Keep seeing 'good' deals for harbor freight. Just little stuff but I don't want to waste my money on garbage. Do you think it depends on what it is?
Just looking for some advice.
Just looking for some advice.
Harbor Freight...Should I bother?
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For the weekend mechanic who just does small projects on his car, Harbor Freight quality items work fine...
It 100% depends on the item.
There are some really good bargains on items. A few include the top-line impact sockets, the Earthquake impact, the roto ratchets and the 44" toolbox.
Then, there are a lot of things that are total junk.
If you have a question about a specific item, google it. There's a chance someone on Garage Journal has shared their opinion on it. There's a thread over there specifically about items from HF.
There are some really good bargains on items. A few include the top-line impact sockets, the Earthquake impact, the roto ratchets and the 44" toolbox.
Then, there are a lot of things that are total junk.
If you have a question about a specific item, google it. There's a chance someone on Garage Journal has shared their opinion on it. There's a thread over there specifically about items from HF.
I haven't lurked over there in a while, but I believe one guy on Garage Journal is a mechanic and uses all HF tools. He had few complaints when I read the thread.
AKA as snap-off tools
Some of their stuff is pretty decent except maybe for the professional that uses it all the time. However I do know of some companies that have bought power tools there because the employees destroy even the good ones so with the warranty that you can buy they can replace it easily. Some their electric tools aren't very good in my experience.
"Harbor" isn't where the tools come in, it is where they end up.
JHZR2
Staff member
There are a few things there that are palatable...
I recently bought an OBD scanner from Amazon that reportedly has an identical sibling sold in HF colors. Works well. I like their battery capacitance tester, as it is the only one Ive found that actually reports impedance. It is, indeed, flying the flag of defeat... These items, amongst other things, just arent available from over here anymore.
I find it hard to justify in any way the purchase of stuff from there which I can find domestically sourced at a reasonable cost. Even if the item price is more, we are generally talking hand tools and they just arent that much to begin with. I cant find good justification to buy a $5 hammer from HF when for $15 I could buy a US made one from HD and defer paying the ex hammer factory people $50 in unemployment.
People all have their excuses, there are plenty of arguments on here to read. I just cant justify selling my neighbors out to save a few dollars on an item which generally is poorer quality.
I recently bought an OBD scanner from Amazon that reportedly has an identical sibling sold in HF colors. Works well. I like their battery capacitance tester, as it is the only one Ive found that actually reports impedance. It is, indeed, flying the flag of defeat... These items, amongst other things, just arent available from over here anymore.
I find it hard to justify in any way the purchase of stuff from there which I can find domestically sourced at a reasonable cost. Even if the item price is more, we are generally talking hand tools and they just arent that much to begin with. I cant find good justification to buy a $5 hammer from HF when for $15 I could buy a US made one from HD and defer paying the ex hammer factory people $50 in unemployment.
People all have their excuses, there are plenty of arguments on here to read. I just cant justify selling my neighbors out to save a few dollars on an item which generally is poorer quality.
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Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
"Harbor" isn't where the tools come in, it is where they end up.
LOL, made me cough on my mouthful of ramen on that one!!!
They don't call it "China Freight" for nothing...
"Harbor" isn't where the tools come in, it is where they end up.
LOL, made me cough on my mouthful of ramen on that one!!!
They don't call it "China Freight" for nothing...
Some stuff is decent. It depends on the item in question.
Some will be ok, and others will break during the 1st use. I find you really have to research and read the reviews.
There are a few American-made products in the store, but very few. I can think of air hose. If you need tools that have a high probability of getting ripped off, you might buy them at Harbor Freight. If you want a small, basic set of tools that you take in a vehicle for emergency use, you might buy them at Harbor Freight. A lot of their stuff is hit and miss, but with more and more name-brand companies having their products made in China, Harbor Freight isn't as bad of a choice as it used to be.
