Harbor Freight: What's the Catch?

I've always been curious about them, simply because they have a great selection of crap and the prices are almost too low. So I rolled the dice yesterday, ordered an angle grinder, a set of grinding discs, a stepped drill bit set, an apron, a magentic parts tray, and some dust masks, and the bill was only $55. Now, with an apron or a parts tray, it is what it is. What I'm curious about is the angle grinder, which was all of $27. Are their power tools so inexpensive because they're junky, like the off-brands you find at Big Lots? I mean, for $27, I don't expect it to last forever, but is it going to burn out after the 3rd use?

we used to have a store arround the corner here and I've bought a few power tools from them that all crapped out after a few uses. Their hand tools and such are decent though, but I've made it a point to never buy power tools from them unless i only intend to use it once or twice.

Negative. I love Harbor Freight. I actually sanded down my entire deck as it needed it pretty badly. First went to Lowe's and picked up a B&D belt sander. After about 30 minutes of use, it failed on me. Refusing to go back to Lowe's and drop some more cash, I decided to go to Harbor Freight. Found a good sander for less than $40.00. The sander was powerful and built strong. Finished off the entire deck without any more problems.

I have heard that you can't expect them to last forever, but that's mainly if you're doing commerical jobs. If you're only going to use the grinder every once in a while, you will be just fine. And you saved a lot of money in the process!

I have (5) Harbor Freight power tools, all have worked for quite some time flawlessly... they are still running. I have cut many a keggle with my HF angle grinder

+1 for HF.

If you're just a weekend warrior and not a contractor or something where you need the tools every day, harbor freight is a good inexpensive way to fill your garage with tools that are nice to have around for the occasional use.

For something might only get used a couple times a year there is nothing wrong with HF. Even some of their stuff will hold up really well. A friend of mine has a big ass compressor he got from there. He has had it aboout 3 or 4 years and uses it alot. He had to replace the gauge and bleed valve but other than that it is running fine.

I have two categories of tools: those I use all the time and will abuse mercilessly and those I'm going to use a couple of time a year for light use. For the first group (or anything that will require precision), I buy the good stuff that will last a lifetime. For the second, it's Harbor Freight. I have no complaints from the HF stuff I've bought-- the 1/2" hammer drill has actually been a pretty decent tool.

Their clamps, casters, and other assorted commodity type stuff are also a very good value.

I buy philips head screwdrivers from them by the metric crapload because they're always wandering off...

rsmith179 said:

First went to Lowe's and picked up a B&D belt sander. After about 30 minutes of use, it failed on me. Refusing to go back to Lowe's and drop some more cash.

Click to expand...

You may have wanted to look into a return???

HF is fine like others have said. However, I am of the opinion that tools in general, and power tools in particular, are an item that should be bought once to last a long time. Camping equipment, brewing stuff, and tools. Buy the best, buy them once.

Using a high quality power tools really does make a difference. However, if you really are only using it once or twice, then who cares. My tools get a lot of use, so I care.

Thanks, that's pretty much what I thought. I am a weekend warrior, so to speak...and I can't imagine using the angle grinder that often. But I wouldn't go and buy something like a cordless drill from them, because that is something I use all the time...and my DeWalt 14v XRP is pretty much my *****.

And for a table saw...well...Grizzly Industrial is the only way to roll.



I got the older version of this one, back when the entire top was made of cast iron. That whore weighs like 400 lbs...but you can bet it's the only table saw I'll ever need.

+1 on all the above. Clamps, folding sawhorse, angle grinder, recip saw, arc welder, all from HF and still working great. My advice- stuff like clamps are a no-brainer. Watch for their sales on that kind of stuff and stock up. Power tools- brute tools like the above are great if you're not making a living with them. My arc welder leaves a bit to be desired, but it was $50, I got what I paid for. Tools where you need precision and durability- hell no. Routers, router bits, table saw, dado blades, dovetail jigs, etc. are nowhere near adequate for precise woodworking.

I bought a 60 Gallon compressor a few years back for my Mustang and my FIL cougar projects and set it up at his house. Still going strong. I left it at his place and got the same model for my new garage.

Then again, I bought a high-power, low speed drill to crush grain with, and it started smoking almost immediately, so that drill will likely not live all that long.

