally the last one they upgraded it and said there was a problem with the original model,haven’t had a problem since,for what I do restoring old cars and a hobby wood shop I don’t have a problem,heck took a tire inflator/gage with no reciept and they gave me a new one,I call em throw away tools
chad Says:
December 31st, 2008 at 5:24 pm
i am a manager at harbor freight. i think what needs to be remembered is that you can get great tools if you know what to look for. but all to often we get people who want to buy a air tool and dont even own a air compressor. we as a company will do everything possible to satisfy a customer, but some people have un real expectations of what they should get. should a customer get a new water pump after they burned theirs out dry runnning it for a yr, and not getting a replacement plan. no
david Says:
January 9th, 2009 at 5:11 am
I thought that I would tell you what my wife calls HF; we speak Russian at home, and she calls it vonuchka, or “little stinker.” She hates that HF smell of uncured rubber.
toolcrib Says:
January 9th, 2009 at 9:46 am
we’re getting quite a nice list of harbor freight nicknames… I’ve been mentioning them in our newsletter as they come in:
http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2008/12/23/the-toolcribcom-email-newsletter-archive/
Chad I’d like to invite you to do a follow up response to this article if you want!
G
Toolingguy Says:
January 13th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I have bought and used harbor freight tools for years and have really used the heck out of them. I have NEVER had ANY problems. The price is fantastic and the quality is great.
The next time I need a tool I’ll look at harbor freight first.
Tom Says:
January 18th, 2009 at 10:43 am
An employee at HF told me that their stuff is made with pride in Chicago or Pittsburgh. It may be made of imported materials though. I doubt that is true.
Terry Carsten Says:
January 19th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
I recently put a fancy paint job on a golfcart and bought a Chicago Electric 7″ variable speed polisher to buff the clear coat finish. I paid more for the clear coat hardner than I did the polisher. While polishing, I accidently pressed the spindle lock button while it was running. It sheared all the teeth off the drive gear. IT WAS MY FAULT! I sent a check for $4 for a new gear following warrantee instructions. They sent me a new gear from China in 2 weeks… it had the rest of the tool wrapped around the gear. I destroyed the tool due to carelessness and they sent me a new one for $4. I love this place.
Russ Wooten Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 11:09 am
Purchased a Chicago Electric close quarters drill #92956. Used exactly FOUR times. On fourth usage all the gears stripped out of the angle head. Contacted Harbor freight. Was told I have an excellent door stop now. WAS a very happy Harbor Freight customer. Now will shop elsewhere.
Russ Wooten Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 11:17 am
Purchased a Chicago Electric close quarters drill. Used exactly FOUR times (about 10-15 holes, two in metal, a few in wood and the last four in cracks in concrete). On the last usage all the gears stripped out of the angle head. Contacted Harbor Freight, was told I now have an excellent door stop (glad they think so, not really heavy enough).
Was a very satisfied Harbor Freight customer. Now will definitely buy my apples, er oranges, uh peaches elsewhere.
Tom Says:
January 24th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I was looking for a medium sized compressor. I read reviews on sears.com about their products and many people have failures even after occasional use. For the sears price it should be lifetime replacement. HF is less than half for a stronger unit.
One product had about 100 reviews with 1/2 of them unsatisfactory. Sears practically tells them to take a hike after 90 days, maybe even sooner. I was also looking at their torque wrenches, and there are so many unhappy customers. The wrenches practically become unusable due to the something with the dial mechanism. Sears wont touch them after a year, and 90 day return policy. I read (from a few places) that HF torque wrenches dial in better than Snap ons.
I also own many HF socket sets, and I am not easy on them at all. I bought a HF extend able 1/2 ratchet and bounced on it with all my weight at the end. It works fine. If it breaks..lifetime no questions asked refund on hand tools. I also have their breaker bar which I lent to a pro mechanic neighbor after his snap on one broke and he waited a few days for a replacement. He was amazed at it and bought two of them. He said the two cost MUCH less than the snap on tool. And the quality is similar or better.
The HF compressor i want is less than 1/2 price of sears with discount and sale, around $110, claims 5.7CFM @ 90PSI, 10 gal tank. There is a one year warranty that my credit card can double. They also offer a cheap replacement plan. How can I go wrong with something like this for occasional use?
Tom Says:
January 26th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Two other tools saved me bundle. Had chronic brake shudder, bought
a dial indicator
http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=93051&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=
and
wheel stud kit (i showed it to a shop when I asked for an estimate and he said tool trucks sell a similar set for over $100, he said he is going to buy one at the nearby HF store)
http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItemList.do?search.keyword=wheel stud kit&submit=find it
A wheel stud cleaner kit, which is round abrasives on a shank that fits over your studs. The hub looked like new metal after this with a few swirl scratches. You could feel hard rust with your fingernail before.
Around under $40 for both with my 20% coupon.
I was able to clean off all the rust on my hub, and index the rotor for almost zero runout. Before cleaning it moved .009. Then I coated contact surfaces with a thin layer of antisieze. Even if I were to throw this out (the dial indicator with clamp looks like it could easily be $200 with the wood case) I am ahead of the game. I can’t see doing a brake job now without these tools, unless you like ruining good rotors. I feel slight shudder on my other car, so its gonna get used again.
Shops quoted me a few hundred for hub replacement or hours of labor to fix this.
Larry Green Says:
January 26th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I do love a bargain and I know when I buy at HF I am buying things made in China. That said, two things I will never buy (again) at HF are the plastic wire ties. When you cinch them up the locking piece snaps off. I went through 20 of them to get one to work. And worst of all NEVER buy the bunjee (tie-down) cords!! I bought a bag of them and to tie down an appliance in the back of my pickup. without even pulling the cord close to its limit, the cheap metal clamp on one end snapped and the cord popped back and hit me in the face. Had I not been wearing glasses, it would have put my eye out. The Bunjee’s are junk and a vary DANGEROUS ITEM!! Otherwise most other stuff is tollerable.
Ronald Bishop Says:
January 28th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
I have bought quite a few tools from HF with no regrets.
The first time I recieved a wood Router by freight from California it had a broken plastic knob so I called them.I told them that I also owned another , larger router from them and I needed a set of brushes for it. A short time later I had my parts, at no cost to me.
I used and abused the 3hp router another year and the bearing froze up,{it was table mounted}so I replaced it with a Porter Cable.The PC was doing the same job and lasted less than a year.{Cost me half of what I paid for the HF router to have the PC rebuilt.}
The 3hp HF router was still in my junk pile so before I was going to throw it away I took it apart and found that the top bearing was bad. Just eyeballing the bearing it looked about the same size as Volvo pilot bearing on the transmission input shaft. It fit like it was made for it so I went to a bearing house and bought two bearings for it[SKS}Cost-app. $15.00. Right now today it is still mounted in my table, the PC is still in it's case. It must be at least 10 years old.
About 5 years ago I bought a 10 inch table saw,cast iron top,cast iron trunions, motor to match.Problem, I couldn't line up or square the saw to the table. I ended up dismantling it, cleaned up the castings with a grinder,maybe a 2 hour job and all is fine, beats having to haul it back for exchange.I also found a small amount of end play in the arbor, so again I replaced the bearings in the pillow blocks,less than $25.00.
Then there was the heat gun[s].They must have replaced it 4 or 5 times at no cost to me.
There are certain items I won’t buy from them and I know when I do buy from them there may be some short comings,but just for a little effort I have a saw that is worth 3 or 4 times what I paid for it, the router still humms along. I have 2 miter saws from them also, no compaints.When the bearing get a little sloppy I will replace the bearings and brushes and move on.
Bill Says:
January 28th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Never heard of ToolCrib.com. Obviously, an envious competitor. I’m managing with my Harbor Freight Inventory. Lots of things that I could not otherwise afford at all.
Thanks, Harbor Freight
Tom Says:
January 28th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Seems in some cases were are employees of HF doing their final QA.
Edward Shihadeh Says:
January 31st, 2009 at 10:30 am
#43468 Harbor Freight 12″ Direct Drive Bench Top Disc Sander
Bought it about 10 years ago for my business. Works great; still does.
Switch died a while ago, so I now use a foot switch instead.
Highly recommend this tool. But wait for the $99 sale
Edward Shihadeh Says:
January 31st, 2009 at 10:31 am
Every compressor I’ve purchased from HF has worked like a champ.
Edward Shihadeh Says:
January 31st, 2009 at 10:35 am
The 4″ jointer (65673-1VGA) is useless, mainly because of the poor quality fence.
Had an almost-true piece of wood that I tried to get perfectly square. I ended up with some weird looking polygon instead.
I returned the tool.
Vince Says:
February 1st, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Nitrile Gloves: NOT
I’m not a chemist but sodium hydroxide,(paint remover) ate through HF Blue Nitrile gloves. The box I paid twice as much for at Big Box didn’t have the problem. Alas “you get what you pay for” rings true for this product. Also FYI don’t try to use the claw to pull a nail on that yellow handled framing hammer. The fiberglass handle pulled apart. Never seen anything like it. It was under $5.00 but it’s in a landfill now.
Paul S Says:
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:09 pm
I purchased a chainsaw sharpner on Nov 15th,2008 and returned the first as it was used in a new box. I got a replacement and opened it there. When I got home and tried to assemble the sharpner it was missing a part. I called and they said they would send me a replacement part. December 1st came and i called and they said part was backorder to dec12th. Called again on December 22nd and they told me part was still backordered till Jan 20th,2009. As of today I still have not used this item and have not reeieved repalcement part! I even tried to rebutt payment via credit card in Decemebr and they told me 30 days had passed and nothing could be done! I will never buy another thing from Harbor Freight and have a $40 chainsaw sharpner that was never used missing a part!! What kind of customer service is that????
yes Says:
February 7th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
I think Harbor Freight supplies Home Depot with their rejects.
Daniel Says:
February 8th, 2009 at 1:34 am
I love Harbor Freight stuff. Of course, certain things I won’t buy, but so much I will, and do! I bought some ratcheting wrenches a few years ago that I’ll put up against anything out there. I’ve wailed on them with deal blows, put a jack under them for those seized-on bolts, whatever, and never had them jump a tooth. My HF jack has lasted 3 years, meanwhile my Craftsman jack lasted a moth, maybe, then returned for an exchange which then lasts 2 months, pure junk. The HF one is super light and kicks butt. I let my stepdad borrow my HF 3/8″ drill for a job and he loved it. Told me if I’m ever there and they’re on sale to buy two of them. Shopping at HF can save a person a ton of money on quality tools, if you know what to get and what to avoid.
Daniel Says:
February 8th, 2009 at 2:53 am
Oh I forgot to mention, the US General tool boxes and chests I’ve seen are as good as ANYTHING I’ve seen or used for a whole lot less money. If I had to room, I wouldn’t hesitate to get the whole shebang. Good gauge steel, buttery smooth drawer rollers, and great wrinkle finish. Just thinking about it tempts me to go to the garage and MAKE room to fit one.
T.D. Says:
February 13th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
I Work for Harbor Freight in a specific department and just to be competely honest there are somethings that i would not buy, but quality of some of the items they sell are pretty good. I can’t speak for all of the products because there are reocurring issues with a few of the items like the product manuals not being clear enough BUT the Tech Department can usually help you out with most of the problems i’ve seen in this site. Most of the pneumatic tools like the nail/staple guns have to be oiled twice as much as say one from Bosh, the compressors usually have eather a valve plate? reed valve or a compacitor go bad and cause most of the problems with them. For the most part I’ll agree with the people on the site here there are some good things and some bad things. Like every other company you get some items that are worth it and some that are not. And for everyone that thinks that grizzly might be better, there not. There shipping costs are usually more and if you look at the product manuals from both Harbor Freight and Grizzly the part numbers in the manual are exactly the same. The items all come from over seas.
BrianC Says:
February 13th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Very entertaining thread! I have been a HF customer for years. A few (less than $5) items and one drill chuck have been disappointing. The good news is that the $159 compressor, the $199 4×8 folding trailer (which has saved “hauling” damage to my $30K Honda Pilot – well worth it), and the $399 generator have been great. Several of their sump pumps (5) saved my home from being flooded during Ivan & Katrina years ago. Just used the generator yesterday during a 15 hour power outage.
Robert Johnson Says:
February 17th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
I own a lot of HF tools. Have been pretty satisfied with most. I have a HF impact wrench that is probably 20 years old, still works good. I have a HF 5.5 HP water pump that is hooked to a 30 gallon gas tank. I have run it 24/7 for 3 summers irrigating my 20 acres from a lake. Change the oil once a week and never add any. Hard to beat for 130 bucks.
toolcrib Says:
February 19th, 2009 at 8:35 am
this thread at WoodNet discusses the HF Toggle Clamp and calls it a gem… so long as you modify it slightly of course ;)
http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=4164319&page=1&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1
I will be going back through these comments soon and moving the good/bad/ugly recommendations into the main article. Thanks for all who have added their 2 cents (it goes pretty far at HF ;).
