Your opinion of Harbor Freight?

[Isaac-1]

I tend to treat all tools as disposable, particularly those with batteries, as when the battery pack dies in 5 years, they will have moved on to some newer / better battery that will not fit the older tool. I also think we tend to remember the good old made in america days as better than they really were, just look at the awful quality of steel used on screws up through the 1960's and how easy it was to twist the head off a screw, now ask yourself when was the last time you twisted a head off a screw on a automobile, or other quality piece of equipment (tractors, etc.), not on disposable appliances.

 

[NMJEEP]

Depends on the job. I was a professional mechanic and my everyday tools are Snap-on or equivalent however I do use HF tools for occasional use. The battery impact hits harder than some name brand stuff for a fraction of the price. Slowly replacing air driven tools with battery operated. Nice not having to have an air hose and the battery stuff can go anywhere.

 

[TonyL]

I was a mobile HVAC technician in the UK for the last 35 years before I retired. I can't remember the last time I broke a wrench or had it open up on a nut no matter how I've abused it(we call them spanners) or a socket, and only bought reasonable quality tools like Kamasa.
I've left behind or lost more than I've ever broken so the likes of HF are good enough for me.

 

[Tulecreeper]

I thought about it for like 3 seconds and said, "Like how does that work? You're telling me that in month 13 I blow up the chainsaw, I come here and pay $40 for the 2 year warranty. Then I go home and next week bring in the busted chain saw that was already busted when I came to buy the warranty?"

There is a law on the books that says you can buy an extended warranty up to the last day of the last month of the original warranty. For example, you can buy a truck with a 5-year/50,000 mile manufacturer's warranty, then on Day #364 of year #5 you can purchase an extended warranty for it. You ain't gonna get it it for anywhere near the price you could have if you would have bought it on Day #1 , but the law says you can do that.

I read this probably about 20 years ago because it was some change in the law that drew media attention.

 

[1stimerver]

We've been camping with a couple of RV'ers who have had great luck with HF 3000 watt inverter generators. for over 5 years. they were a whole lot cheaper than my Onan 4500 watter, and run great.

 

[Jayflight]

At my stage in life I don’t even buy green bananas so HF tools do me just fine.

Thanks , that's one of the funniest things I have read from anyone, especially from a geezer. I may have to use that one.

 

[Larry N.]

I bought a pneumatic nail gun from them about 18-20 years ago that was junk so I tend to stay away from their power tools.

I've got two of their inexpensive cordless drills, and for my uses they've held up just fine, and have plenty of power for what I need. As others have mentioned above, their hand tools (Pittsburg) are fine for occasional use, though they don't have the obvious ruggedness of the Craftsman stuff I've had for decades.

 

[Old_Crow]

In the 2+ years I have been clearing land I have bought 3 "Chinese" 5-piece pole saws. I have bought 6 X 16-18 inch chain saws.

Of the chainsaws 4 were Lowes (Craftsman) - One was an off brand from Tractor Supply (at the height of Covid and there were no other options) and the current one is a Poulan (HF). Time will tell if the Poulan is any more durable.

All of these were in the $150 price point. 3 were replaced under 1 year warranty. I lusted after Stihl but Stihl would have been over $300. I have no idea if it would have been 1, 2 or 3 Stihls in the trash but like Mark says. I view the tool for this job (land clearing) as somewhat disposable and I am not a "pro" - I did get a quote of around $6k to clear 2 acres. Lets say 15k to clear all 5 acres.

I am almost done with the 5 acres. The tool cost is just the price of poker.

When I had my 9 acres in Arkansas, my actual "yard" consisted of a cleared area of about an acre. It was so steep and rocky that I had to mow it with a weed eater. I bought a Ryobi the first time because it came with interchangeable heads, one for string and one set up with a brush blade. About a year and a half later, I bought a replacement power head. About a year after that, I bought another replacement power head. A couple of years later I bought a Stihl (after spending just about the same amount of money on the various Ryobi replacements). 21 years later when I sold the house, I sold that Stihl for $100 at the big yard sale we had. Thing still ran fine and started on about the 3rd pull, even the first time in the spring.
That being said, my wife bought me a 21" Poulan chain saw for Christmas one year. I got about 15 years out of that one. The sawzall and 4" angle grinder I carry in the motor home came from Harbor Freight, but they only get used a couple of times a year.

