Your opinion of Harbor Freight?

[jymbee]

Until recently there were no HF stores near us so it was never an option when buying the types of products they sell. But now there's two HF stores nearby. Stopped by one of the new stores and at first glance was favorably impressed. Of course the proof being in the pudding so to speak, the overall quality of their products. Any recommendations as to what to consider when shopping at HF?

 

[Oldgator73]

Most HF tools are geared towards the occasional user. They’re not bad for home stuff. HF does warranty their products but you have to keep up the receipts and warranty paperwork.

 

[TonyL]

I bought a little hop up step from them and the wife backed the F350 over it.
It didn't take the weight

 

[Jkoht]

When they first came into business a lot of their stuff was very value priced Chinese junk. Good for one or two jobs, and cheap enough that if it broke you wouldn't care. In the last few years however they seemed to have made a huge improvement in quality options while still maintaining value pricing. I have quite a few various tools from them that I'd run against any other name brand no hesitation.

 

[Rene T]

I bought a little hop up step from them and the wife backed the F350 over it.
It didn't take the weight

Did you ask for a refund?

 

[Skookum]

It's like the Ikea of tool/hardware stores. Hit or miss, some junk, and some great finds. Always fun to browse. Check out their ads for the coupons and deals.

 

[Mountain high]

I had our Ram 2500 4x4 rear axle up on Harbor Freight 6 ton jack stands during a tire rotation. One collapsed just when I was walking away with my 35 inch tires off. They had a safety recall and I got some new ones. If I was underneath the truck, I wouldn't be writing this.

 

[Oldgator73]

I bought a little hop up step from them and the wife backed the F350 over it.
It didn't take the weight

If I said that about my wife I’d be sleeping in the shed.

 

[LarsMac]

I was shopping for some jack stands and called the store to have them set some aside for me to pick up the next day. When I got there, the manager said, "Um, there's a slight problem,..." The next week, Son in law was setting up to do a garage Sale, and drug out an old set of 6 ton stands that he was going to put in a yard sale. Problem solved.

That's the entirerty of my experience with Harbor Freight (Except for tossing their flyers from the local newspaper)

 

[Isaac-1]

Overall I think Harbor Freight is better than they used to be, in recent years they have introduced their own in house more premium labels, such as their Icon wrenches and screw drivers, which are much more professional grade, the same can be said for some of their other power tools, many of which are now sold in 3 or 4 tiers of quality levels. Much of their stuff is plenty good for the typical home shop that sees only occasional use, some of their better stuff may even be good enough for daily use for professionals on a budget.

 

[Krazeehorse33]

We use the floor jacks in our shop all the time. They seem to last as long as ones costing 3-4 times as much. HF is also nice for stuff like wrench racks for the drawers in your tool box, socket organizers etc.

 

[Ray-IN]

IMO their price/quality is reasonable. I bought an air-powered roofing-nailer($50) about 10 years ago. So far it has been used to nail down 4 house roofs. It did quit once, but a few drops of air tool oil and it was up and running again.
Their house brand of battery-powered hand tools seem to work great for my occasional use. For large battery tools I buy Ryobi re-manufactured, just bought a new chain saw, when the battery runs down, I'm run down too, so we both need recharging.

 

[Mountain high]

If you're life depends on a Harbor Freight item not failing, look elsewhere. Otherwise, everything else is fine. I found this humor on the internet...

"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
10) Scuba Gear"

 

[NY_Dutch]

I have a number of low use HF tools that have more than paid for themselves over the years just by being there when I needed them. Recently my stroke induced physical limitations sent me looking for a collapsible lightweight hand cart that I could use for moving my LP cylinders, water jugs, etc. I found one that perfectly fit my needs with a 150 lb capacity at HF for just $33.

 

[8Muddypaws]

I recently bought a set of ramps. They're made out of some sort of plastic but are plenty strong enough for any car/truck I own.

After scrooching on my back for 60 years I finally bought a creeper too. My back is happy about that.

Every time I get a flyer with the free LED flashlight I find an excuse to go there. The newer ones are quite bright.

Rubber gloves? Yes.
Tools? Only in a real pinch.
Generators? You're kidding.

I bought a garden hose there once. In less than a year it sprung multiple leaks.

 

[Skookum]

We use the floor jacks in our shop all the time. They seem to last as long as ones costing 3-4 times as much. HF is also nice for stuff like wrench racks for the drawers in your tool box, socket organizers etc.

Pittsburgh brand, right? I've got one of those and it's been good to me for 10 years now.

As noted above, I don't use the Harbor Freight jack stands from the same time period to ensure the low-cost Pittsburgh jack doesn't let go on me.

 

[DonTom]

I bought a garden hose there once. In less than a year it sprung multiple leaks.

Around a month for me. IMO, their hoses are junk. But I find just about everything else at HFT to be fine. I have a couple of houses filled up with HFT junk. I rarely have a problem with any of their tools.

I am an Inside Track Member and even have their credit card (which I highly recommend as they send me free HFT money just about every month, which can be used on anything, including all sales).

They now have a HFT within a couple of miles of either of my houses.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

Pittsburgh brand, right?

HFT likes to have very American names for all their made in China stuff. Other names they use are "Chicago" and "US General" etc. I wonder if it fools anybody.

My nickname for HFT is "China Tools".

IAC, it seems to me that HFT knows how to get customers to their stores.

Just about everything they have is on sale in one way or another. I find their outside sales, coupon prices, in store sales of the same item is almost always on sale in some way. They do have some small items that are NEVER on sale by any method and that is a good place to use their 25% off coupons or whatever. An example of an item that is never on sale is their four buck flush cutters. But that is an exception. I have never seen a sale price on those over many years. But on just about everything else, I have.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Isaac-1]

Also Generators and air compressors are usually exempted from their coupons

 

[Wasillaguy]

I bought a little hop up step from them and the wife backed the F350 over it.
It didn't take the weight

About the 7th morning with my new to me RV I ran over a nice $50 step that came with it.
Was gifted a replacement $80 aluminum step with adjustable legs to replace the 1st one. It made it about 3 months and I squished that one.
Have been using a HFT $9 step since. I'm so happy with my decision I almost can't wait to run it over too.