G
chad Says:
February 21st, 2009 at 6:06 pm
it seems that many people have had bad customer service. but in retail that is true everywhere. take cookware for example, you can buy a teflon set at walmart and the nonstick surface comes off in three uses. or you can go to bed bath and beyond a buy a set that will last forever. if a customer has a bad experience at a fast food resturant do you stop eating at taco bell? no you deal with the manager, get a im sorry and grow up. the tools for the most part are very good. vtwin a motorcycle mag dig a article on a sandblast cabinet we sell that is 199.99 on sale. thats 300 dollars cheaper then a competitors, and they found that even with a low tech gun the cabinet rocked. people need to remember that one bad visit is not the end of the world. maybe the employee was dealing with a rude customer (russ). id deal with a bad employee for $300 savings.
toolcrib Says:
February 26th, 2009 at 7:46 am
Two more discussions of Harbor Freight Gems from WoodNet – I will add them to the list soon.
Another Harbor Freight Gem?
http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=4164031&page=4&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=
HF Oscillating Spindle Sander & Biscuit Joiner….GemS??
http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=4171021&page=6&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=
viktor Says:
March 7th, 2009 at 2:13 am
hi guyz…
i just worked in a machineshop… and i saw there a brand new lathe… the lathe has TUV reihland crtificate (the german qualification” and after a little exam, i just find out this machine was “brand new” in the former east block in 1986 !!!! oops… so guyz bfore start to write in this blog, just look around, what country and what they produce… everyone knows the mercedes a good car…. but it doesn’t mean the ford or chevy would be just second…
same way what the harborfreight sell, sometime you can see in the sears…. for a lot more…
basically a handtoll never can perform like a stationary… also what’s important the price… if you were on a job and you need a drill you might pay easyer 30-50 bux like 300 for a dewalt…
and also i have mini mill and lathe… they’re not worse like wellnamed brand… what i payfor, i get… harborfreight, just like wal-mart.. for ANYONE… you can buy close for 15 and you can buy similar for 150!!! in a brand store… just one common thing, both has mark in their neck… made in china… geee
JonSE of Arizona Says:
March 12th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
I buy selectively from Harbor Freight. I have a parts cleaning tank which is good enough for the purpose and it was cheap. The same for a sand blasting cabinet, although the light had to be rebuilt right out of the box, and the gloves and nozzles are el cheapos. Replacing those things, however, gives me a cabinet which will last me for the rest of my life with my limited use, and at a very affordable price. I also have a heavy-duty bench-top drill press from HF. It was much cheaper from them than buying the obviously same equipment I have compared it to in the big retail outlets. Their much higher-priced models wee identical in every detail other than the stick-on brand labels. I also have a small compressor from HF which I keep in the garage for airing tires. It has served that purpose very well and was inexpensive. It has cast iron cylinders and compresses air. For my shop I have a 60 gallon Campbell Hausfeld. I would have bought similar from HF, but found a better deal on the CH factory rebuild. The 2-ton lift and appliance truck from HF have done the job for me. I also have a 3/4 hp buffer which seems to be fine. A small belt sander however was crap, but then so are most of the smaller ones sold elsewhere. To date, whenever I have had any problem with breakage or malfunction with newly delivered equipment, HF has responded very quickly with replacement parts. I have found consumables such as sand cloth, blades, punches, and the like to be of poor quality, so I buy such stuff elsewhere. HF is what it is, but can provide carefully selected items at a very reasonable cost.
Aaron Says:
March 12th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
I recently purchased a one ton engine lift,took me two weeks to receive it thru FED EX it was dropped off while i was not home and the bottom of the box was tore open,parts were missing, the hyd cylinder,handle and the side braces it looked like it was already assembled at one point and it was scratched all to hellsent twoo emails with no response then finally after one week called then and all the people sounded indian and could barely understand them finally got one that said they received the emails and i would have to wait two weeks for the shipping labels to return this junk,all i wanted was the missing parts i could paint it no big deal, and he said “how do we know the parts were missing?” box it up and send it back.they wanted me to wait two weeks to recieve the shipping labels two weeks for them to get it back from the time i shipped it and two more weeks for me to get the new one thats not right at all.When i order something i usually need it now not in two months then the guy acted like he didnt believe me that really done it Iwill never do bussiness with HF ever again they burned me good so i wont be going back my over all experience with them SUCKED
Jumba Says:
March 15th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
The NiMh batteries are abysmal from my experience. Some I bought were dead out of the package and wouldn’t recharge. Others last only a short while even in a transistor radio where alkalines last quite a long time. They are no bargain.
Aaron Says:
March 16th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
This is a continuance from my above horror story. i shipped out the boxes(2) and they recieved them wed. the 11th they told me i would have my money back in 48-72 hrs no biggie right? WRONG.Here it is monday the 16th 5 days have gone by so, i call them up and ask about my money.Fedx gave me the tracking #s and done a signature drop off.The man i talked to said well when we recieve the boxes we will issue a refund.i told him that i already tracked the packages and they were signed for on delivery.he argued the fact that they havent recieved both of them yet so i argued back and he finally checked and said they made a mistake sorry for the inconvenience.WTF? Thats some good people there
toolcrib Says:
March 17th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
BT3central has a great discussion going on good HF buys.
Your favorite Harbor Freight (HF) Bargain?
http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=22267
I’ll have to be careful when adding their suggestions as they also mention this particular article ;)
Bill Penberthy Says:
March 19th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I have bought hundreds of dollars of HF goods. The only item I didn’t like was a bench drill press. I took it back, upgraded to a floor model that was on sale and received a full credit with no questions. I have never had a problem with a tool. My use is around the house and yard. Some items get heavy use and others get light use. What I like is that I can afford tools from them taht I could not afford if I had to stick with name brands. By the way, I never buy anything that is not on sale.
HarryK Says:
March 29th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
I’ve purchased lotsa stuff from HF and it ranges from very marginal to adequate. I also go to yard sales/swapmeets and buy used good stuff. With care, I get better stuff cheaper. But…I needed a tile saw now, and I needed a miter saw now, and HF was there. Their screwdriver set (on sale 7.99) is pretty good, and if any are lost, no biggie. Their miter saw is OK if you set the angle with a framing square. (the angle scale is off by around 3/4 degree) The $40 4-inch tile saw gets the job done, but I don’t wanna make a living with one. Use it once a year or so. Benchtop disk/belt sander (cheaper/smaller one) sands things flat. BTW-if you are a cheap tool afficianado, use Black and Decker. It’s as good as HF and they’re always trying new products for the nonpro. Some are downright creative. (e.g.-the Navigator)
Jim Says:
March 31st, 2009 at 6:47 pm
I bought the “Blind Hole Bearing Puller” for the bearings on my motorcycles. Im always sceptical about what I buy there as you made clear. The puller has worked over and over again. Outstanding for the sale price of $29.99.
I finished my basement using their automated screw gun. Yes it was the cheapest drill made, but it did the job. my only issue was the phillips bits. They stripped easily and HF doesnt sell the replacments. I was able to rig some 6″ bits from home depot.
Yes you need to be careful what you buy there but most of the bad is very obvious.
Ive never had a problem with returning anything.
FYI, Im a 15 year machinist and Ive spent the last 4 running an automotive shop.
Leroy Hoov Says:
April 1st, 2009 at 12:34 pm
I agree 100%
My favorite nickname is ‘Harbor Sheight’ which is to say ’shite’ – the british word for shoe gravy.
FuzzAz Says:
April 15th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
HF has been hit or miss for me as I imagine it has been for everyone. I am a lesser experienced mechanic. All of my daily use tools are snap-on or matco such as 1/2″ impact, sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers etc. But I dont make as much money as the more experienced guys and I cant afford to buy every tool I need from Snap-on. The tools I buy from HF are those I see myself suing only once every blue moon. Though I know HF tools wont last me nearly as long, I can justify them because I know they will pay for themselves quickly (often on one job), and maybe pave the way to buy some better tools down the road. I have learned with HF tools that pretty much anything that can go wrong will, so I avoid anything with internal moving parts or where precision in materials is critical, or if it just looks cheep.
Scott Smith Says:
April 22nd, 2009 at 9:48 am
I’ve purchased loads of tools from HF over the years. Know what you are buying. The customer service has been wonderful at my local store. Buying mail order is risky, you can’t see the product before you buy, and who knows what kind of service you’ll get on the phone. I’ve found parts easy and cheap to order. I’ve also ordered parts for tools I don’t own, sound silly? How about high torque DC gearmotors (complete with clutch)for my robotics projects for $15? Just look up the cordless dril parts list online and order a replacement motor and gearbox. I have my own machine shop and now have 3 times as many tools as I could afford by buying brand names. And I love the HF power knee on my mill :-)
Jon Says:
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
LOVE the article! I’ve spent the last few days making a list of tools I want to buy to set up a new shop. My list has 3 columns: Ideal, Passable, and Bootstrap. Your list saved me a lot by helping me move some items up from “bootstrap” to “passable”. :)
Personally I love my Harbor Freight hand tools. Wrenches, sockets, ratchets, torque wrenches, screwdrivers, pry bars, hammers, etc. I love that I can get 3 or 4 sets of sockets & bits for the price of one set at Sears, Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc.
A few more specific ones I’ve loved:
Valve lapper tools. Just wooden sticks with rubber suction cups on the ends. (Just like the big brand ones.) I think I paid $1.50? They work GREAT.
Valve spring compressor. The jaws are offset just right for the springs in my motorcycles, and they hold well once you get used to how to use them. (I haven’t used any other varieties, so I can’t compare. Maybe all are awkward to learn?) I think they were 1/4 the cost of the Sears set.
3/4 HP grinder. Love this thing. I want to upgrade because I usually use it for buffing and I need longer spindles so I can have better angles for my workpieces. I bought it 6 years ago and it has seen heavy use and it’s still running strong. And the color scheme looks like Dewalt!
18 ga nailer. People really rip on this one. It was jamming on me for a while. I kept trying to oil up the hammer, but it would jam again. I finally removed the entire piston assembly (allen bolts through the exhaust vent cap) and oiled it up well and it’s worked great ever since. $15 nailer!!!
ABSOLUTELY LOVE the 12v float charger! It goes on sale very month or two for $4? $5? (Normally $8 or $10.) It works just as well as the $50 Battery Tender or $30 Battery Tender Jr. I wish they had 6v float chargers for some of my other batteries!
I like my compression tester, but I wish I had known when I bought it (the $6 one) that they have a set with more adapters (I had to make one for my Honda motorcycles out of an old spark plug) and with integrated leakdown tester for like $15? $20?
Love the shop rags, microfiber towels, gloves, and similar consumables.
Hated:
3/8″ Corded drill. Don’t know the model number. My dad bought it when he absolutely needed a drill and his was out on loan. He gave it to me afterward. It’s a corded drill yet it can’t turn standard wood screws into 2×4s without a LARGE pilot hole. I’ve seen 12v cordless drills that were WAY more powerful.
MANY sanding items I’ve purchased at Harbor Freight have been nearly useless. I bought a 3″ sanding pad with the strangest thread pattern I’d ever seen for a power tool. Turns out it fits their 8″ grinder shaft. Why would I want to mount a tiny 3″ flat sanding disc (with velcro back) on a 30,000 rpm 8″ grinder?!?! I actually found the pad helpful in certain situations where it made sense to hand-hold it, like a sanding block. I liked it enough that way (and it was way cheap) that I went back for more sanding discs. “Sorry, we don’t sell 3″ sanding discs.” WHAT?! Same goes for the 1″ surface reconditioning kit. It’s almos impossible to find 1″ surface reconditioning discs. However, the arbor takes the 2″, 3″, and 4″ discs (the thick fiber ones, just like 3M Roloc pads), and the smaller arbor backing makes the pad more flexible than using a “proper” size arbor. Very useful.
Most of the sandpaper at HF sucks. The grit is accurate by count (I assume) but the grains are not sharp. High quality (Norton et al) sand paper has very sharp grit with few surfaces. HF sand paper seems to have round grit.
I got a small benchtop blasting cabinet. I HATE IT!! it didn’t have any internal lighting, but I rigged up a Home Depot clearance special fluorescent unit that worked well. But the slope on the bottom isn’t steep enough so the grit (regardless of grade, type, or humidity) always piles up around the edges. I actually mounted a HF air hammer to the chassis to vibrate it enough to actually feed the media. But that doesn’t solve the fact that the doors don’t seal!! A small benchtop blast cabinet really doesn’t need two doors. I permanently sealed one, and added 1″ THICK WEATHERSTRIPPING to the seal area on the other door. IT STILL DOESN’T SEAL! The whole point of a blast cabinet is to keep the media in one place so it doesn’t make a mess and it automatically recycles, yet this cabinet does neither! It blasts well, it just doesn’t handle the media well. When I have more place I will likely happily replace it with a larger HF blast cabinet with bigger, steeper-sloped hopper, built-in lighting, and top loading door with good seals.