All of my air tools are HF and they are all still going strong, cutting and grinding on our cars. I'd probably never want to use them in a professional shop, but for the weekender, I think they are a great value.

Boerderij_Kabouter said:

You may have wanted to look into a return???

HF is fine like others have said. However, I am of the opinion that tools in general, and power tools in particular, are an item that should be bought once to last a long time. Camping equipment, brewing stuff, and tools. Buy the best, buy them once.

Using a high quality power tools really does make a difference. However, if you really are only using it once or twice, then who cares. My tools get a lot of use, so I care.

Click to expand...

+1. Good tools work better. Best thing to happen was when my B&D drill finally died (it did get a lot of use) and I replaced it with a DeWalt. Better, stronger, faster. Every time I fire up my $40 Ryobi circ saw, I'm reminded of how cheap it's made (it won't stay square for very long, and it's a PITA to adjust). I don't buy contractor-grade stuff anymore, but I'm done with the cheapest, homeowner-special stuff.

Oh, and the only tools that I own that I only use once? The crappy tools like my cheap paint-sprayer (which I actually used a lot, but haven't in ages because it doesn't work well). Tools ALWAYS get re-used, there's very little that doesn't see action on a regular basis.

I bought some digital calipers from them for $20 five+ years ago and still working great, they calibrate just fine every time.
I do seem to remember paying for shipping AND handling though, 2 separate charges.
But what the hell, right? $200 coolant-proof mititoyos are nice and all, but I didn't want to spend that kind of cash.

Always buy the best you can afford.

Aubie Stout said:

Always buy the best you can afford.

Click to expand...

So because I can afford a BMW I should have bought that instead of a $9,000 used car that can accomplish the same task of hauling my butt back and forth to work every day?

Buying the best you can afford may hold true for some tools, but why would you pay $100 for a tool that you might use once a year when you could buy a cheaper one for $25? It's all about striking a balance and determining your actual needs.

marubozo said:

It's all about striking a balance and determining your actual needs.

Click to expand...

Then blowing buy them with a whirling dervish of shining stainless steel. :rockin:

For me, there is a certain quantity over quality thing going on. What I mean is that when I bought my fixer upper 160 year old farmhouse I consciously decided that I would prefer to have every conceivable power tool over a few of the best quality tools. So now I have a different nail gun for several applications, roofing, flooring, framing. I have several different table saws. About 6 different purpose sanders. Etc.

Basically if it is a tool and is powered I own some form of it now. I like that. If I was spending $200 for each tool instead of $30-$40 there is no way I would have had the cash to so equip myself. Interestingly, the only tool that I have destroyed was a Dewalt angle grinder that my dad got me as a housewarming gift. It really did not like that 4" iron drainpipe that I was cutting up. I replaced it with a Ryobi.

I have this B&D drill that just won't die despite the horrible abuse I inflict upon it. I use it for powering my grain mill and it puts out plumes of smoke but it always is ready to go for my next batch of brew. I actually have a replacement unit that I bought on sale for $24.99 sitting in a box for when this one finally gives up the ghost.

As far as hand tools, there is a different dynamic going on. It seems as though whenever I really need a particular hand tool I can't find it no matter how hard I search until I buy a replacement for it. For this reason I have duplicates of most of my hand tools. Life is too short to have an stroke searching in anger for a tool that will come out of hiding as soon as I get home from the hardware store with its replacement.

harbor freight is good for small things that cant vary much in quality (no moving parts) but their powertools are hit and miss. I had a compound miter saw that was dirt cheap and complete crap but I also have a tile saw that was cheap and still in great shape after 5 years of use. I think its best to buy tools that are mechanically simple from them, tools that have a lot of adjustments or try to do too many things at once tend to break easily especially the cheap ones.

I have a crap load of harbor freight stuff. When I bought my first and only house that I am in now, I went there quite often to load my house up with tools that I didn't already have.

I am not a master craftsman or anything and there are certainly tools that I spent more money on to get a better product because I want to have them for a lifetime, but as far as harbor freight, I get things that I am willing to loose or accept that they may break down after a while and for things like screw drivers, vise grips, painters tarp... etc... that seem to wonder off... the place is great.

Things like a table saw or miter saw or even battery powered drill I stay away though.

dontman said:

Basically if it is a tool and is powered I own some form of it now.

Click to expand...

