Harbor Freight Tools; love 'em or hate 'em?

[rockrat]

Kind of indifferent to them. Prices have gotten to the point on some things, that I can buy them from Home depot cheaper. Some decent bargains there though, but nothing like years past.

[OS OK]

HF...IMO...is a good place to replace your consumables if you don't buy the cheapest now that they offer a 'good & better' type choice in many areas.

Their tools are not professional grade but suffice for us home shop types but then...sometimes not.

[Shawlerbrook]

Agree with the above. If you pick and choose smartly there are some good buys especially for things you only use occasionally. I miss their 20-25% off coupons. They now come very infrequently.

[sharps4590]

They opened a store locally 3-5 years ago and I do shop there occasionally. As many others have said it depends on the tool and, I don't expect Snap-On quality.

Unless my memory has failed me I think I first bought from them almost 40 years ago. I don't remember what all I bought but I am still using the jack stands I bought all those years ago and the little floor jack worked for 20 or more years. Some of their stuff is pretty good, like that little chop saw many of us use for cutting cases.

Oh, I bought a little wire welder, for really light stuff, from them last spring. It had good reviews and does work good. The only problem with it so far is the operator. Boy, I cannot get the hang of that thing....lol!

Also, as others have mentioned, I don't know if I'd trust much of it to make my living with but, when I was working I was pretty married to Klein, Greenlee, Ideal to a point, Bosch and for a few tools, Milwaukee. There's a brand that's gone to the dogs in the last 30 years. I still have a big DeWalt, 1/2 in. angle drill that is really the old Black & Decker Timber Wolf. That thing is a hawg and is the only DeWalt I own except for a battery drill I bought for home use.

[farmbif]

after seeing all these responses I guess most want to keep supporting china instead of spending a bit more to support fellow countrymen in good ole USofA
and yes I sure do understand that some things are only made made in china these days but for a lot of things there are options. I would rather help make America great again by supporting and buying made in usa products and avoiding made in china stuff whenever possible.

and I'll add I always try to support local independent business retailers rather than buy from big chain stores.

[Hannibal]

As others have said as long as you know how to inspect the tools before purchasing and know how to use them they'll generally get the job done and last a reasonable time.

That said, I do use hand held electric tools considerably and often use them pretty hard so I opt for DeWalt or Milwaukee when it comes those.

[Electrod47]

There was a time I fed my family off the work I did with my tools. Because of that I was a tool snob. Snap-on, Mac, Matco were my go to back in the day. But, with that said, Harbor Frt is my go to these days. They are fine. .....( fine enough, anyway ) Some have said that's supporting China. Wellllll...All I see is the names of my USA companies all over that stuff anyway. So who's
gonna sort through that mess. Lifes to short.

[Hannibal]

after seeing all these responses I guess most want to keep supporting china instead of spending a bit more to support fellow countrymen in good ole USofA
and yes I sure do understand that some things are only made made in china these days but for a lot of things there are options. I would rather help make America great again by supporting and buying made in usa products and avoiding made in china stuff whenever possible.

and I'll add I always try to support local independent business retailers rather than buy from big chain stores.

That ship sailed a long time ago. There isn't enough manufacturing left in the US to avoid buying things from overseas. I don't like it either, but trying to fight it is less productive than trying to ice skate up a hill.

[megasupermagnum]

Harbor Freight used to make a lot more sense than they do today. A lot of it is due to the import restrictions on China, which is a good thing. I've bought a number of things from there. A good rule of thumb is if it doesn't have moving parts, it is probably ok. If it does have moving parts, you had better think twice. I have a number of HF sockets. Their sockets are as good as any Chinese sockets, and better than many. They are thick, but that way they don't break. The few I've ground down to fit in tight areas have all broken eventually, but I can't recall breaking an un-ground one. I'd skip the pliers. I've broken every HF pliers or cutter I had. I know many are fine with their generators, but I've had nothing but failure. I've got one in my garage right now that I can't give away for free. It is the 3rd one, after I returned the first and second for different issues. This one starts... kind of... on a warm day... after 30 pulls. I even went so far as to buy a HF air compressor. First one tripped the breaker. Second one would kind of kick over a couple times before it tripped the breaker. Got my money back for that one. Bought a USA Craftsman compressor, and it's been working since. I've also owned a number of HF torque wrenches. They used to practically give them away. I recall them being $10, plus they gave you a free tape measure. They work for a while, then one day they don't really work right. The only one I still own that hasn't failed is a 1/2" that I use for stuff like lug nuts.

You have to remember this was back when HF stuff was insanely cheap, dumped on us by Chinese slave labor. Today the prices are such that it's not worth shopping at HF very much. The sockets have become so expensive, I don't think they are worth buying anymore. There is a caveat. HF has specialty sockets that are worth it. For the most part you are better off today going Menards or similar. HF warrantee is odd in that nobody cares there. You bring in your junk and they just toss it in their massive junk pile and you either get another one, or a refund. Sometimes they check their computer to make sure you bought it, sometimes they don't care.

For all I've "saved" at HF, I've thrown away as much of their junk. When sockets were $8.99 a set, it wasn't so bad.