I bought some of the black bar w/ orange grip bar clamps. They worked well until I actually had to squeeze hard. I think I had 4 or 6 of them. All of them broke at the same spot: The part where the trigger grip meets the brace. Why do they make these out of such cheap plastic? Even within the realm of plastic they could make them much stronger for just pennies more each. Even for throwaway tools I won’t be buying any more of these.
Love/Hate: “1/2″ air filter/regulator (the orange canister type which also lubricates if you fill the second canister with air tool oil). The main inlet/outlet ports are 1/2″, yet the connections between the filter, regulator, and lubricator modules are only 3/8″! What’s the point of a 1/2″ airline if you have 3/8″ restrictions at two points in the line?!?! However, it was cheap and it really removes a lot of moisture and crap from the line. I use mine without the lubricator because I just want clean, dry air.
12v winch. Don’t remember the model, it was under $100. The mounting plate was engineered backward. We were able to fabricate to make it work, but it would have been nice if it worked out of the box. It pulls dead motorcycles up a ramp and into a truck just fine, though I wish it went at least 2x as fast. (Not nearly strong enough to pull a car or the truck itself onto a road or something, but a great value and plenty of power for our use.)
That’s probably enough for now. :)
Thanks again!
ozboy Says:
May 12th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Someone gave me a HF 18V cordless drill with an extra battery. I ‘ve had the thing for about 15 years, dropped it once badly, repaired it with superglue. It finally gave up when the motor torqued out inside the drill. I used it alot and was generally satisfied.I bought a new brand name drill to replace it though. Generally I have found that it does not pay to buy anything electrical at HF. Mostly I buy consumables, or the odd specialty tool that will not see a lot of use. It seems to be the luck of the draw as to whether or not the tool will last. So you pay your money and take your chances, remembering that you get what you pay for. The outlet here has good customer service and has never failed to replace a failed tool.
Thanks for a good article.
Buzz Says:
June 1st, 2009 at 10:35 pm
American (Usually Chinese anymore)is rarely better being it’s all made in the same sweatshop. Why complain abot HF when you can get screwed equally by “American” crap.
Kurt Says:
June 5th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
I buy a lot of Harbor Freight stuff, for two different uses. At work, my guys tend to abuse tools, and the HF lasts as long as anything else. Their air tools are OK, just don’t buy the very cheapest. The mini die grinders tend to have a problem with their triggers after a while, but the air drills are pretty nice.
They have made great strides in the quality of their sockets, and the color coding feature is quite nice.
At home, I use HF tools for my hobbies when I won’t use the tool enough to warrant a better quality replacement. The air ratchet saved me a lot of time when working on my storage shed, and is holding up nicely. The bench top cut off tool was useless out of the box, it needed
to have major modifications to the hinge and bushings to cut at 90 degrees – should have opened it up and looked at it before driving home (80 miles in my case, I live in the boondocks).
The brad nailer was pretty bad out of the box, but I worked on the safety interlock and it now works very well.
One surprise was the 10.8 volt drill driver. This is truly a fine tool. Solid out of the box, and I was not prepared for how good the battery is performing. Kudo’s to whoever designed this tool.
If you are reading this, you are doing exactly what you should in preparation for a trip to HF. That, and use common sense – open up the box and inspect the components before you leave the store.
John Aspinall Says:
June 10th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Plenty good enough: the cheap digital calipers, as several folks have mentioned. They require a little care to get a repeatable reading, and they eat batteries, but they are well worth the price.
Avoid, Danger, Flee: the 4-jaw woodworking lathe chuck 31223. The hex-headed screws that move each jaw have so much slop that they are driven off-center by the force of tightening that jaw. Result – you can’t get the wrench back in to loosen the same screw.
Mike D on Long Island Says:
June 11th, 2009 at 12:09 am
I have been a customer of HF tools for almost 20 years.
I own a lot of tools and in many cases duplicates of tools.
Like anything else the quality and value of HF tools DEPENDS on a lot of things!
Some stuff is pure crap but in most cases you can get a tool for a good price that is good enough to get the job done. Many tools I bought and did not have a need for them for years but was damn happy to have the tool when I needed it.
The list of tools that are good to a great value (for the money) far outweigh the stinkers.
You need to use a little common sense and you need to and compare and think about how and what your needs (or needs for the tool are).
One thing that has paid for itself 50 x over for me has been the cheep 4’x8’ trailer.
It’s capacity is only 900 Lbs. I have hauled more stuff on that trailer.
It is cheap ((only paid $200 for it 5 yrs ago). I finally broke it a few weeks ago,
I had it overloaded with almost 3000 lbs on it ( do not overload the trailer like this it is stupid and dangerous) and a guy cut me off and I buckled the frame. I did not want to wait for repair parts so I used my HF $110 stick welder to fix it.
I have mixed Yards and yards of cement with the $199 cement mixer ( yes it is cheap with plastic gears and it has broken from time to time). Most tools cannot take the abuse a commercial grade equivalent name brand tool can. In many cases the HF tool will cost you the same or less than a 24 rental of the name brand tool, then you own the HF tool.
It is not as good as the name brand but for a tool that you may only use once or twice?????
Bottom line on HF tools is “ It Depends on the tool” and what you need it for, how many times you will use it, what your budget is, convenience of having it and not having to leave home to rent it or buy one that is not on sale the day you need it etc.etc…….
One last comment on convenience of owning and having the tool you need on hand at the time you need it: How many times did you get stuck on a job on Sunday a holiday or at night when all the stores are closed (even if you have the money to buy the name brand tool at that moment of need)?
That cheap HF sump pump that you bought for an emergency (at 1/3 the cost of a similar unit at Home Depot) that keeps your basement from flooding at 2 am on a Sunday night during a storm may be great. On the other hand, if the pump is used every day to keep you basement from flooding, you may want to buy a more expensive higher quality part?
I guess it DEPENDS?
Jason Says:
June 12th, 2009 at 2:10 am
Always lucked out with my purchases at HF. Until…Bought 1 1/2″ 2.5HP clear water pump. Clerk asked would you like the extended service plan for 40 bucks, I said no, if it breaks, I’ll eat it… filled the tank with fuel, case with oil, turned on the gas, and Oh, whats this, gas spewing from the carb. I had to set the float and finally got it running. It blows oil everywhere, and the low oil switch kept killing the engine,even though it was full of oil. I finally bypassed it, and 30 hours of great operation , the ignition coil failed. I’m waiting for my replacement part to arrive from China. When it runs, it pumps water well, when it’s not it makes a great boat anchor.
toolcrib Says:
June 12th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Here’s a good thread I’ll be adding at the next update:
The Harbor Freight PASS/FAIL Thread…
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27192
thanks to the guys there for a link to this guide… that’s how I found you!
-Garrett
anonymous Says:
June 13th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Id like to first say I own an entire shop filled with tools bought at harbor freight. I have had a few break but that’s why you take advantage of the no questions asked replacement plan and don’t be cheap and then cry when a tool breaks. Many of the name brand products have given out on me faster than tools that I have bought at hft. Whoever decided to post this site is very misguided and uninformed. Reading 1000 reviews which may be biased gives you no insight on the quality of a tool. Only a working professional or adimant hobbiest or do it yourselfer would have the knowledge and know how to rate a tool. Likewise you do get what you pay for. Another thing I would like to add is almost any tool can be braoken with a 10lb sledge. And to close it out the production of harbor freight tools are outsourced to many different countries besides china and last but not least id like to point out that few products are made in america anymore and even though that stamp on the box says made in the usa I can gaurantee that some part of whatever tool your buying was not fabricated in the usa but bought from some country like china. So a note to the writer go buy yourself some tools and get to work
toolcrib Says:
June 17th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
This is a note from KnotScott he sent me in an email…
“I love the Harbor Fright guide! I’m a cautious fan of HF…love the value of the Pittsburg bar clamps in the $2-$6 range, I find the HF mortiser to be worth the $100 asking price if you don’t do a lot of them, and have found the 13″ DP to be on the impressive side…way surprised by that one!”
-Thanks Scott!
Check out Scott’s ToolCrib.com articles:
http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2009/06/07/knotscotts-top-7-forum-threads-maloofs-passing-common-woodworking-errors-planers-and-more/
http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2009/06/17/knotscotts-wide-world-of-woodworking-saw-stop-blades-hot-router-deals-classic-table-saw-debate-and-more/
Shakeel Says:
June 18th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
love Harbor Freight stuff until now, I bought one stapler second day it stop working. I went and bought another power stapler. After finishing two room insulation, stapler stop working. I took both tools to the store and asked replacement. Manager refused to return without the receipt. I asked to through is garbage and the mangers said we have to pay for the garbage so take it home. I was buying other items also I left everything on counter and I said forget it. I walk out the store went to Menards and bought tools what I needed. Same night I received a phone call from local police department that the manager files a complaint against me and it is a battery charges. COP was not telling me that what I did. After 5 days I received a call from police that Harbor Freight drop the changes but they asked me not to come to the store any more. If they see me again they will call police. I asked Harbor Freight to see Surveillance Video to see I did nothing wrong, but guess what they don’t have Surveillance Video at their store. Harbor Freight Corporate office refused to take any action but they offer me full refund for the detective product.
Lesson learn: Pay more and go to better store Home Depot, Lowes or Menards or if you can’t afford the buy online. Thanks for reading.
Myles m Says:
June 20th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I have purchased many many items from HF over the years. First of all, you are going to get bad reviews from someone regardless of the company you’re dealing with. I have had both good and bad experiences with HF. First of all, I have had good experiences with about 85% of my purchases. I have had a 4.5″ angle grinder for like 5 years now. I bought it for less then 10 bucks and it has spent 60% of its time out in the sun. It has been rained on maybe 4 or 5 times. I have used it for concrete and metal projects. It still works today and I can’t understand why? Still had great power, but the switch is probably going to go here someday soon. I purchased a backup about 6 months ago. I could not find the used and abused one, so I opened the unopened box and assembled the new one. I turned it on and crack. The plastic red fanblade broke into 3 pieces. Within the first 10 seconds! What a contrast right? I took the broken pieces out and put it back together. It works fine, but heats up within about 5 minutes of constant use. I purchase a $300 tile saw and it works like a charm! Good stuff! I purchase an DA Buffer, No issues! 3/8 1speed drill, worked fine till I tried mixing morter with it. When that died I went and bought a heavy duty variable speed drill with low gearing and this thing is a beast. I droped it it from about 5 feet on the concrete. The back part cracked a bit but nothing serious and still works perfectly. I have a feeling this thing will last forever. Its one of the few tools from HF that seems overbuilt. A Brand Name drill with these specs would be at 3-4 times what I paid. I have also purchased countless punches, chisels, pry bars, hammers, and screw drivers. I think you’re fine on the more basic electrical stuff. Avoid battery operated tools for now. I think for stuff you use once and a while, your good with HF. For ELECTRICAL (110 OR 220VOLT)tools that you use weekly or daily, you might want to go with a more well know brand. I would like to make a recommendation for these tool. I have purchase several hitachi tools from this website, and you really can’t beat them. The tools are reconditioned, but are in 100% like new position. Check it out! http://www.reconditionedsales.com/
Shakeel Says:
June 23rd, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Myles m,
As much as I understand if I go to any store their employees represent their company. And if they are treating customer bad then that company is bad no matter how good their products are.
Thanks for reading
toolcrib Says:
June 24th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Good HF thread with more suggestions of what’s good and bad:
http://www.electriciantalk.com/f14/harbor-freight-tools-7543/
Found this source from looking at our traffic logs – thanks for stopping by fellas, hope the guide helps you spend money wisely.
G
Ann aka 'catalog lady' Says:
June 25th, 2009 at 12:37 am
Look over what you’re buying and buy it on SaLe. When the ad says buy now and save, don’t, because it is regular price- trust me on this one they don’t call me the catalog lady at the local HFT for nothing.
I have a full set of air nailers and they usually work smooth as butter despite my compressor being a little undersized for the big framing nailers- I nail it in the rest of the way if needed. I love the 15ga finish nailer (red one) got their new orange one for 2nd nail size so I don’t have to go back and forth on an upcoming project, but the rubber cover has a tendency to come off.
Can you even find a coil siding nailer at Home Depot or Lowe’s? NOT! Roof ga. nails are NOT recommended for Hardie. I shopped the specials and got a HFT $10 7″ diamond blade to cut the Hardie (recommended Hitachi blade costs $80)& put in one of my cheap Ryobi circ. saws that was a HD Thanksgiving special. Of the framing nailers I have I like the 6 in 1 the best- use up all those leftover nails from other guns.
If you buy a rotary tool whether electric or manual feel the bearings for side to side play. Engage the switch and locks, see if it is engineered well or if it feels like junk Some models vary on the same type of tool, so look over the merchandise. Look at the castings for your hand tools are they crisp and square? -a good casting? Are pins off center? I do this no matter where I buy my tools. Sometimes picking the best one off the shelf suffices.
