Does anyone here have experience with Harbor Freight?
I could spend all day in their store. Is the stuff worth buying? Good after sale too?
“Does anyone here have experience with Harbor Freight?
I could spend all day in their store. Is the stuff worth buying? Good after sale too?”
I’ve bought LOTS of stuff from HF. Some is crap and some is pretty decent. If you buy electrics from them, buy the high end stuff branded “Chicago Electric” and nothing else. Hand tools can be pretty good like wrenches, socket sets, screwdrivers, etc.
For my low-level use, the pneumatic tools like staplers, nailers, sprayers and such have been good.
Again, buy the highest price levels.
I love their “Storehouse” sets and have bought almost everyone of them. A whole set costs about the same as one or two screws from Ace Hardware, plus you’ll have so much stuff handy at your fingertips to save trips to the store.
Bungee cords and zip tie bundles and tarps can be good.
Brand name consumables like glues and such are good.
The more-expensive drill bits are great. Usually on sale, too.
Bench grinders probably ok, but i’d stay away from any big bench tool like a bandsaw or drill press. Compressors are probably junk.
Lots of the smaller stuff is junk too, like rechargeable batteries, etc.
Look at the ratings online. Anything under 4 stars forget about it, and even then, slide to the bottom of the ratings list to read the negative ones and decide if they compute.
The sales are legitimate, and they have then all the time, so I buy most stuff on sale when I can.
Depends on what you do with it. If it’s for professional purposes such as contractor, high volume use some of their products are great, but some are adequate for home workshop occasional use. Some items they sell aren’t worth spit.
Electric cutoff saws, miter saws, are excellent. I have a 10”, and a 12” both quite elderly as me that have served well in heavy, and light usage.
Drill motors are good, but DeWalt, and others although much more expensive are a better deal for contractors making a living with their tools.
Routers are good, and durable. I’ve several different sizes, and horsepower units I have used considerably. Only router I can say is not worth spit is their little trim router with the plastic depth control that won’t hold the depth long enough to complete a pass.
Compressors are good, but again it depends on what you need.
Belt sanders, and some of their other power sanders I have had good experience with.
Don't make the mistake of buying U.S. General without the little three letters alongside "pro".
No I don't work for, nor am affiliated with Harbor Freight. Like yourself always looking for good deals.