[downzero]

They are great. Have to be careful what you buy; if it's a tool where you need the quality more than just needing something for occasional use, you should go elsewhere. I like American made tools too, but Craftsman are made in Taiwan now and Husky and Cobalt always were made in China/Taiwan. With no local source for U.S.-made stuff, I have compromised and bought some cheaper tools for things I use less often. My toolbox from them is also superb; it replaced a box from Home Depot that broke and I couldn't get correct parts for it, so I repaired it my way, sold it, and replaced it with an HF box.

I do not use them for ratchets, sockets, or wrenches, but for extensions, tool boxes, seldom used power tools like wood saws, grinding discs, sanders, jacks, and specialty automotive tools, I have saved a boatload and without HF, I would be struggling without the right tools at all in a lot of cases. The transmission jack alone I've only used twice in 10 years, but when you need something like, that, you really need it. I now own it for less than it costs to rent, and I'm not in any hurry to return a rental too since it's mine for life.

[Froogal]

Personally, I don't love 'em and I don't hate 'em.

But I don't give myself reason to hate 'em. I just don't have high expectations for what I'm getting. If I buy something there, It's generally with the intention of using it once or twice because that's all I need it for.

Absolutely, if I were making my living with my tool set, it wouldn't be tools I bought from HF!

--Wag--

The last tool I bought from them was to be just occasional use, but it was junk and didn't work right out of the box. HF would NOT replace it, hence my philosophy of never darkening their door again.

[wildwilly501]

Their U S General tool cabinets are well made better than Craftsman and a least equal to or better than Lowe’s Kobalt or Home Depot.Not equal to Snap On but not near the money

[Winger Ed.]

Opinions of Harbor Freight?

There's not one around here, and I don't miss them.

In the city, I went into one one time and didn't see much more than cheap Chinese trash.

Unless it's a last resort--
I don't buy that stuff, then moan and groan about why we can't find good American made tools any more.

In the old days, I used to see a bumper sticker that read:
"Buy American. The job you save may be your own".

[Jeff Michel]

I'm not sure if any power hand tools are currently made in the US. Last I heard Black and Decker and Royobi was still made here but that was a few years back. I guess there must be a province in China now named Milwaukee, the chop saw I just picked was manufactured there. To change the subject a bit to rant, I went shoe shopping the other day, couldn't find a pair of shoes made in the US. Even my go too brand, Red Wings/Irish Setters are made now in Vietnam. Sorry for the rant, this is the country that taught the rest of the world how to manufacture stuff and now look at us. To stick to the thread, yes, I buy Harbor Freight stuff, their Badland winches are very good, I have a 2500 on my Gator (Made in Wisconsin, I'll be damned ) Very satisfied with it.

[lightman]

I neither love nor hate them. I just don't use them very much. The last thing I bought from them was a set of steel letter stamps. My intended purpose for them was to tack weld a few together for stamping lead. PB, WW, ect. I figured the cheap steel would still be harder than lead! I turned an "M" over to make the 2nd W.

[MarkP]

I usually only buy single use tools that I figure I will not use again or to save my higher quality tools from abuse; I bought their 4-1/2" angle grinder, dust shroud, cyclone dust separator, and diamond cup wheel, to grind my concrete floor prior to tiling it. I expected it to burn up and the dust collection system not to work very well. Everything worked better than expected and the grinder still works fine after pretty hard continuous use. Also bought stubby wrenches and other cheap wrenches to cut and bend to make special use tools for getting into hard to access areas. They have a nice hatchet with a Hickory handle and a decent automotive trim removal kit.

I try to buy US made items that I plan to use often.

[megasupermagnum]

I'm not sure if any power hand tools are currently made in the US. Last I heard Black and Decker and Royobi was still made here but that was a few years back. I guess there must be a province in China now named Milwaukee, the chop saw I just picked was manufactured there. To change the subject a bit to rant, I went shoe shopping the other day, couldn't find a pair of shoes made in the US. Even my go too brand, Red Wings/Irish Setters are made now in Vietnam. Sorry for the rant, this is the country that taught the rest of the world how to manufacture stuff and now look at us. To stick to the thread, yes, I buy Harbor Freight stuff, their Badland winches are very good, I have a 2500 on my Gator (Made in Wisconsin, I'll be damned ) Very satisfied with it.

Yes, most Dewalt power tools are made in USA.

[Winger Ed.]

Yes, most Dewalt power tools are made in USA.

You have to watch 'em.
They've snuck in some Chinese ones in the last couple of years.

[samari46]

Bought one of their lynx battery chain saws a couple years ago. Still going strong. Matter of fact was in there yesterday. Bought a few of the abrasive type wheels with the abrasive impregnated cords. Have a garage back door to get repainted. Scrapers will remove the bulk of the paint, the wheels should get the rest. Frank

[rbuck351]

HF has some good tools and some cheap junk. I have one of their cheap chain saw sharpeners that looks like junk but works very well. I have a sharpener for carbide table saw blades that does a good job but is slow to set up. I like their rolls of 6" disc sander discs. Pliers, dykes, vice grips and such I will get somewhere else. The wife bought me a set of 6" water pump pliers by Knipex ($35) about ten years ago That still are like new. I bought a jeep yj with a 12,000 lb badland winch and I got another for my 20 ft trailer, they both work well. So yeah some good some bad from HF.