You know all those tools you can borrow from Autozone, etc? Same tools at HFT, but less$. I love their toolbags- the canvas riggers bags and ‘boat’ bags are great and cheap reg price 9.99 on sale often for 5.99 sold at upscale yuppie establishments for $60. I have given lots of those to friends for presents- barber, jewelers, upholsterers- pc techs. great bag. I also use toolpouches and kneepads in different configs when I gear up for metal detecting.
I guarantee that the same exact tools have different color paint or plastic and a different name sticker sold as house brands at other places. You can get crappy tools there just like anywhere else, but if you shop smart you will spend a whole lot less at HFT.
I have bought all those weird shaped wrenches C and S shape, etc and never regretted having the one wrench that made removing that impossible to reach bolt. Some of them are marginal, but who cares if it works in a pinch. I really like their stubbie wrench sets. Try the 2-line pricing gun for your next yard sale. I could go on and on. Bottom line is check out the tool itself and compare to what else will do the job and how much it costs for the same quality elsewhere. I used to buy Crapsman tools but they don’t honor the Craftsman warranty anymore so why bother? If you have a lot of projects coming up join the InsideTrack club and plan ahead- shop at the local HFT they honor the cat prices. In the same catalog you will find the same item for 2 or 3 different prices, so look them over and find the deals.
toolcrib Says:
June 26th, 2009 at 7:55 am
harbor freight is on twitter:
http://twitter.com/HarborFreight
no mention of the buying guide though, just sales they’re having ;P
G
Mike D on Long Island Says:
June 26th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Re: the Post from Shakeel Says: from June 18th?
I think the Guy at that HF store must be a real TOOL himself!
Sorry just couldn’t resist that one:)!
It is a big company and they have a lot of people working for them. There tools are inexpensive and I am sure the average person who works for HF is not making a lot of money. I am sure dealing with the public day in and out, can some times make even a decent employee a be a dick if they are having a bad day. Lets face it we have all run into an idiot employee, it is a fact of life…..always has been always will.
Let me say this about HF. I have been buying from them for over 20 yrs now.
I have a lot of their stuff. Like anything else, you have to shop the sales and there are many variables that make a tool good or bad value. Most of the stuff I have bought has been good to great for the price. I have so many tools that I would not have bought had I bought only the name brand stuff. A few tools (very few) of the HF tools turned out to be worthless, It is like buying from the 99 cent or $1 stores. There are some great buys and you can really save money if you know how to shop. HF like the $1 store has some deals that can’t be beat , some products that are a one shot steal deal never to return ( and you wish you bought more) and some stuff that is just worthless……over all I have to say I love HF, but have never been in one of there stores yet.
The float charger ( if used the right way) is a great product and range in price from $14.99 to as low as $4.99 Note: the part is the same price dependson what catalog you are ordering from. The weak part is the transformer that plugs into the wall, I have destroyed at least 5 of them over the last 10 yrs. I use the big gator clips elsewhere when this happens. If you short the float charger it will burn out the transformer, if you run over the float charger it will also damage the unit…… I have at least 3 running 24/7 all year long.
Over all, if used properly they are great but not perfect.
The other charger p/n 93781 is pure junk I have bought two, both failed after less than 1 month ( sale price $9.99, cat price about $14.99 and internet price is $19.99).
The internal transformer is not strong enough and burns out, the internal cooling fan is marginal and the circuit board also burns up. I bought these units when they first came out, maybe they have started using better parts but the two I have are useless junk.
When they worked they were good but just don’t hold up.
I think it is good to get feedback from other people on products, remember we are more likely to write when we have a problem with a part then when it works and does what we expected it to do, so take this stuff with a grain of salt!
Mike on LI
Preston Woodruff Says:
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:48 am
HARBOR FREIGHT 2HP DUST COLLECTOR: The combination of a sale price and a 20% coupon (along with the local big box store’s refusal to discount a Delta machine) led me to bring home the HF 2hp Dust Collector (sku 97869). Brief review — works fine, but was a four-hour hassle to assemble.
If this had been my first stab at putting together a box full of metal nuts, bolts and odd-shaped metal gizmos from China, I might have given up, but I’ve been through this before. Odd syntax in the manual, blurry photos and diagrams — no problem, just ask yourself, ‘if I were a flanged tubular upright, where would I go?’ Problem-solving on your own is half the fun. I was puzzled by a baggie full of totally irrelevant bolts, washers and nuts until I realized they were for putting together the blower assembly, which was already in one piece. Also, the instructions tell you to fix everything to the base with hex bolts and nuts, when in fact the base is designed to take the bolts by themselves (I wouldn’t quite use the word ‘threaded,’ but it was close enough).
A little bending and prying was necessary to get everything to line up, but that’s not news to anybody who has opened a HF box of parts. The motor and fan unit are hefty and nicely finished, but once everything is together, the entire assembly seems a little lightweight.
The label on the box says the collector draws 1550 CFM, but the spec sheet inside doesn’t bring the subject up, so who knows? In any case, it sucks a lot of air. For my tiny, one-man basement shop it does the job, and at c. $150 it was a bargain.
toolcrib Says:
July 12th, 2009 at 10:50 am
forum thread discussing the guide:
http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=46449
BT3 fellas please leave your favorites/stinkers in the comments or in that thread on your forum! I will check back when I do the next update :)
Roger Says:
August 21st, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Harbor Freight Jig Saw worked for maybe two hours and the motor burned out.
ßullet™ Says:
August 27th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
HF’s “Geartech” series of ratcheting box end combo wrenches are as good as any on the market. The swivel heads are thin yet strong and the finish is good, available in Satin / Matt / Mirror / Gold Plated / Black Chrome Finish…I like shiny stuff.:)
I have Gearwrench, MAC, Matco, SK and Strapon that are way more pricey that i seldom use,they can break too yanno, they just look nice in my box. lol
I agree with Preston on the float charger, i’ve had one in almost constant use for 2 years and it maintains a 12-volt acid test battery at 12.66 volts. The Earthquaker 1/2 inch drive impacts are tough, they take everyday abuse well if you keep um oiled, use dry air and inject a little impact grease in the cone bearings they will serve you well.The HF impact sockets that are made in Taiwan are the exact same sockets that are sold by Genius and Sunex..DUH!
I think a lot of the problems folks have with HF tools is their own fault. If all else fails, u might wanna read the freakin directions :)
I’m considering an HVLP paint gun purchase, has anyone tried these lil fellas yet?
Glenn Peisker Says:
August 30th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Besides poor manufacturing techniques a major failure for these rip-off tools as well as other Chinese products is material substitution. You can get great cost reduction from cheap labor and more from cheap materials. A reputable manufacturer spends money and time in R&D, material selection, product design and testing. A rip-off company knows nothing of the work that went into reaching that final product. They are visual copy-cats and really make their products attractively appearing. However, if it is metal make it out of the cheapest, closest-resembling, metal-like, material. The same is true for rubber, plastic etc. Don’t bother to develop and test materials for strength or wear and heat resistance or functioning well. That costs money. In my industry there were trade secrets that allowed our product to function. The rip-offs made their product out of non-functioning material and they would fail. They even colored their rip-off like ours. These were just components in a larger piece of equipment and users quickly learned that saving a little up front with rip-offs could have disastrous results.
Glenn Peisker Says:
August 30th, 2009 at 9:51 am
I am very cautious with what I get from HF. I did buy the HF Spot Welder, $140, knowing full well it was an experiment. Could I spot weld 16 gauge sheet metal in the projects I was doing rather than braze or arc. I had never spot welded before and this was part of my learning curve. The tool is laughable in how poorly it is designed and functions. I quickly learned that spot welding was a viable solution to my fabrication project and then spent the $550 for a Miller. With the HF I would wait ten seconds for the same weld that I get in one second with the Miller. The appearance of the welds is enough evidence of the quality of the Miller product. Oh, I still use the HF, but for decorative non-structural welds.
toolcrib Says:
August 30th, 2009 at 10:15 am
a new thread has started over at woodnet.net discussing HF tools:
http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=4462382&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=
any suggestions/recommendations/incriminations will make it into the next update of our list here.
Mark Says:
September 6th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Today I bought what turned out to be a sad tool at HF. The 94100 3-in-1 riveter kit and a box of HF “nut rivets” 02872. This tool is supposed to rivet “nut rivets” with special threaded bits that come in the kit. Which means the tool has to pull with some force. In the store I’m thinking to myself “I’ll bet they just case hardened the metal bits, rather than fully hardened the metal, like the HF hole saw bolt that snapped off on me a year ago”. Sure enough. Bought it, tried it, and the case hardened 6-32 bit snapped right off before the nut rivet was even fully compressed on the metal sheet. Looking at the snapped-off metal tool bit you can clearly see that only the outside (the case) of the metal has been hardened. Then tried the 8-32 bit for laughs, thinking bigger must be stronger. It was – this one just bent such that I could not unscrew it from the nut rivet (had to turn the whole tool) – rather than snapping outright. SO… if you really need a tool like this find a real one with real hardened bits. I own a lot of HF tools that work reasonably well, and buy a lot of consumables from HF, but this one goes back. I would have to put this tool in the “abysmal” category since it broke the first use, and did it during the use so I couldn’t even get my first job done. And the problem is by design – case hardened bits. It isn’t going to get any better with swapping the tool for another try.
toolcrib Says:
September 28th, 2009 at 8:36 am
http://okcminis.com/showthread.php?t=1756
good discussion on some good and some bad tools – I will include it in the next update.
G
toolcrib Says:
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:40 pm
good discussion started here – I will add any contributions the next time I update the guide:
http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?t=213519
Junior Says:
October 10th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
If anybody’s in doubt about the power tools, go to a pawn shop, Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc., and look at the different NAME brands (Dewalt, Craftsman, Milwaukee, etc.) real good. Practically all are made in China. Then go to Harbor Freight and look at their power tools real good. The only difference I can tell is the color of the plastic case, and maybe the power switch in some cases. Like one of the previous comments said, they’re ALL made in the same place in China.
Susan Gogas Says:
October 14th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Purchased a T post puller and the metal fractured near the pivot point after about 10 uses. Since it was just over the 90 days they would not replace. Can only assume from this experience that their goods are far from the highest quality and I’m extremely hesitant to purchase from them again. Wish I had reviewed this website before I made the purchase.
Bigplanz Says:
October 26th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I bought a 1/2 hammer drill, and it works. It drill holes in concrete for electrical boxes and shelf brackets in block walls. If I was drilling 100 holes a week, well, I’d get something different. 100 holes in my lifetime? Yeah, the $30 harbor freight hammer drill is the answer. I also bought a spiral saw for $14 to cut holes in drywall for light switches and electrical boxes. Guess what? It works fine for my limited purpose (renovating a room in the basement).
I bought a 5 inch bench vise for $35 (used a coupon, regular price $70). Hey, it weighs 40 pounds and is sturdy and strong. What’s not to like?
All in all, if you shop carefully, HF is a great place for the DIY who knows what he or she wants and waits for it to go on sale.
Tim Says:
November 1st, 2009 at 3:48 pm
I would love to hear something good or bad about this three stage trickle battery charger 99857
timotb@gmail.com
Dave Says:
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:00 pm
My input:
I bought a HF 10-inch disc sander and it didn’t work. When I returned it to the store to get a replacement, I opened the new one and it was smashed in the box, with broken pieces laying around. I got my money back (the guy shorted me $30), and bought a Craftsman sander instead. During that trip at the store, at least two other items broken IN MY HANDS while just inspecting them on the shelves. Amazing. I swore I would never go back. But then, after many good reviews of the 7×10 lathe. I purchased one this weekend. So far, so good. It seems MUCH nicer than the sander, and works wonderfully. I hope it keeps it up!
Big See Says:
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:24 pm
I bought a reciprocating saw (aka “Sawzall” but with a rotating body so you can cut at different angles) for $24.99 and it just goes and goes — for the average DIY’er it’s a far better value and works just about as well as a Milwaukee. I buy nitrile gloves there. Just bought a 7.25″ carbide circular saw blade to cut down some doors — the first one was a breeze, but on the second door the blade started smoking but ended up cutting through. Probably won’t buy that type of blade again. Worst thing I’ve gotten there is their strap wrench set — I got it super cheap but it doesn’t grab at all, it just slides around. Their $3.99 multimeter is a steal. Bought a torque wrench and it worked just fine.
les Says:
December 6th, 2009 at 1:18 am
I bought a $69 framing nailer and compressor to finish my basement. Didn’t honestly expect too much. The compressor, perfect. The framing nailer has done my basement, my neighbors basement and another neighbors 40X20 deck. Most of the paint has scrubbed off but I don’t think its jammed yet! A treasure!
Victor Says:
December 7th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
I buy just like the rest here. I am a pro handyman and so do alot of different jobs. Harbor Freight is a life (and money) saver for the right tools. You gotta wonder how many of these came out of the same factory. Maybe HF gets the less than perfect ones I dunno. If I need a tool to use everyday, especially power or air tools, I go high end but so much of this stuff is good ’nuff. Just got a instant on solder gun for $10 on sale compared to $40 for the brand equivalent. I’ll likely use it only once or twice a year but when I need it will be there and if she dies, it was about the cost of fast food dinner.
