I have never had a tool that I purchased at Harbor Freight that failed to perform well enough to complete a given job. And given my skill level, I doubt the finished jobs would have looked any better had I used more expensive tools. Granted, the quality might not be the same as more expensive, professional-grade tools, but why pay a lot more for a tool you might use a half-dozen times at most. I have Harbor Freight tools that I picked up at garage sales and Craig's List that have never failed me.

I have had pretty good luck with them as well. If i were using them every day, I would want something better but for those tools that are just used every now and then they work fine.

I like Harbor Freight but usually stick to non-power tools and tools with minimal moving parts.

Harbor Freight paint brushes suck.

I have had a power tool break (burnt up motor I think), took it back and they swapped me a new one. Not bad for cheap few times a year use tools. I even have looked into their bench top mill to finish out some 80% pieces. I also use their bungee chords and ratchet straps because I cannot keep up with them and they are cheap to replace. I do go to HomeD more often because its closer.

If I need something in the tools department, they are my first stop. Occasionally one will fail, but to be fair most of the times it was my fault. A $19 drill wasn't made to drill 240 holes using a 1 1/2 spade bit through 4x6:s. Took that one back, got a new one for no additional cost and finished that project.

I agree. I buy bungee cords, straps, tarps and storage bags or boxes. And wires ties.

They are also good for speciality items. 12 inch long nose pliars, moving blankets.

You need to know what your buying. Some tools are 30% qaulity for 80% of the cost of name brand. Some are good value and some are a waste of money. Have not bought a big ticket item.

Good just to browse, but so is Tractor Supply and Northern Tool.

I bought a HF 6amp Reciprocating Saw $20 w/coupon hoping it would last just long enough to demo 1 wall; (bi-metal blade pack too) - well, it worked just fine and surprised only needed 1 blade to even chew thru countless 16d nails...
Figured it served it's purpose so I proceeded to abuse it severely by using it to trim countless cedar branches out back (it is nice and light compared to my chainsaw,and I had plenty of cord...) - dang thing just keeps on going..

Then I needed to cut on a brick wall - found diamond-coated blades at store, and yes, same saw chewed right thru that brick like butter...

It's two years later, and I've used the same saw on additional demo work, and STILL havent broken a single blade from that original pack!

Maybe not as good as a $200 saw if you're full-time construction, but certainly good enough for occasional use. Got my money's worth! (and the dang saw is still running strong!)

Their 3/8dr sockets are good... I use them everyday... took my snap-on stuff home. That’s not a joke.

Mostly snap-on

I buy a few things there but I try to shy away from the tools and hardware.

My first experience was with a strap wrench I bought there. I was installing a free float rail on a AR build and it was toast when I got done with it.

Next experience was with their little rotary tool (like a Dremel). I just needed it to cut some plastic battery trays in half for my boat. Figured with a cut off wheel provided in the same package it would be a piece of cake. WRONG!!!! Thing had near zero power!! Couldn't even cut the soft plastic of a battery tray! Bought Dad a Dremel for Christmas and at 20% power I bet I could amputate a leg if I wanted.

And their hardware is pathetic!!! Tried building a feeder with some sheet metal screws in one of their sheet metal screw kits. HAHA!!! Even with a pilot hole I was ripping the threads off the screws. Went to home depot and got the job done in less time than it took to strip out 3 Harbor Freight screws.

I do buy zip ties there. Hard to beat 100 Dupont zip ties for $1.99 when they are on sale.

I like HF. As soon as Kroger moved out of their old store I emailed HF and 2 months later Huntsville got HF. Sure beats driving an hour to HF. Not everything's great quality but I've never stripped threads from their screws. JCB, maybe you weren't using a big enough hammer.

The fewer moving parts their tools have the better

Oh I forgot about my pair of snap ring pliers I bought there.

I needed to change a bearing on a lawn mower which required removing a snap ring on the rear axle. Quick stop at Harbor Freight and found the pliers I needed and was off to the mower shop for the bearing I needed. I got home and am too embarrassed to tell you how long I spent trying to get that snap ring off, but I was never able to do it with those pliers. You see the center pivot pin was made out of a very soft material (I think it was aluminum) and it crushed on the first attempt to remove the snap ring. After way to long I gave up on those pieces of **** and went to Home Depot for a $10 pair of Husky that are still working just fine even today.

Im hard headed some times but I try to stay away from Harbor Freight when I can now despite the lure of really cheap prices.