 

[Moho81]

Like most have said. It's hit or miss on there stuff but they have gotten better in the quality department. I have a couple of the Bauer battery operated tools and they work for the occasional use that I need them for. With the better quality has also come at an increased price. Last year when I was shopping for some new battery operated stuff I compared HF to all the big brands and honestly there was not a big gap in price anymore so I decided to go with Milwaukee instead for a few more dollars you get a proven battery system and a better warranty.

I will still shop there for other things non battery operated. I'm not a professional just a do it yourselfer so I don't need to pay big money for tools that I will occasionally use.

 

[Ex-Calif]

I bought a Ryobi the first time because it came with interchangeable heads, one for string and one set up with a brush blade. About a year and a half later, I bought a replacement power head.

The Chinese pole saws are like that. Pole saw, 10 inch saw blade, 3 spoke "ninja" blade, string trimmer and hedge trimmer. Never used the hedge trimmer but wore out the rest 3 times.

My saws (pole and chain) have had pretty much 5-6 hours a day duty for 2 1/2 years - LOL...

In full confession mode 2 of my Craftsman saws died because my helpers (son and his friend) both made the mistake separately of gassing up with unmixed (oiled) fuel. Honestly not the tools fault but an expensive lesson for each young man.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

There is a law on the books that says you can buy an extended warranty up to the last day of the last month of the original warranty. For example, you can buy a truck with a 5-year/50,000 mile manufacturer's warranty, then on Day #364 of year #5 you can purchase an extended warranty for it. You ain't gonna get it it for anywhere near the price you could have if you would have bought it on Day #1 , but the law says you can do that.

I don't think there is any such "law", either federal or state. An "extended warranty" is nothing more than a service contract and it's up to the company offering it as to what it covers, when it is available, and how much it costs.

 

[Tulecreeper]

I don't think there is any such "law", either federal or state. An "extended warranty" is nothing more than a service contract and it's up to the company offering it as to what it covers, when it is available, and how much it costs.

Yes, it was (I believe) a federal law enacted after a class action suit about 30 years ago because dealerships were denying people the opportunity to purchase an extended warranty after a certain period of time had elapsed. I know for a fact they used to do this because when I bought a new truck in 1987, the sales guy told me if I wanted the extended warranty I had to buy it within 30 days of purchase. The new law said that an extended warranty could be purchased up to midnight of the last day of the original manufacturer's warranty period.

At the same time, the new law said that if an extended warranty is purchased it is to take effect the day after the original manufacturer's warranty expires. Dealerships - and other product manufacturers - were having the extended warranty start the day you purchased the product, which was a waste of money as it was running concurrent with the original warranty period and actually providing no additional coverage. You can buy it immediately when you purchase the product (vehicle), but it doesn't take effect until the expiration of the original warranty as it now runs consecutively.

And no, I'm not going to research it. You will just have to take my word that it was a big deal when it was enacted and that manufacturers didn't like it because it shot a big hole in their bread-and-butter extended warranty sales.

 

[garyb1st]

And no, I'm not going to research it. You will just have to take my word that it was a big deal when it was enacted and that manufacturers didn't like it because it shot a big hole in their bread-and-butter extended warranty sales.

Are you referring to the Magnuson-Moss Act? According to the FTC Website, It is the federal law governing consumer product warranties. Warranties can be implied or express.

"First, the Act does not require any business to provide a written warranty".

"Second, the Act does not apply to oral warranties. Only written warranties are covered".

So with respect written warranties, the Act addresses a number of issues which are important to consumers. Example, to make sure consumers could get specific information about a written warranty. In addition, consumers would be able to compare warranties.

But as far as I could determine, it does not compel a manufacturer to provide a written warranty.