Aaron Says:
December 10th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I was very skeptical about buying anything at HF but my wife bought me a Craftsman air compressor and a couple air tools. So, when I went to get some sockets I just couldn’t justify the price for a set of Craftsman. That is when I decided to give HF a shot. I have had really good luck with the 1/2″ impact sockets, extensions, swivels etc. So far they have survived a transmission removal and install and a motor swap, they show little to no wear. I am getting ready to do another engine swap for my in-laws. I also have an 18 volt drill that has been around for about 6 years. The drill still works but the charger is toast. It was not a good drill by any means the bits would always spin in the chuck on tough material. I recently purchased some spring loaded plastic socket holders and so far they have worked great. Their zip ties aren’t the best but the jumbo pack of assorted colors was great for labeling electric and hose connections on my engine swap.
Dave Stewart Says:
December 11th, 2009 at 10:46 am
I have used one HF framing nailers for a couple of years, great item. Also sliding miter saw works great after some adjustment. I will make adjustments to save half the cost. If you are making a living with tools buy somewhere else. If you are a weekend handy man shop HF and save a lot of money.
stuccoguy Says:
December 13th, 2009 at 4:13 am
whats up with H.F.
jr Says:
December 13th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
bought a HF 299 wood bandsaw, modded it
with a boston 20:1 bolt on reducer and pulled all
the belts and added #35 chain drive,morse
sprockets etc.
using the original motor for now in the third
year.
slices 2″ billets with no problem and using
morse/premium metal cutting blades ~92″
works great.
150 ft/min is the approx speed…
added a pull sled using a bungee and a reworked
delta table saw slide with a eyelet on the rear
end of the slide, bungee to whatever is heavy.
cuts are as good as any shop band saw I’ve
used.
jr
rkb Says:
December 14th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Here are my comments:
- Nitrile Gloves: Crap. They dissolve in water.
- Welding magnets: Crap. Not strong like the ‘merican ones and not that much cheaper.
- Ox-Ac torch set: good.
- Battery chargers: bad.
- Drill bits: not sharp
- impact sockets: great.
- Screw drivers: terrible.
- Torque wrench: yeah, right, what was I thinking.
- Angle grinder: great.
- Angle grinder discs: great.
- Chop saw: slow, but works great. sounds like I just need a different blade.
- Gear pullers/cheap mechanical bits: fine.
remarkablemark Says:
December 15th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
i used the bungee cords with no problems for over a year with my truck. As we all know this is cheap china stuff some of it can do the job some of it cant. Good selection of items that arent available at other stores at good prices.
pedalplane Says:
December 21st, 2009 at 12:23 pm
4 speed 14″ bandsaw can be raised 6″ by buying the riser block kit from Grizzly, for their 550 model saw. The block and blade guard are a perfect fit. You do need to bravely drill out the aluminum blade guide to fit the larger diameter 12″ blade height shaft. I also installed urethane ‘belts’ on the wheels and fiber blade guides. New blade size is 103″. GREAT saw. Toss out the HF bandsaw blades, they are junk. Grizzly’s blades aren’t any better.
pedalplane Says:
December 21st, 2009 at 12:29 pm
I bought a 5 micron 2 HP dust collector as an open box item for $125 bucks a month ago. Piped in a 4″ pipe system. Works OK. The air velocity does not increase appreciably when you drop down to smaller hose sizes than 4″. Don’t throw away your shop vac!
pedalplane Says:
December 21st, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Jr – what model boston gear reducer did you use? Sounds like something I’d like to try.
pedalplane Says:
December 21st, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Sometimes I’m almost ashamed as to the amount of HF stuff I have. My shop is a mix of quality stuff like Festool, Miller TIG and MIG, Milwaukee stuff, Bostich nailers and mostly American Made HVAC tools. But I also have a Smithy Granite 3 in 1 (Taiwan) and HF 6″ jointer, bandsaw, (both good) and a huge assortment of assorted HF portable power tools. After three attempts at trying to get their 18ga brad nailer to work, I bought Bostich brad, framing, and roofing nailers. I still have a NIB HF framing nailer I’ve never had the courage to try. I made raised panel cabinet doors with their 3 HP router, spinning a 3 1/2″ panel raising bit. At first I used a HF speed contro with the router, but it boggs down to just the right speed to run that bit at full bore! Not the nicest table router I have (my best is a Triton), but I rarely use my Ryobi or Craftsman. HF’s copy of the Milwaukee Hole Hawg works good, until you break the plastic shifting lever. I gotta machine one made from real metal….
pedalplane Says:
December 24th, 2009 at 11:49 am
I finally managed to load some glass beads into the floor mounted blast cabinet I assembled 6-8 months ago. First time I used it this week, the interior back panel paint came off in one big sheet! Oh well, the paint wasn’t gonna last long anyway.
HF’s multitool, their equivalent of Fein’s $400 multimaster sells for 90+% less and appears to do the same job. I like mine. After owning three VW busses, I don’t like the Germans any more than I do the Chinese!
Their pipe wrench set looks great, but they don’t grip nearly as well as the Craftsman set someone stole from me.
I’ve broken at least as many Ryobi tools as I have HF, and I own a lot less Ryobi stuff.
I hear they had a recall on their boxed automotive flat-type fuses. They don’t blow at the proper amperage. I missed that one and have two nifty boxes I’m afraid to use.
The NiMh rechargeables are worthless.
The snap ring plier set doesn’t last long either. Use the largest size that will fit. Wear safety glasses!
Their old style strut spring compressor nearly broke my hand when the roll pins came out, allowing the threaded shaft to completely unscrew from the tool. BANG! I pulled my hand out, amazed it was still in one piece. The new style looks to be a much better, albeit more expensive, piece. They still sell the old design, with the cast steel hooks.
Bought one of those gas powered post hole augers. I’m thinkin’ that HF and small engines would equate to lots of cussing and rope pulling – the fool thing runs great. I can’t imagine it having enough power to turn the optional 6″ bit, but the 4″ is OK.
My wife keeps buying the blue nytrile gloves, and she goes through a box every month or so. They must serve her well enough. Either that, or she’s a slow learner… She has sadly decorated our front yard with every wishing well, bird bath, yard gnome, windmill, wooden furniture and bridge that HF sells.
The birdbath/fountain pump will die. Every HF pump I’ve ever had has died prematurely.
The 18V driver drill / flashlight combo is great, as long as you don’t plan on using the flashlight on anything but a moonless night. They charge something like $15 for a 2nd battery, but you can get this combo sometimes for $15 – $20 bucks, so buy 2 and forget the spare batteries. The first one I bought only worked in reverse, not in forward.
I have an old 18 Volt drill that is still going strong. The torque adjuster and chuck is very wobbly now, and the chuck never has gripped bits very securely. It’s about time to retire it and use the battery in my old Makita drills (see below).
You can saw the handles short on the old Makita 9.6 volt drills, and use HF’s 18 volt batteries. Things get sped up a good bit! Secure the batteries with duct tape. No, I haven’t tried this, it’s a tip from Dad. Makita wants $40 bucks apiece for their batteries.
I still wonder why they put a laser on their jig saw…. Who uses a jig saw to cut straight lines?
I bought an accursed air/flexible shaft die grinder, the chuck grips the bits off center. Imagine trying to do precision grinding while sitting on a paint shaker!
Wood, Home Shop Machinist, Digital Machinist, Popular Mechanics and Popular Science, each have a full-page HF add in every issue with great featured tool coupons and a 20% coupon. I keep the pages in my glove box so I always have a coupon handy. The internet coupons aren’t always 20%.
Always remember, when the 90 day warranty is up, you can always buy another, and put the old one in the box….. never buy the extended warranty.
I love the post about the drill press which measures in Ninths of an inch!
toolcrib Says:
December 29th, 2009 at 10:31 am
here’s a site cataloging some great welding-related harbor freight threads. Also he’s got some Harbor Freight Coupons posted:
http://poejustin.blogspot.com/
Arkitexas Says:
December 30th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
My HF experience has taught me:
1. Never buy any tool that includes hardened or tempered steel (i.e. hack saw blades, drill bits, files, cold chisels, etc). The Chinese haven’t yet learned how to temper or harden.
2. If you need a 2″ tool, buy their 4″ model. If you use their 4″ model on a 4″ application, see item #5 below.
3. De-rate all electric motors hp 25% (i.e. 1hp = 1/4hp).
4. HF has a great product manual replacement system. Just search the internet and download… for free. This feature alone makes HF competitive with Sears. If you are english speaking, don’t try to read the product manual, just look at the pictures.
5. HF has a great return policy.
justin Says:
December 30th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Wow, I can’t believe that my site is on here. I created the site so that I have a price reference for items that go on sale and how often. I did the blogspot so that I can reference/add/edit from any location. I have cataloged the sites that I have found and I try to cross-reference items that I am looking to buy. If other’s find the site useful great.
Obviously, all the credit goes to those who designed the sites that I am linked to!
toolcrib Says:
December 31st, 2009 at 10:24 am
Hey Poe Justin,
Your site looked like a good roundup of coupons – we haven’t really covered coupon stuff so I decided to add it. I revise this post every year so I’ll add a “Harbor Freight Coupons” section in my next revision and include your site! Keep up the great work.
Garrett
dale puckett Says:
January 3rd, 2010 at 1:50 am
I’m a maint. man and I use the heck out of my tools.so far I have had little disapointment for what I have bought. I did brake a 18″ braker bar but then agean I put a 2′ pipe on the end of it.
I have good luck with the air tools, I do keep them oiled up. Chanle lock type plirers don’t hold up and slip sizes. For the most part if I use the right tool for the right job I’m ahead a few bucks. My biggest loss was joining the sidekick club.the only differance is it seems like i can get the sale prices all the time. If you watch the sales you can save the $29 i spent to be a sidekick member.
Barry Hoy Says:
January 3rd, 2010 at 4:22 pm
About six years ago, I bought the 12 speed floor model drill press, item number 39955. (I gave 229.00 for it at that time. It is more than twice that now.)
At that time, I work as the training director for a major construction company part of which was a fleet and heavy equipment repair shop. The Mechanic Superintendent liked my drill press so much he bought one for the shop. They love it. In fact he went back and got the hydraulic feed bandsaw. I never messed with his but that will be my next major purchase.
hank1 Says:
January 14th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
I’ve bought a good many Harbor Freight tools but only after taking them out of the box and examining them closely. If I don’t care for the one I’m looking at I open another box because often HF upgrades stuff but assigns it the same product number. That’s true for their Drill Master Portable Pocket Hole Jig. This is a well made (in Taiwan) pocket jig for half the price of a Kreg. It works every bit as well also. The Kreg drill bits and screws work in it which is a big plus. But you gotta look in more than one box because the jigs aren’t all the same. One is exceptionally well made and dead on accurate. You’ll know it when you see it. I even bought it without a coupon because it was a great deal at $70.00. I love the Chinese Tool Store.
hank1 Says:
January 14th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Forgot one. I bought the HF 1hp shaper/router to make a few cabinet doors. I couldn’t justify a high dollar shaper to make 12 doors. It was on sale for $250.00. Other than color it’s identical to the ones sold by Jet and Grizzly and a few others. It looks like it’s based on one Delta/Rockwell used to make years ago. The thing is a workhorse but a pain to assemble. At 1hp all of these shapers, HF, Jet, etc (even the Delta) are a little under powered for running big horizontal panel raising bits. The solution is to use a vertical panel raising bit which I think is easier to get used to anyway. IMO this tool is much more vesatile than a router table set up because it can use shaper cutters as well as router bits. And it cost less too. I’d vote it the Chinese Tool Store tool of the month!.
pauld Says:
January 20th, 2010 at 10:32 pm
I recently discovered that the Harbor Freight Lifetime Warranty on all hand tools is not true. It is only the hand tools that are marked Pittsburgh. If you buy a screwdriver or anything that does not say lifetime warranty on it you are out of luck if it breaks. All of their ads and website say”Lifetime Warranty on ALL hand tools”. Unfortunately this is NOT true. They need to be sued for false advertisement.
cliff wilson Says:
January 21st, 2010 at 1:19 am
mother always said ” If you can’t say something nice about something don’t say anything” I have nothing to say .
HFReviews Says:
January 24th, 2010 at 10:16 am
I’ve purchased lots of things from Harbor Freight over the years. I’ve found that their tools are cheap enough to buy and try, if they break it often means I’m using them enough to need a more “professional” version to invest in. For the most part though, I haven’t had many things outright fail without me doing something to them they weren’t intended for – and they’ll take just about anything on return/exchange if it does fail, so you really can’t lose too badly.
If you’re interested in reviewing their products, I’ve actually created a website dedicated to it:
http://www.hfreviews.com
It’s just getting started out, so if you really love/hate a product feel free to post on it and hopefully we can make it into a useful resource for people looking to make a purchase in the future!