No argument here. I'll stick with HF. If you're a liberal you'll think I'm a racist but I can live with that.

I buy them for work (shop tools) because the idiots I work with could destroy a 2" ball bearing with a wet noodle.....

I won't buy good tools for them to tear up....if they're gonna break it anyway better to buy the cheap stuff.....

Personal stuff.....not so much....

You should do better at hiring.

Oil field....and that decision is out of my control....I just get whatever hand is dealt to me.....

Often tools are expendable items.

Or just a cost of doing business considering what you have to work with......

Lmao. You have got to be kidding.

I use tools every day. The welding gloves I bought at Harbor Freight would be falling apart after one days use. I have bought angle grinders and chop saws there and they might last two or three months.....DeWalts (even though also built in China) will last me two or three years. I will not say "you get what you pay for" ....Tools like Snap-on are massively overpriced.

If you have never purchased a tool that has failed to do the job you should try a few more. I have had several break and leave me in a bind. Now I am much more picky about what I buy there. They do make a nice tool box though.

Using tools every day is not the same as using a tool maybe half a dozen times. I have higher-end tools I use a lot. HF tools are great for the occasional DIYer or for someone interested in a tool but not sure if they'll like it. You can get a HF tool and find if you like it or not. When it breaks and you like the tool, buy a good quality tool. No reason to buy the top of the line tool and find you wasted your $$$.

For power tools:
- I bought a Bauer 20V drill and built a workbench and several pieces of reclaimed wood furniture.
Had it for about a year and still working well. The only thing I don't like is the motor shoots off sparks as soon as I release the trigger.
The 20V DeWalt I have at work doesn't do that.
- Also bought this cheap rotary tool to fix my SigSauer Mosquito. Did the job without any problem and still working well.
- Got a hot glue gun for the GF to work on some of her crafts. She likes it.

For hand tools:
- All ratchets and accessories I got worked well.
- 2 levels I had worked, but then each had one of their bubble vials leak out. I can still use them.
- A channel-lock pliers I bought had the worse set of teeth on it. Couldn't grip hardly anything.


In general, they're good for the weekend DIYer.
Treat them well, but keep those receipts in safe spot.

4-1/2 " angle grinder, use one time then it would't even come on.I be done with HF.

The sad thing is, we get the "good stuff" here in America. I've been to a kind of Walmart/Dollar Store in third-world Zambia (Africa) and absolute crap Chinese junk is all those people have available to them. Makes you thankful for just the shoes on your feet.

Cant beat them for the price. Have lots of hand tools from them and have used several power tools over the years. I got several years use out of an angle grinder before the bearings went out. Their cheap tools definitely have their place.

I have never been in either a Harbor Freight or Northern Tool ... I think that would be like a drug addict visiting a drug store and would come out broke after many hours roaming ...

HF = Imported, cheap garbage. Waste of my time using their crap.

Top brands, Delta Jet Powermatic, all made in China. One of the best companies to deal with for woodworking tools is Grizzly tools, their customer service is excellent, everything comes from China. One f the icons, Crescent wrenches, some made in China.

Saw a YouTube video that seemed legit. The guy tested ratchets from Snap-on, another (can't recall) and Pittsburgh Steel (Harbor Freight). They all failed at the same pressure at the same place. The only difference was the Snap-on ratchet had a few degrees better reset for a bite. Which can be a big deal if you're turning it for a living.

Yall better go stock up on them Chinese tools before that 25% tariff trickles down to the retail shelves.

MAGA!!!!

In comparative testing their torque wrenches were like 1/3 price of major competitors and more accurate. Same with their breaker bars.

I have a chainsaw sharpener that works fine. I could have a billion dollars and I wouldn't buy snap on tools, their name is not worth the cost.

I have used them quite a bit. Have a mig welder that I purchased in late 90's still works fine, lots of hand tools. 1/2 inch air impact bought in early 90's still going, 3/8 air wrench bought in mid 90's still going, torque wrenches still going, welding helmets still going except the one i ran over with the tractor , solar chargers, drill press, band saws, skill saws, paint guns, 1/2 and 3/8 hand drills, dust collection setups, you get the message. Only thing i ran into was their cordless drills that sucked. All the tools I buy for the shop are Harbor Freight. Had a guy actually in line to check out at Harbor Freight ask me "Why do you buy that cheap crap?" I told him my guys can lose a Snap On tool just as fast as a Harbor Freight tool.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ THIS ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

also, you can go to HF and buy a new something cheaper than you can get your Snap-Off stuff
back from the pawn shop after they've stolen it and hocked it. and you don't have to worry about
encountering a snooty tool rep that may refuse to warrant a legitimate replacement because ". .you're
not one of my regular customers, and i only warranty tools for the guys that buy regularly from me. ."

