Harbor Frieght tools - any good?

[ez at nova]

Harbor Freight tools - any good?

I get Harbor Freight's catalog and whatnot online. Some of their stuff seems rediculously cheap...like literally 10 times cheaper than brand names or even Craftsman stuff. Should I be leary of their products?

 

[tjthorson]

A lot of their stuff, like the specialty type tools are good for infrequent use. Backyard mechanic type stuff. Their sockets and stuff, check the brand, the really cheap ones are the "one-time" tools that I usually keep in the trunk of the car for emergencies.

I have bought lots of specialty items - pullers, nut splitters, clamps, etc. and they are fine. If I did it for a living, I would AT LEAST go with Craftsman stuff....

 

[Vendor Defendor]

look at my Harbor Frieght vise... then tell me what you think

Good Vise, huh?

-Neil

 

[ez at nova]

Yeah but you can buy 3 more vices for the price of one elsewhere,
Seriously though, I've broken a vice like that, that I bought from a regular harware store. Now, if it grenaded like that when you tried to clamp two glued toothpicks together, that's a different story!

 

[ChrisCairns]

I buy lots of Harbor Freight crap. Like someone mentioned...we backyard mechanics can get away with it since we're not on the clock if a tool breaks.

I have "free" access to Snap-on, Mac, Thorsen, Craftsman through my business but still use the cheap stuff at home. And I really don't break many of the cheapies.

(I do use a Snap-on torque wrench however).

 

[ez at nova]

I think I'm going to stick with an Ingersoll Rand for my torque wrench rather than a cheepie (although the ones I'm lookg at are "cheap" compared to the $600 jobs out there!....hell, I don't need 600 lb of tq...except in the GN engine!)

 

[ijames]

I have a fair amount of their stuff. Their house brands, Pittsburgh and Central Tool, are really cheaply made. That's okay so long as you know what you are buying and that's all the quality you need, because they are priced cheap. They also carry some brand name stuff like DeWalt and Ingersoll Rand, but you have to read the fine print because lots of that is factory reconditioned, not new (same warranty as new). If it's a tool I was going to use frequently or to make a living with, I'd go with at least Craftsman, or Husky, or SK, or maybe step up in $ to Snapon or MAC.

 

[Boost]

Bang for the buck...

U can't go wrong. Especially is you have a son or friends that do NOT know the meaning of putting things where they go.

Good variety, great prices.

 

[1badTTA]

Hey, I can loose Garbage Freight tools just as quickly as I can loose Craftsman, Snap-Off, Matco tools. For the price they are great, but you still get what you pay for.