As always, suggestions, questions, comments, etc on the site are welcome, just shoot us an e-mail :-)
Sigismundo Says:
January 24th, 2010 at 11:40 pm
Hey the reality is yes alot of their stuff is cheap, However my reality is so is alot of the higher end stuff. The “name” brands in many cases seem from my personal expereince to get crappier by the decade. Hell my best cord drill is still a 1970’s era Sears model.(Actually I have several 1960-1970’s hand me down Craftsman power tools still kicking and doing it well if your willing to use a cord.)
I have paid high dollar for a Dewalt, Milwaukie, etc that crapped out on me…..and I have bought a HF power tool that has performed WAY better then it has any right too. It’s a bit of a crapshoot at HF, but even when it turns bad, I usually get the job I had in mind done.
Also where else can you buy a table saw abuse the hell out of it and a year later “accidentally” drop it and turn it in for a newer one, with a protection plan that with the saw is still way cheaper then a high end saw.
For the artisan, or high level professional this is junk. However for the weekend handy man, or the contracter with less the honest employees….this place helps get it done on a budget.
I Love HF. Then again i am a cheap Ba$t@rd.
Sigismundo Says:
January 24th, 2010 at 11:42 pm
One other note, their clamps ARE the best deal period.
Frank Shoemaker Says:
January 25th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
I have one of the HF Black/Yellow low profile 3 ton floor jacks and it works exactly as I need it to. It was only $74 compared to at least $99-$150 for other brand names. I bought it to rotate tires, change brake pads, etc…
Next, I’m getting one of the 1/2 earthquake impact wrenches. I have one from Lowes that isn’t worth a dime. I will probably go ahead and pick up a 2″ brad nailer while I’m there. Those are about to be on sale for $12.99.
Big See Says:
January 25th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
I posted about using a carbide blade from HF and it smoking on me . . . that was a fluke, the thing cuts through everything like butter. Cost me like $4.99 and I’ve cut tons of stuff from boards to doors with it. It’s a pleasure.
On the bad side — just used a handheld push-pull drill saw from them (looks like a screwdriver but has carbide burrs along the shaft to cut through material). It cut through 1/2″ plywood admirably — until the handle came off about 3 minutes into the job. I limped through the rest of my project holding the burred end with pliers and gloved hands and it cut through everything, but it’s going back — the handle should stay on at least for more than 3 minutes!
Big See Says:
January 26th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Just used their 20″ chain wrench ($5.99) to try to get a frozen galvanized nipple out of cast-iron. It’s the only affordable solution I could find for a tricky job. It was hard to get it to get a good grip at first, but then I realized you should tap the chain onto the clasp with a hammer to get the tightest fit (it does not have a racheting feature).
It grabbed on and held, and I turned it with all I had, plus a 3′ bar for leverage. After about 5 minutes of this, the nipple started to get crushed by the chain wrench. I went for broke and then the chain wrench snapped in two places! I was really impressed at how strong I am!
The nipple really was locked on — had to cut it out in pieces in the end — so not sure if it’s Harbor Freight’s fault. I imagine it would work great in 80% of situations, but in the end the chain will break before the pipe does!
hank1 Says:
January 26th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Thought I’d warn everyone that the link posted on December 29th…http://poejustinblogspot.com
will give your computer a nasty little virus after you click on “harbor Freight”. A real pain in the butt.
toolcrib Says:
January 27th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
hey Hank – what link exactly did you click over on his site? Can you help me to find it? There are a bunch of links with Harbor Freight in the title.
I like linking to him because he has the HF ads, but definitely don’t want my readers to get their computers infected.
hank1 Says:
January 28th, 2010 at 6:13 am
I was on the main page and to the right there were several different names. The two I remember were “Harbor Freight” and Harbor Freight USA”. I clicked on Harbor Freight. As soon as the page opened it began replicating itself (more than one hundred times) until my computer finally crashed. While it was doing that I couldn’t use any commands to shut the computer off, task manager, etc. In the end I ran Spyware Doctor to clean it up. I’m sure some puke just figured out a way to infect the link.
justin Says:
January 28th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
I just read hanks post and I clicked on both the harbor freight and harbor freight usa sites and it loaded as usual. I am far from computer savy and if I need to delete the thread, let me know.
toolcrib Says:
January 28th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
It looks ok to me too Justin – I clicked both the links he mentioned… don’t delete yet, as I think you have something good going there for the internet community!
hank1 Says:
January 28th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Justin, I don’t want you to delete the link. It may have just been a fluke with my computer. Sorry for all the hassle.
justin Says:
January 29th, 2010 at 9:02 am
The 1/2″ earthquake impact wrench rocks! I picked mine up for around $60 so keep an eye out for a good price if you can wait.
toolcrib Says:
January 29th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
it’s good lookin out Hank – I think maybe harborfreight had a bad popup or something. firefox always blocks popups when I visit their site.
Justin Says:
January 29th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
No hassle at all Hank, thanks for the potential heads up.
thebigsee Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at 1:25 am
Just returned the 8″ drill saw (see previous entry) and had the 20% off coupon so thought I’d try their Electric Cutout Tool. I got it for $15.99. It comes with one bit — which snapped the moment I inserted it into some plywood. I pulled out the bit, saw that there was enough left to try again — and it snapped off within 3 seconds. I started laughing. Then for fun I put a regular drill bit in and start it up. When I touched the plywood, it didn’t break but the collet got loose quickly and the bit became lopsided and was ready to fly out!
On top of this, the housing felt VERY hot and smelled a bit of oil/kerosene. This one is a BIG thumbs-down for me — I’d encourage people to stay away, it’s a waste of time, money, and possibly dangerous!
Bought the aviation tin snips for $5.99 — they seem to work fine!
thebigsee Says:
February 3rd, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Wow, I appear to be a regular here now.
When I returned the Electric Cutout Tool, I decided to try their much-hyped Multifunction Tool after reading many great reviews on it. I was going to get the basic model (the red one) for $39.99 but then I saw the variable speed model (the grey one that comes with a case) was marked down to $49.99, so I opted with that.
By the way, here’s a hint — I saw lots of guys with 20% off coupons in line. I only had a 15% off coupon, so I was determined to get one of those 20% off ones! I noticed that the cashier just stuffed the old ones into a plastic jar. The jar was so full of coupons, they were falling out.
I walked over to another deserted register and saw that there was a jar full of the coupons. It was in easy reach (I doubt they care anyways) so I scored one and got back in line.
Anyways, this Multifunction Tool was a steal at $42.00 (with coupon, including tax). It buzzed right through the 1/2″ plywood I was making a cutout for an electrical outlet. I was impressed. I think I’ll end up using it regularly for my home improvement projects and I think it will be good for a few years. I didn’t bother with the $10 extra for a 2-year warranty — I don’t use my tools enough to warrant it I think.
If you want one of these, now is the time with that 20% off coupon!
toolcrib Says:
February 3rd, 2010 at 2:52 pm
yeah we need to give you your own harbor freight blog ;) thanks for stopping by and keeping us updated!
hank1 Says:
February 9th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
I just bought the HF 10″ compound sliding miter saw on sale for $79.99 because I needed the ability to cut wider lumber than my 10″ Hitachi chop saw can do. Also, I can’t justify (or afford right now), a Dewalt, Hitachi, etc all of which seem to start around $500.00.
I assumed I’d have to tweak the saw but it cut dead accurate right out of the box so I’m happy. It’s a little top heavy when fully extended so it probably should be mounted to something, and the slide action is not as smooth as the high dollar saws. But what the hey. This thing was $79.99. Even came with a carbide tipped 60T blade.
hank1 Says:
February 9th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Now that I’ve used the miter saw a while I need to add that the dust bag is superflous. I don’t imagine it’ll ever need emptying. But I’m still happy. Just a little dusty. Another good note is that the saw I bought turned out to be dark red instead of the crappy orange you normally see at HF. Stock number is 98199.
Old Guy Says:
February 11th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
Over 30 years ago I bought a set of adjustable wrenches from “HF and Salvage.” The mail order tools arrived and I was amused at the brand name – Lobster. A short time later I was using the large wrench, without luck, to break loose a large nut – I was simply not strong enough. The solution? A chain hooked on the end of the handle then attached to my backhoe! Not only did it work, I am still using the wrench today.
toolcrib Says:
February 15th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
some good debate + possible additions for the Good Enough list at LumberJocks:
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/14330
Rich Says:
February 17th, 2010 at 10:54 am
HF is the place I go to to get 4 or 4 1/2″ cut off wheels for my hand grinder. I tried other brands like dewalt and they sucked compaired to HF’s cut off wheels. I also got the black 4? drawer cart with ball bearing sliders for 99 bucks. Great buy. O and their welding mask. I bought 2 so far. My work had paid for a welding mask that was 180 dollars and my 40 dollars self tinting and adjustable HF welding mask is way better. and I like their black Nitrile gloves. other cool little things I got there are the drill adapters for sockets, 3 dollar face shield for grinding so I dont get metal in my eyes and 4 sided drill chuck. I bought a cordless impact gun and I think that was junk mostly due to the battery. Didnt hold a charge for to long even when not in use. I don’t trust their electrical tools.
Steve Says:
February 25th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Listed under “Good (Enough) Tools From Harbor Freight”… #42292 Automatic Battery Float Charger. Everyone should stay away from this float charger. After one week of being hooked up to a fully charged marine battery I went to switch to a second battery and found that the Transformer that plugs into my electrical outlet was seriously warped and partially melted. It obviously became very hot. I feel fortunate the thing did not burn my house down!!! This product needs to be pulled before someone else is not as fortunate as me.
richard savary Says:
February 26th, 2010 at 3:53 am
I too was appalled the first time I walked into a HF store – everything seemed so CHEAP! As in cheaply made, that is. And I guess a lot of it IS. But if you buy carefully, it is also very inexpensive. There are some great bargains there.
For example, I got a perfectly serviceable drill press vise for $12.00. And they have some very serviceable tool stands, which need assembly (but which go together well), for $27.00. I have two – one for my planer and another for my gas forge. And I see that they have some hydraulic shop and P-U cranes which I could use, which can lift a ton and more, for less than $150.00! What can go wrong? It’s just a jack and several steel beams welded together. And I see shop vises there that are bigger, better and cheaper than the one I bought at Home Depot.
And every time I go there, I see new possibilities. Many of their items are hard to find in stores that sell consumer goods. They are particularly good with simple, heavy, manually operated machines. In cases where there is practically nothing to go wrong, HF may be a good source. I’m not quite sure I’d trust anything they sell that has a motor!
Dennis Marynick Says:
February 28th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
I think the 2 1/2 hp plunge router is a VERY unsafe device. The on-off switch protrudes out so much that it is easy to turn it on accidentally. I did so just by brushing it against my body. Routers are very dangerous power tools. Nobody should buy a router with this defect. In addition, this router has very poor ergonomics. The depth is difficult to set, and it is very heavy, about 12 pounds. For just another $40, you can buy a reconditioned (really new) Hitachi router with great ergonomics that weighs just a little over 7 pounds. No contest. The only reasonable use for the HF router is in a router table. Luckily, that’s what I bought it for.
Garrett Says:
March 12th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Don’t knock HF’s nitrile gloves.
Nitrile is hydrolyzed by NaOH. NaOH should eat right through them. There are large variations, but in general nitrile gloves are better with hydrocarbons and latex is better with acids/bases. Neoprene gloves provide are often(but not always) a good bet if you’re not sure if you should use latex or nitrile.
John Says:
March 13th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Why is it that people always blame “China” or Products that are “made in China” for things that they want to buy really cheap? They do have a choice by buying higher quality products and paying 2 or times more. So stop complaining.
Walk into any store and you will find both high quality and low quality stuffs that are all made in China.
People should blame Harbor Freight or Walmart or Home Depot and all these big corporations that made billions of dollars by taking advantage of these cheap labors and materials in China.
I do buy and use a lot of products from Harbor Freight. Some are good and while some are not as good. The reason I buy them is because they are cheaper by comparison and I only use the tools occasionally, and Harbor Freight always have some sales and sales/discount coupons floating around to make it even more affordable. Some products at HF are actually identical to other name brands.
But if I am a professional that has to have a reliable tool and a well designed and comfortable tool that can be used all day long without causing fatigue, I will buy the best tools without worrying about how much the cost is.
We need Harbor Freight as an alternative.
hank1 Says:
March 18th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
I wish Harbor freight sold clothes and groceries.
Craig Says:
March 28th, 2010 at 5:21 am
I never owned a Harbor Freight tool until I purchased a 94164 Dual Mig in used, broken condition. There was a miscommunication with their tech department when I went to order the appropriate parts but in the end it was straightened out and I got two working welders for $20 bucks plus about $70 worth of parts and shipping. I sold one of the two welders for $80 and have used the other for numerous jobs since. It is truly recommended in my book. I attribute the initial failure of the welder to it most likely being dropped.