+1 on that it depends on the product and you should research it out online. There are reviews on the store's site, if not in the forums. Also, never go to HF without at least a 20% coupon. They always have one here: http://www.harborfreight.com/digitalsavings.html
Some is good and some junk. Need to read some and visit the store.
One floor jack they sell only has a 90 day warranty. I would consider it more if it had a 2 year warranty.
One floor jack they sell only has a 90 day warranty. I would consider it more if it had a 2 year warranty.
They are not the mecca they were about eight years ago. The local big box stores... Home depot and Lowes, have stepped up with similar stuff and a local returns desk. Apparently some ratchets and taiwan sockets are the same as Lowes/Kobalt.
I'd shop HF more but the nearest one is 2 hours away. I mostly catalog shop, except when I needed a toolbox and wanted to feel the drawer slides-- got it at a parking lot sale.
HF doesn't uniquely source much of their stuff and you can find clones on amazon for pretty much anything.
HF's niche, IMO, is fair shipping ($6.99 on anything) so once you're getting your "big thing" you can throw all sorts of $1 and $2 gee-gaws and fillers into your order. $3 voltmeters for the kids to break, etc.
I'd shop HF more but the nearest one is 2 hours away. I mostly catalog shop, except when I needed a toolbox and wanted to feel the drawer slides-- got it at a parking lot sale.
HF doesn't uniquely source much of their stuff and you can find clones on amazon for pretty much anything.
HF's niche, IMO, is fair shipping ($6.99 on anything) so once you're getting your "big thing" you can throw all sorts of $1 and $2 gee-gaws and fillers into your order. $3 voltmeters for the kids to break, etc.
Originally Posted By: eljefino
They are not the mecca they were about eight years ago. The local big box stores... Home depot and Lowes, have stepped up with similar stuff and a local returns desk. Apparently some ratchets and taiwan sockets are the same as Lowes/Kobalt.
I'd shop HF more but the nearest one is 2 hours away. I mostly catalog shop, except when I needed a toolbox and wanted to feel the drawer slides-- got it at a parking lot sale.
HF doesn't uniquely source much of their stuff and you can find clones on amazon for pretty much anything.
HF's niche, IMO, is fair shipping ($6.99 on anything) so once you're getting your "big thing" you can throw all sorts of $1 and $2 gee-gaws and fillers into your order. $3 voltmeters for the kids to break, etc.
Maybe I should get a $3.00 "here you can borrow this one" DVM??
They are not the mecca they were about eight years ago. The local big box stores... Home depot and Lowes, have stepped up with similar stuff and a local returns desk. Apparently some ratchets and taiwan sockets are the same as Lowes/Kobalt.
I'd shop HF more but the nearest one is 2 hours away. I mostly catalog shop, except when I needed a toolbox and wanted to feel the drawer slides-- got it at a parking lot sale.
HF doesn't uniquely source much of their stuff and you can find clones on amazon for pretty much anything.
HF's niche, IMO, is fair shipping ($6.99 on anything) so once you're getting your "big thing" you can throw all sorts of $1 and $2 gee-gaws and fillers into your order. $3 voltmeters for the kids to break, etc.
Maybe I should get a $3.00 "here you can borrow this one" DVM??
Originally Posted By: cat843
Maybe I should get a $3.00 "here you can borrow this one" DVM?? [/quote]
That's a great idea. Also when the strange 9V battery goes to dust you can use a spare meter to check it.
I believe these meters only need five volts to run, so I scrounge old smoke detector batteries etc to power them.
Plus you look like a certified genius whipping one out of your glove box to help a damsel in distress.
Maybe I should get a $3.00 "here you can borrow this one" DVM?? [/quote]
That's a great idea. Also when the strange 9V battery goes to dust you can use a spare meter to check it.
I believe these meters only need five volts to run, so I scrounge old smoke detector batteries etc to power them.
Plus you look like a certified genius whipping one out of your glove box to help a damsel in distress.
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