 

[Onyrlef]

Yes, it was (I believe) a federal law enacted after a class action suit about 30 years ago because dealerships were denying people the opportunity to purchase an extended warranty after a certain period of time had elapsed. I know for a fact they used to do this because when I bought a new truck in 1987, the sales guy told me if I wanted the extended warranty I had to buy it within 30 days of purchase. The new law said that an extended warranty could be purchased up to midnight of the last day of the original manufacturer's warranty period.

At the same time, the new law said that if an extended warranty is purchased it is to take effect the day after the original manufacturer's warranty expires. Dealerships - and other product manufacturers - were having the extended warranty start the day you purchased the product, which was a waste of money as it was running concurrent with the original warranty period and actually providing no additional coverage. You can buy it immediately when you purchase the product (vehicle), but it doesn't take effect until the expiration of the original warranty as it now runs consecutively.

And no, I'm not going to research it. You will just have to take my word that it was a big deal when it was enacted and that manufacturers didn't like it because it shot a big hole in their bread-and-butter extended warranty sales.

Yes, it was (I believe) a federal law enacted after a class action suit about 30 years ago because dealerships were denying people the opportunity to purchase an extended warranty after a certain period of time had elapsed. I know for a fact they used to do this because when I bought a new truck in 1987, the sales guy told me if I wanted the extended warranty I had to buy it within 30 days of purchase. The new law said that an extended warranty could be purchased up to midnight of the last day of the original manufacturer's warranty period.

At the same time, the new law said that if an extended warranty is purchased it is to take effect the day after the original manufacturer's warranty expires. Dealerships - and other product manufacturers - were having the extended warranty start the day you purchased the product, which was a waste of money as it was running concurrent with the original warranty period and actually providing no additional coverage. You can buy it immediately when you purchase the product (vehicle), but it doesn't take effect until the expiration of the original warranty as it now runs consecutively.

And no, I'm not going to research it. You will just have to take my word that it was a big deal when it was enacted and that manufacturers didn't like it because it shot a big hole in their bread-and-butter extended warranty sales.

Some extended warranty coverages overlap with the original warranty some don't take effect until the original warranty expires.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Are you referring to the Magnuson-Moss Act? According to the FTC Website, It is the federal law governing consumer product warranties. Warranties can be implied or express.

"First, the Act does not require any business to provide a written warranty".

"Second, the Act does not apply to oral warranties. Only written warranties are covered".

So with respect written warranties, the Act addresses a number of issues which are important to consumers. Example, to make sure consumers could get specific information about a written warranty. In addition, consumers would be able to compare warranties.

But as far as I could determine, it does not compel a manufacturer to provide a written warranty.

I don't know the name of the law/act. I never said an extended warranty was required to be provided, and I wasn't referring to oral agreements. Only that if/when a written extended warranty is offered, it can be purchased up to the last day of the original manufacturer's warranty, and that I also believe that the law/act kept an extended warranty from running concurrently with the original warranty. I may be wrong about that part, though. The dealer may still legally be allowed to try to run the original and extended warranties concurrently, but a person would be dumb to buy one that way.

I do know it's only been recently (as in, the past 20 years) that I have seen it in actual writing that the extended warranty begins after the original warranty expires. I saw it on the extended warranty for both the new range and the new dishwasher we purchased, separately several years apart, but both in the last 5 years.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Some extended warranty coverages overlap with the original warranty some don't take effect until the original warranty expires.

I understand, and in my above post I agreed I could be wrong about that part. But if a person buys an extended warranty, and any part of it overlaps with the original warranty, then they have wasted their money if it covers the same things the original one does.

 

[Isaac-1]

Not necessarily, my wife has a lifetime extended warranty on her jeep Cherokee overland edition, it covers repairs as long as she owns the jeep

 

[Oldgator73]

Harbor Freights extended warranty can be purchased up to 30 days after eligible purchase date.

 

[Tileman]

I agree with everything said here about their quality. It would be hard for any company to match there guarantee. If it brakes, take it back. They don't ask any questions. They just give you a new on. I'm going to buy a backup inverter from them. There stores are nation wide. If the inverter fails they'll replace it at any location. I've heard good reports on the Predator 3500. On sale now for $799.99.