Some of their products are truly instances of the truth that you are buying the same tools with different brands in many cases these days.
Other products I recommend are their 60 amp mini inverter (cheaper than buying a car charger for a cell phone), their watch wrench kit is nice if you need one. Their cheap sheet metal brakes aren’t suited for a professional but are good if you need to make a reasonably accurate bend in sheet metal.
I plan on buying the HF 91110 inverter as I’ve heard good things and am looking for a lower – draw welder.
FLASH GORDON Says:
April 7th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
I worked Maintenance in a steel mill and later, in a heavy manufacturing company. There is NO way to use tools harder than in a steel mill! I worked 80 hours per week and many times worked a full month without a day off. I took all HF tools to the job and took a lot of garbage from the guys for having Chinese tools. They sang a different tune after seeing how those tools held up. In several years of that pace, I broke a 3/8″ drive ratchet and burned up my $10 4-1/2″ angle grinder after using it non stop for hours. All of my other HF power tools survived as did my 18 volt cordless drills. The company always bought great drill bits but they were always missing or hidden somewhere. I used my HF drill bits and kept them locked up for my own use. My air tools were worked at an unmerciful pace. I used my left hand drill bits and broken bolt extractors every day. ALL of them survived! I don’t know what the heck you folks are expecting but I made $150,000 with those tools and they still stand ready to go back into service anytime.
Jimbo Says:
April 9th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
The variable speed multifunction power tool is great so far. Also another nickname (courtesy of a buddy) is Horrible Freight.
Cameron Says:
April 23rd, 2010 at 9:11 am
If you have a local store that is the way to go. You can hold and feel the stuff you are buying instead of just looking at a picture. I look at the catalogs and am signed up for the “Inside Track” club where they send you coupons for secret sales that are RIDICULOUSLY low-priced even compared to their normal super-sale prices. The $30 membership paid for itself the second time I went to the store.
Being able to actually feel and touch the items makes a big difference. I’ve often gone into the store intending to buy something that looked good in the catalog or the sale coupon from the Inside Track Club only to be dissapointed when I was able to see it in person.
I only wish that the nearest store to me was closer than a 1/2-hour drive (longer with traffic). Whenever I’m in the area I stop by unless my wife is with me. She knows that I can’t get out of that store in under 2 hours and without spending at least $100. But that $100 is often so much stuff that it hardly fits in the trunk. When stuff is on sale at HF it might as well be free.
I agree with FLASH GORDON above, HF tools are good enough to take onto a job site if you can stand the ribbing from the snobs. I’m an electrician and I’ve used a few tools from HF that are just as good as Craftsman and Husky from Home Depot. The hand tools almost all have a lifetime guarantee (photocopy and save the receipt before it fades and is unreadable).
With the way tools have legs these days it is no longer a good idea to buy high-end items. If you have snap-on or Matco tools you might as well be flushing money down the toilet or donating money to the “needy” (read greedy) on the job site as they will disappear in under a year on just about any jobsite in today’s world. The Gen-Y kids are all about 5-finger discounts and things aren’t like they were in the 70’s and 80’s where the construction trades were full of honest and upstanding folks. Today they are all crooks and any tool left at a workstation when you go to break will be gone when you return. I can afford to lose HF tools, and the greedy bastids are too proud to steel them anyhow. Good for them! Go steal someone else’s $40 snap-on wrench. My $1.99 HF special doesn’t have legs ;)
george Says:
April 29th, 2010 at 9:01 am
HF sells a “circular saw sharpener” that is shown in their catalog. I don’t live near a HF store. Has anyone tried one, any reports?
hank1 Says:
May 1st, 2010 at 9:18 am
Look here. If this link works.
http://hfreviews.com/item.php?id=9057
If not, just go to hfreviews.com and do a search.
george Says:
May 2nd, 2010 at 4:29 pm
The circular saw sharpener works as advertised, but the motor has a strange grumble every once in a while, may exchange it for that reason.
I bought a portable pipe bender in Arizona, brought it back to Minnesota, and when I went to assemble it, I was missing a box of small parts. I went to our local HF store, told them what happened and they opened a new bender box, and gave me the missing parts. Try that anywhere else. HF is my first stop when I need a tool or anything else they sell.
Dukir Says:
May 10th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Another input on the 42292 Battery Float Charger: I have and am using some of these keeping connected to batteries that are mostly idle. Just had a six month old garden tractor battery ruined because of the faulty charger. The output voltage of the charger checked 10.5 VDC with 5.3 VAC. I immediately checked three other 42292’s in service and found one running at 10.2 VDC and 4.4 VAC. The other two were OK running at ~13 VDC and millivolts AC. I disassembled the bad ones and found the 100uf 25V capacitors were bad. With a good capacitor the voltages across it was ~23 VDC and mv’s AC. (The cheap 25V capacitors aren’t adequate for the 23V level.) I’ve replaced the capacitors with some higher voltage and better quality ones; also replaced a 5V IC requlator in one of the units. The units seem OK now but I’ll sure keep a close watch and plan to replace the capacitors in the other presently good units. I agree with a prior responder that this item should be off-the-market, IT CAN KILL YOUR BATTERY!
I wouldn’t touch any HF items that require strength or hardness and I’d plan on rebuilding anything with bearings.(I’ve had to do so). Up to now I’ve considered their electronics pretty good, but maybe not.
spflyer Says:
May 12th, 2010 at 6:28 am
If you use your head and check reviews you can’t go too wrong. I’ve got their 44859 8×12 metal lathe and I can tell you it’s a true gem. I’ve also got their 44991 mill/drill and that’s another great tool. I did strip the plastic gears on the mill but Little Machine Shop sells replacement gears pretty cheap. On the mill LMS sells a belt kit to completely replace the gear drive system and if you’re going to push the mill hard you might consider replacing the gears with their kit. On the mill, I also bought a kit from LMS that converts the table from metric to inches which is a blessing. These tweaks will cost you a couple of hundred bucks, but when you’re done you’ve got a great little mill that will save your ash time and time again for a fraction of the cost of an equivalent mill. But the 8×12 lathe, man, that’s awesome right out of the crate. I probably have 10 of the orange 4 1/2 inch grinders with a different disk or wire wheel on each. At $12.00 each on sale it isn’t worth changing disks any more. I needed to pull a dozen stainless pop rivets yesterday and my little hand puller wasn’t getting it. I bought their scissors style puller for $18.00 on sale, what a great item. HF service is as good as any high end tool seller. HF is OK by me, but then again, you have to use some common sense and be willing to tweak some of their stuff.
daisy july Says:
May 14th, 2010 at 3:10 am
As a factory in China, we can offer various kinds of Tools. someone said that chinese tools with bad quality, bez he just used small parts factores’s products.
As I knew, many tools were made in China, and so many guyes use them very well.
I had never use HF tools, but I looking forward to use it some day, and then compare with chinese tools.
Adam Says:
May 14th, 2010 at 9:55 am
I’m pretty new on the HF scene so I haven’t made that many purchases. But everything I have purchased has worked every bit as good as I expected for the price.
Now I won’t touch a lot of the stuff. I’ll spend that $100 on my Bosch Colt instead of their trim router. I’ll buy that Dewalt and Bosch cordless drills over HF’s $25 versions. But there are great deals and value in HF tools.
- The $2 or $3 multimeter – 92020
- Drill Socket Extensions – 42191
- 1/2″ Brushes – 41338 (Use them as glue brushes)
- 6″ & 12″ Bar Clamps – 96210 & 96214 (I’ll pay for the good Bessey or Jorg. 18″ & up clamps.)
- 4 1/2″ angle grinder – 95578 (For $10, come on! $90 for the Dewalt I was gonna buy. I felt so bad I didn’t even use my 20% coupon.)
- Magnetic bowl/tray – 97825
- Bigfoot Panel Wagon – 32826 (Not a tool, but my wife and I love this for our daughter. Better than the in-laws radio flyer. My best HF purchase to date.)
Hopefully my latest buy, the metal service cart (6650), is what I expect it to be. Just want something to store/move various supplies and tools around my workshop on. And at about half the cost of a craftsman, with a middle tray to boot, I know I won’t be dissapointed.
I want to re-emphasize that everything I’ve bought has been on sale. I’ve used the 20% coupon when I could. And only bought stuff I’d read positive things about. If you do this, following what I call “The 3 HF rules”, you shouldn’t be dissapointed.
I would like to find the T-handle ratcheting screwdriver. I’d buy about a dozen of those if I could find it. “HF reviews” has it as item 96560. But I just can’t find it. Help anyone?
Bonnie Says:
May 20th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
I buy hundreds and hundreds of dollars of Harbor Freight merchandise every year that I use in classes and also some items for resale. I agree that some items are total junk, but others are a great deal. I buy the brass toothbrushes, bar clamps, hole saw sets, hand files, sanding belt cleaning blocks, diamond burs, and much more and all have been decent quality for a decent price. I also have a Harbor Freight band saw that is 30 years old, delivered by truck before HF had retail outlets. My husband burnt out the motor cutting ironwood, but with the new motor the thing is still going strong. I have replaced the rubber tires, blades and inserts but that is normal wear and tear. I sold my old HF 6×48″ belt sander to buy a new one made by Delta. I’ve had that less than 3 years and it’s going back into the shop soon for the third time. The switch keeps going bad and it seems no better made than my old one that had hundreds of hours of use. I have a right angle grinder that is a workhorse, all for about $15 on sale. I also use the variable speed corded drill as it’s one of the few I’ve found with a locking trigger and speed adjusting wheel – and it was only $15 on sale. I also bought one of the folding platform carts and use it a lot to move stuff back and forth at classes and shows. It was a bargain at about $25. I figure this is the place to buy tools that you use ocassionally so you don’t have to invest a lot – but I’ve used and abused mine extensively and all still work.
K-man Says:
May 22nd, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Bought a stud finder for 8 bucks hoping it would do the job for hanging stuff in my new house. Stupid thing didn’t even work as soon as I opened it. I don’t know if I’ll be back to buy anything again.
Mark Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 4:07 am
Several years ago, my uncle bought a 1/3 HP bench grinder from HF. The brand was something like “Ohio Forge” although it was made in China. Brand new out of the box the grinder would not operate.
After returning it for another grinder, which also would not run, he ended up giving it to me. The grinder appeared to be very similar to my own American made 1/3 HP grinder. However, looks can be deceiving. The first thing I noticed is that it weighed about 1/2 as much as my 1/3 HP bench grinder. After comparing the two grinders, I found that the Chinese grinder was much lighter for two reasons:
1) The very poor quality cast iron was saturated with air pockets.
2) The motor windings contained about1/2 as much copper and were much larger in diameter. (leaving more air space in between).
I no longer recall (nor care) what exactly was wrong with the grinder, but I was able to get it working. After patiently waiting for it to build up speed, I attempted to grind a 1/4” bolt and the motor came to a dead stop. Even when the bolt was no longer in contact with the grinding wheel, the motor continued to hum at 0 RPM. The motor remained stationary until I gave the wheel a push start.
A friend suggested that the lack of power may be due to the metric system; reasoning that in China a 1/4 inch bolt would be considered a 25.4 mm bolt.…so perhaps the same ratio applies to horse power (since 25 divided by 1/4 = 100) maybe 1 American HP = 100 Chinese HP.
Another friend suggested that Chinese horses may be much smaller than American horses.
Although I once visited a HF store, I could find nothing there worth buying. I do not understand why any American would put their safety as well as their freedom at risk, for nothing more than a disposable tool. Personally, I refuse to send a dime of my money to any communist country.
Before sending your own money to China, you might consider that you will also be sending more of our nations jobs to China. Most Americans seem unaware of the fact that our nations wealth is being transferred to China, in exchange for nothing more than disposable Chinese junk.
China, which until recently was populated by peasants, now has 340 thousand millionaires (and growing) while in America the number of millionaires are declining at a proportional rate.
If this trend continues, we will all be peasants very soon.
Ron Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
I agree with Mark but a 1/4 inch bolt would actually be 6.35mm. So, 1 American HP would be equal to 25 Chinese HP.
Randy Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
In response to Mark above:
It’s too bad about your grinder and the problems you had with it. As for the rest of your post, it is only partially accurate, and a small part at that.
There’s plenty in HF that is “worth” buying. If you went in and couldn’t observe that some of the stuff was pretty solid, then you had your mind made up before you went in. If you bought the same item from Sears and Craftsman was stamped on it, you’d puff out your chest and act like a true American hero, humming a Toby Kieth song all the way home. However, plenty of overseas stuff is made for Sears, Snap-on, Husky, Matco, etc. They put their name on it and mark the price up 200%. Hell, even HF is making a profit at the price they sell stuff and the rate that some of it is returned because it breaks. Think about that.
A good portion of HF stuff comes from Taiwan and India, not just China. Taiwan generally makes decent tools, and is not communist. India is not communist, but is still working on their manufacturing. Some is good, some is bad. China is not really communist anymore. My uncle has worked there for about 15 years. He says that there is more capitalism in China than in America now. After taking a hard look around, I’m not sure that I really disagree with him. I’m still glad that I live in the US.