Please tell me you don't have an electronic caulking gun...

thedigitale said:

Please tell me you don't have an electronic caulking gun...

Click to expand...

They make those?

I am all over it. I have a lot of caulking coming with my reach in cooler build.

I build guitars. It's precision work. The rule for Harbor Freight is, don't buy tools from them when you need precision. Hammers, sure. Angle grinders, sure. Drill press...not so much.

I have their $10 4" angle grinder and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Use it 2 or 3 times and it's paid for itself. I fully expect mine to crap out sooner rather than later, but I'll just buy another one when it does.

I love HF. If I know I'm going to be working with people who don't have their own tools or if I'm working in a potentially tool-threatening environment (read as building a pier), I'm happy as a clam dishing out less than $100 for some "disposable" tools. Last thing I want to do is lose some of my good power tools if I can avoid it.

Rick500 said:

I build guitars. It's precision work. The rule for Harbor Freight is, don't buy tools from them when you need precision. Hammers, sure. Angle grinders, sure. Drill press...not so much.

I have their $10 4" angle grinder and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Use it 2 or 3 times and it's paid for itself. I fully expect mine to crap out sooner rather than later, but I'll just buy another one when it does.

Click to expand...

haint never seen one for $10. Mine was 27, because I wanted a 4" instead of a 4.5". The 4.5" is $20, which is the least expensive one.

HF's a crap shoot. It seems to me, lately, that they're sacrificing more consistency than quality. My Dad bought a new hand cart when we went in last time and ~3/4 of them had a wobbly left wheel.

If you can look each item over carefully before taking it home. A visual inspection can often identify a short-lived HF tool.

If you walk into that store expecting to buy an inexpensive tool that won't live forever, then you'll leave happy. But if you're looking for Craftsman quality on shoestring budget, you're gonna be pissed. For me it's the perfect place to pick up a last second replacement or, like I said in a previous post, need a few tools that I can part with if something happens to them.

Last year we finished our basement and I wound up buying and using a ton of different tools. I needed 3 different nail guns for the work. Framing gun and two gauges of finish nailers. All three guns added up to $80 or so at HF. Comparable guns at Home depot were all over $100 each . . so $80 vs. $350 or so - that's a no-brainer.

And some of the Home Depot stuff is identical to the HF stuff, just with different labels. I bought a 4"x36" bench sander from HF for $55 . . and saw the exact same sander at Home Depot with a different name tag for $95.

So HF may be the cheapest, junkiest stuff around, but you have to spend almost 6 times as much to get to something truly better. Most of the stuff in the 2x to 5x more expensive range is just as crappy, just way overpriced.

HF air tools I'm totally happy with. I bought a compressor from them and it's been fantastic. Doesn't leak a bit.

haint never seen one for $10.

Click to expand...

They have sales every so often with insanely low prices on stuff. I paid $8.99 for my grinder, $7.99 for a recip saw, etc. I've had the best luck on the day after Thanksgiving.

I tell you what, I'm regretting the wet saw I chintzed out on a few months back (bought the $80 model; not HF). The blade's too small to do the miter cuts I need cleanly, and the guide needs to be clamped down manually.

mattmcl said:

They have sales every so often with insanely low prices on stuff. I paid $8.99 for my grinder, $7.99 for a recip saw, etc. I've had the best luck on the day after Thanksgiving.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I must have caught one of those sales. I just looked at their website and it's $27.99 right now. (I wonder why the 4" one is $27.99, but the 4.5" one is way less? By the way, they're both exactly the same except that the 4.5" version has a bigger disc guard. )

I've purchased several tools from HF. My policy is simple: buy something inexpensive, even if I think I'll use it a lot. If I do use it a fair amount and the quality is interfering with the jobs, get something better. After 40 years, I have a good circular saw, hammer drill, router and chainsaw. Every time I use the belt sander, I want to replace it because of the noise, but it keeps on doing the job.

I'm willing to bet that they sell more 4.5" angle grinders. Economy of scale.

I would caution people to say that the HF tools are the same as the more expensive versions. Often the HF tools are (quite brazenly) reverse engineered from the more expensive brands. However, they don't use the same alloys or forming processes. So a HF tool might last for 50 uses, while the more expensive, visually identical tool might last for 50,000 uses.

It's all in what you need, but don't think that they're "the same."