I've had good luck with most everything I've bought from there...just went and bought a 30" pedestal fan today so I dont burn up.in my garage this summer working! Seems like its gonna do a great job of keeping me cooler, guess we'll see!!

Not to beat a dead horse, but... no one has mentioned the assortments they have of nuts & bolts, electrical connectors, hose clamps, etc. Just this morning my mom's AC was dripping. I found the hose connected to the condensate pan came loose (it was clamped with a cheesy plastic clamp-thingy). I bought an assortment of hose clamps from HF last week and was able to repair the problem in less than half an hour and didn't have to make the 20 mile round trip to town.

I use their Bi-Metal band saw blades on my metal cutting band saw and they will outperform and outlast the ones sold at Lowes. They are actually made in India and to say that I was skeptical when I bought the first one would be an understatement. I'll keep using them unless something changes.

I have been selective with what I buy at HF. But then I have only ever bought a few things. So far so good.

I have be happy with HF tools and their speciality items also.

That's where I got my reloading bench. Very happy with it so far.

I have been very happy with everything I have gotten there. As long as you are not hard core user of the tools they hold up fine.

I mentioned it on page 1. My experience with that crap is just the opposite of yours though. I couldn't even get their screws to go into a 55 gallon barrel feeder I was building. Even a pilot hole didn't help. PATHETIC!

Maybe you're holding your mouth wrong. I haven't had any problems with their screws.

Hardware, electrical connectors, clamps and that kind of stuff are not best quality. But definity worth buying the kits just to keep on hand for unplanned needs.

HF is great for tarps, bungees, zip-ties, and other disposable items. Anything requiring electrical power, or tight tolerances though.......screw that!!! The tolerances on their wrenches and sockets are lacking and your more likely to round a bolt head off using them than a quality set of tools. I would rather take a vice-grip to a bolt head than use one of their sockets with a power tool.

Been using their small quickpump floor jacks in our pits and car shop for about 5 years now.
For the 60 bux you spend on one, you can't go wrong.

Also use one of their manual tire changers - it works fine on pretty much everything under 18 inch rims - AFTER I reinforced the crap out of it...LOL!

Most of my handtools are Proto, SK and Craftsman (before they started making some of their stuff in China).

I also have one of their 39 dollar small pancake compressors that has outlasted 2 Craftsman compressors of similar design.

It's a give/take - some of their stuff is disposable, some is decent.

I keep several zip ties in my hunting pack. Great for tagging deer and jury-rigged repairs

I have the 10 ton log splitter and electric pole saw that have lasted for years. Zip ties, tarps, free flashlights, all good stuff

I have had pretty good luck with them as well. If i were using them every day, I would want something better but for those tools that are just used every now and then they work fine.

I don't know why I keep going back to this place! Bought a big pack of bungees there the other day because I needed some with the metal hook I can bend to fit the ATV racks. Well a hand full of them will stretch all of about 3" before maxing out. And the tension of these things is horrible! They will work for a season I guess but its another item I will avoid in the future there.

Thier tire repair kit sucks to. Never got the plug in. Bent metal tip and broke handle. Off to find a quality repair kit now.

You have to have a quality plug kit.

My reamer and installer are both metal.

They make a tool for it now but, I’ve never used one.

Use caution with those harbor freight pocket knives.

The Pittsburgh pro tools and the icon stuff are really pretty good quality I recently bought a 21-degree Banks brand framing nailer to use as a spare when my others were broken it actually works very well I've been happy with it

i'll add one more. . . . .

although i buy a good bit of stuff there, i can't see spending nearly $20,000.00 on a
UTV then fastening it to a trailer with some $10.00-$12.00 harbor freight tie downs.

i don't go out IH20 west to hunt anymore, but i've seen lots of SXS's and 4wheelers
and even a jeep or two with cheap tie downs "holding" them in place, and rocking
back and forth waiting for ranger hill to take one away from some unlucky dude

Lol, yeah. I saw a pickup picking pulling a new trailer with a brand new 60 hp or so tractor on it last week and it was tied down with three 1.5" tie downs. The excess strap was tied and wadded all crazy looking. My kid was driving, and when he saw it he immediately got in the other lane.