As for being a millionaire, so what? In 95% of the cases where someone has a net worth of $1 million, it’s on paper, not because they are sleeping on a stack of money every night. Sure there is a growing rate of wealth in Asia. There’s a ton of manufacturing and economic activity there. Some of it may be a super bubble that is completely artificial, some of it is real. There are still a lot more millionaires in America than anywhere else. If there are less now than there were a few years ago, it’s not because someone bought a Chinese tool, but because of the stock market crash.
I’ll not likely be a peasant soon. If I am, it’s because I failed to do something valuable enough to get paid what I need to keep my lifestyle, not because I bought a set of impact sockets at HF for $20 instead of at Sears for $50. By the way, the impact sockets at HF are really great quality. No complaints. Of all the things I’ve bought there, I could count the list of pure junk on one hand. Live and learn and inspect carefully. Sometimes even use that warranty buy-up plan.
MICHAEL Says:
May 31st, 2010 at 10:38 pm
As a general contractor, I use HF all the time. You just have to pay attention to what you’re buying and what you’re going to use it for. I typically expect a hf tool to last 1/2 as long and cost 1/5 as much as a name-brand. The numbers speak for themselves. Besides that, some of their products truly are innovative and solid. There’s a magazine article about winches floating around on the net where they tested about 10 different winches on a 4×4 trail from winching hell. The HF was one of TWO out of the entire bunch that survived to run another trail.
MICHAEL
Daine Says:
June 9th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
I am surprised you didn’t come across the Harbor Freight “2 in 1″ floor nailer in your search and that no one has mentioned it.
It was recommended to me by the folks at a Lumber Liquidators store near me.
Sure, if flooring was my business I would probably buy a Bostitch but I have used it for several hundred feet of 3/4″ Ash. The HF unit works great and at 1/4 of the price it can’t be beat…
DP
bidwell Says:
June 12th, 2010 at 9:21 am
Big fan of 4853, the 10 inch wood clamp. Not to be confused with 42494, the 10 inch woodworking vice, which is just OK. For the money it does what it does, but it has too much give from side to side which you don’t get on nicer vices.
nemoskull Says:
June 12th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
i bought a 80 amp DC inverter welder from harbor freight, and its not bad. it can weld 1/8 inch mild steel using HF 7014 rods and is easy enough to strike and arc. got me welding for 100 dollars, yeah, made in china, but then again, china produces and uses more steel than any one in the world. i won’t be welding buildings, but around the home it saves lots of money otherwise spent on replacments and metal shops.
Peter Ballenger Says:
June 15th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
I bought a 45 Watt Solar Panel Kit and it works perfectly. I have had no problems with Harbor Freight. I was surprised to see so much derogatory information on the “toolcrib.com”.
PB
Coach James Says:
July 3rd, 2010 at 11:42 am
“…… For the home/weekend wrencher I recommend Craftsman/Husky. They both come out of the same factory.”
Nope. Husky wrenches are made overseas in Taiwan and China. Craftsman are made in the USA by Danaher.
Ron Peters Says:
July 7th, 2010 at 12:33 am
I got the Dado saw blade set $50. The blades are not the same circumference which causes them to leave a rough dado cut. Bunch of crappola, I should have spent $150 for a real tool, because this is junk. Can’t return it because I put it on the shelf to use at a later date. Not sure where the receipt is now.
Alex O Says:
July 12th, 2010 at 2:08 am
I am a frequent buyer at my local Harbor Freight and feel fortunate that one is right down the road. I am entirely happy with 95% of what I buy there because in the handyman work I do on the side, on top of picking up construction and remodel gigs whenever I can, the HF tools pay for themselves in short order.
In my situation, it is far more important to be completely equipped than to have a few of the very best tools. I also have to constantly consider the theft/loss issue. I even buy some HF tools used. I recently scored one of those 2% duty cycle wire feed welders for $60 used, and it paid for itself the next day. I will buy another one probably this week just to have a backup, and be able to run different size wire without changing stuff over. I bought some of their 4″ grinders and fried one lately, not sure what went wrong inside it but I got a replacement in store easily enough since I am a frequent customer. No regrets there, as I will probably buy another.
I got one of their 10″ sliding compound miter saws and it was missing stuff when I took it home and opened the box. I went back to the store to get some of the items that were missing and they had to pull them from a display model. Apart from that, the saw works fine and has taken some hard knocks in the back of my van with no damage to it. Their 10″ and 12″ models use the same 15 amp motor, so if you don’t need to get aggressive about cutting capacity, get the 10″, as you might overload the 12″ with a lot of work, but an added benefit of the 12″ is that it comes with one of those alignment lasers built-in.
I bought one of their “lighted” power cords and the little LED burned out, but I never bothered to return it since the cord works fine anyway.
Recently got one of their 1/2″ drive electric impact wrenches – very powerful. It was one of those “open box” manager specials that someone else bought, used and returned. I used one of the famous 20% off coupons to get it for only $32. No regrets. The thing is awesome. Some careful shopping for impact sockets and extensions puts me fully into 1/2″ impact capability for under $100. Can you say: “pays for itself on the first job”?
I don’t go for cheap chicom cordless tools, but then my Hitachi is made in China, and my Dewalts mostly made in Mexico. I had an embarrassing escapade once with cheap 18v cordless tools on a roofing job never to be repeated. After that, I started to make sure that my cordless stuff would be name brand, so I have decided to go all Dewalt, until I borroweed one of those 10.8 volt Hitachi mini-drivers and decided I had to have one. I heard there are some OK cordless tools from HF now, but am not sure which ones they are and don’t want to risk it.
My Hitachi roofing nailer double feeds and screws up a lot, so I bought an HF nailer brand new. Not tried it yet, but then I can play the warranty game on my first job with it anyway. Their $14 to $25 brad nailer/stapler (depending on whether or not you get it on sale) feels cheap but works excellent, I mean, how can you go wrong for $14? Their impact sockets seem good to go, with entire sets costing what one or two Snap-ons would cost. I also use them as a #1 source for air hose and fittings, except nothing compares with the Flexzilla hoses I get from a local tool truck supplier (Boss Tools out of Vancouver). I look pretty closely at the ratchet handles and breaker bars from HF, and they seem pretty good, equal to some higher name brands. I like their composite ratchet handles too. One workaround for 1/2″ stuff is to just get their impact sockets, that way you know they are strong enough to last with anything you would do to them with a hand ratchet or breaker bar.
My shopping list now includes one of their tubing benders, spot welder, a roto-hammer, their electric jackhammer, another wire feed welder, another auto-darkening weld helmet (my old one will be the loaner) and maybe some of their solar panel kits for the mobile workshop trailer I am building.
I would mostly agree that you get what you pay for, but there is a whole lot of stuff at HF where you are really getting more for your money, and for someone getting back into the groove like I am, they are really saving my position in the economy by helping me to get re-equipped so I can work independently rather than depend on working for other shops and contractors who have a chokehold on my income because I was previously just the laborer using their tools.
Roger Keeling Says:
July 12th, 2010 at 9:12 pm
This is a terrific website, and I want to thank you for it. I was specifically scanning your lists of “good enough” and “junk” tools for a take on the HF 12″ sliding compound miter saw with laser guide (not seemingly mentioned), so I might have missed any references to their tile saws. But as I’ve just finished up a small bathroom floor here with one, I should comment.
About four years ago, at the behest of my siblings, I drove to California to install a new ceramic tile floor throughout my Mom’s house. I had planned to rent a good tile saw, but I am incredibly slow at such work. I figured out that renting the saw for as long as two weeks (750 sq ft of tile, and did I mention I am REALLY SLOW?) was going to cost about as much as buying one. But this was a budget deal, so I grit my teeth and bought HF’s sliding table tile saw. It was either $199 plus $60 or so for the stand, or $299 plus $60 for the stand. Can’t remember. Either way, it has been a really good buy. A better blade would reduce chipping, but I didn’t judge that a good expenditure since all but 5-6 cuts (at doorways, mainly) ended up hidden under baseboards anyhow.
I’ve now used that saw for a number of small jobs. This week, it was 30 sqf of porcelein floor tile in my bathroom. Still on the first blade which, honestly, ought to be trashed. Just a heck of a deal. Probably wouldn’t buy it if I were a pro, but for me it’s paid for itself several times over.
And here’s another HF tool worthy of a bit of praise. I’d previously used a borrowed, honkin’ Porter-Cable 1/2″ drill for mixing thinset. Never owned one myself, and could never justify the $150 to $250 they run at Home Depot. But this week I had to have one for this bath tile, and at $35 or so it seemed a safe buy. It was: feels and works like a pretty nice, basic drill. Did the job without complaint. Didn’t cost much. I’d love to have a Bosch or PC or DeWalt or even a Rigid, but this is considerably better than nothing.
Tool Dude Says:
July 22nd, 2010 at 6:09 am
This Facebook page is dedicated to how Harbor Freight sucks as a company!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harbor-Freight-Sucks/145522102125479
Enjoy!
judgesander Says:
August 1st, 2010 at 11:54 pm
the electric fly swatters are great! but the chicago electric $7-$10 dremel type high speed grinding tool is unbelievable rubbish. it is so weak that touching one of the tools to a job stops the rotation completely. i figured it is worth it for the grinding and cutting bits. i stuck a grinding stone in a real dremel, lo and behold it disintegrated like a piece of soap. they all did.
Skip Smith Says:
August 6th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Do not buy anything with rechargable power! I bought a cordless drill and the battery only lasted long enough to screw down 15 wood screws the first time I charged it. Within 4 months, it was down to 5 screws! I hear that all the time from everyone that buys any china made rechargable from Harbor Freight. Get a name brand rechargable and save yourself some grief!
Bubba B Says:
August 6th, 2010 at 11:12 am
I bought a set of orange plyers and it came with orange channel locks. I used the orange channels locks to hold a bolt while I turned a wrench on the nut. It unexpectedly exploded in my hand! It completely shattered like glass! Next time, I’ll buy name brand Channel Locks, not a china made copy!
tools for sale Says:
August 8th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
You get what you pay for with tools. It’s worth paying the extra and getting better quality that lasts longer
Alan M S Says:
August 11th, 2010 at 9:03 am
I’m not sure what all the fuss is about. I’ve purchased many items over the years from a broad range of departments and have come to this conclusion: Harbor Freight has a wonderful business model and has learned from their mistakes. In general, I believe that the quality and reliability of HF tools used by the trades has improved to meet the higher standards required by those who rely on them for a living, especially guys just starting out. There may be better products out there and the pro will most likely buy their favorite name with known reliability, but this has always been true. The management of this company, on the other hand, aren’t stupid people and they know what is required to grow a business and that a company isn’t built on selling shoddy products for vary long. Also, one must consider that HF is not the only company using Chinese labor; I imagine that most similar items are being built today in Chinese manufacturing facilities, even those of Japanese firms. It may be that HF will emerge some day as a top name in tools; you never know. Probably the biggest winners are those DIYers and casual weekend hobbyists who don’t necessarily require the ruggedness or durability demanded by the pro. Another appealing aspect of HF is its enormous range of products almost too numerous to count. If you need it, they will probably have it. The bottom line: check out HF products for yourself, do your due diligence and if it breaks, return it for an exchange or get your money back.
Bechto Says:
August 12th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
I use a lot of HF stuff – some bought as one time throwaways, others for keeps. Service (returns) have always been without problems.
I really question the “Mad in China is Crap” rule… I know a lot of it is junk, but if you know anything about tools you should be able to make a qualified decision.
Last week I bought an angle grinder. My union friend next door had some comments, especially about “buying American”. For one thing, I buy what I perceive as a good deal – besides, as I pointed out, most of his beloved Milwaukee power tools are – yep – Made in China!!!
Dave Says:
August 15th, 2010 at 5:51 am
Great article, great info!
Keep up the good work!
Garry Says:
August 16th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
I bought the HF 66604 generator last Christmas during a bad storm. It is rated 6500W/7000 surge. Ended up only using it a few hours until this last weekend where I powered my whole house for about 12 hours after a severe storm. Great item, even ran my heatpump for AC. It was a sweltering 85 out all night, and we were the only ones in the neighborhood who were cool. While certainly not quiet, it’s not as loud as you’d expect. I have previously borrowed a Kawasaki and Lowes store brand (forgot the name) and those suckers HOWLED. If I had close neighbors they would have hated them. The HF unit is quiet enough to let your neighbors sleep.
One thing to note, don’t fire up the AC immediately after starting the generator. It takes a while for the compressor to drain down the pressure and you’ll surely bog the generator trying to get it to start. Don’t worry, just running the rest of the house for 30 minutes before firing up the AC works great for me. This last time I fired it up, threw the switch to power the house, then finished watching a TV show and dinner before firing up the AC. Ran perfect all night long.
Get it on sale for $599 and use a 20% coupon for a whopping great deal of $480 for an electric start generator! Awesome.