Is Icon by harbor freight really a good tool brand?

RAR said:
I have a couple of the Icon ratchets: a bog standard 3/8” drive with comfort grip, a swivel head 3/8”, and a swivel 1/2” drive. These complement my existing ratchets (Teng, one old US made Craftsman, some cheap but durable Pittsburgh Pro, and my favorite black locking flex head Husky 1/2”).

I thought about it, and asked which ratchets do I reach for automatically... it would be my Teng fiber ratchets (1/4, 3/8, and 1/2), then the Icons, and the Husky. And now, I have a new 18” MasterForce 3/8” non locking flex head I grabbed at Menards the other day that I find myself using more when I need that leverage. I used to use an old Pittsburgh Pro flex head for that, but it’s shorter so not as much leverage with that one.

I do not have the Icon sockets; I have chrome Williams and Teng sockets duplicated in shallow and deep so I can’t speak for their quality.

I am considering the long box end wrenches with no skips from Icon. Just because sometimes you need that extra reach and leverage with a box end wrench where a ratchet, even with one of my low profile Sunex impact sockets, won’t fit. 😎
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How’s the Teng doing? Haven’t ever seen them in person only on YouTube I had thought of giving them a try for my less used ratchets.
 
JeffKeryk said:
I don't own any Icon tools. But I have an opinion on ratchets...
For something you will use a bazillion times, a tool that will be your best friend, I am willing to spend the $$.
Full transparancy; I inherited most of these. I love quality.
View attachment 33049
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Nice set!

Here are my Snap-On ones, the two old ones are inherited from my grandfather, I bought the other two. I also have a breaker bar and speed wrench (not pictured):
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_e24.webp
 
I'll never understand why Harbor Freight has such a hard on for Snap-on? I looked at the Icon wrenches.....Even the size script is a copy of Snap-on.
Icon tool boxes with the vertical trim.....That's a Snap-on thing & has been for 40 years.

Build your own brand identity Harbor Freight!
 
clinebarger said:
I'll never understand why Harbor Freight has such a hard on for Snap-on? I looked at the Icon wrenches.....Even the size script is a copy of Snap-on.
Icon tool boxes with the vertical trim.....That's a Snap-on thing & has been for 40 years.

Build your own brand identity Harbor Freight!
Click to expand...
They also like to post a price comparison of their tools to Snap-On. As if comparing a Yugo to a Rolls Royce based solely on price is fair. 😂
 
And their business models are vastly different, Snap-on list prices are not set in stone....But to protect the franchise model, You're going to pay list price on the Snap-on website.
 
AutoMechanic said:
How’s the Teng doing? Haven’t ever seen them in person only on YouTube I had thought of giving them a try for my less used ratchets.
Click to expand...

The fiber ratchets have a nice feeling to them when I’m using them. I tend to use the fiber ones when I’m working with electrical things “just in case”, though they aren’t billed as insulated for that purpose. The ratchet is not 90 teeth or anything, but it does the job well with no skipping or back drag.

Their sockets have a matte finish so they’re easy to grip when oily or greasy; my Williams sockets can and will slip out of my grip in the same conditions. The ratchets, extensions, and sockets click together solidly, yet can be pulled apart easily with a push of the release button.

I got them to try them out after seeing Edd China using them on “Wheeler Dealers”. I never heard of the brand before; I guess they are promoted a lot in the UK, hence their product placement on the show. But despite that in show advertising, I like them and will continue using them alongside my other tool brands.
 
Considering the Pittsburgh Pro stuff is very solid, I don't see much that the Icon offers over it other than it looks better/has better packaging and marketing. It's already well known that the pittsburgh pro impact sockets are decent quality and that even the dirt cheap torque wrenches are accurate enough. The only thing the Icon lineup really offers is some more complete wrench and socket size options in my opinion...but the price leaves a lot to be desired.


Let's say you wanted a "complete" impact socket set in 3/8 size with Icon. You would need to purchase the following individual sets to get that.

Icon 13pc 3/8 metric impact shallow socket set - $44.99 list price.
Icon 12pc 3/8 sae impact shallow socket set - $44.99
Icon 13pc 3/8 metric deep impact socket set $49.99
Icon 12pc 3/8 sae deep impact socket set $49.99
40 total sockets -$189.96 list price. Even if you take 20% off that total and bought each set individually to use four different 20% coupons, you're still at $151.97


Now let's compare that to Sunex:


Sunex 3342 3/8 master impact socket set(42pc kit, 40 sockets total. The other two pieces are an extension and a swivel). $61.85 Not sure why anyone would go with Icon when companies like Sunex exist. The only difference with Sunex is that you'll be calling or messaging them for a socket replacement vs. being able to walk into a store.


If you need only an individual set, the pittsburgh pro's are not a bad choice for something that can be picked up locally.
 
Hemispheres said:
I'm curious. I've seen posts in my FB mechanic group where some guys have claimed Icon is better than Snap On (which I seriously doubt) but I'm seeing reviews which say that the Icon tools have a lot of built in slop. Particularly the wrenches.

I just replaced one of my Stanley professional ratchets with a 120 tooth craftsman today but Im wondering if it would be worth a drive to Harbor Freight for some Icon tools.
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I viewed a YouTube of a SO vs Icon wrench comparison. The icon wrench "teeth" became rounded while SO did not in loosening a test bolt. The tester was a former SO salesman, but he was up front about it.
 
willbur said:
I viewed a YouTube of a SO vs Icon wrench comparison. The icon wrench "teeth" became rounded while SO did not in loosening a test bolt. The tester was a former SO salesman, but he was up front about it.
Click to expand...
Was going to link that video, from MrSubaru. He's a very straight-shooter about quality of tools. Certainly looks like overall the Icon hand tools are overpriced for what they are.
 
clinebarger said:
I'll never understand why Harbor Freight has such a hard on for Snap-on? I looked at the Icon wrenches.....Even the size script is a copy of Snap-on.
Icon tool boxes with the vertical trim.....That's a Snap-on thing & has been for 40 years.

Build your own brand identity Harbor Freight!
Click to expand...
Easy. They want you to think that if they are competing with SO, Icon must be as good. Trying to get that SO cachet to rub off onto their Icon
"Guilt by association", I guess would be a valid comparison.
 
willbur said:
I viewed a YouTube of a SO vs Icon wrench comparison. The icon wrench "teeth" became rounded while SO did not in loosening a test bolt. The tester was a former SO salesman, but he was up front about it.
Click to expand...

Yeah I forgot to mention I watched a video review of Icon wrenches being put to the test. Reviewer put a bolt into a vice and the icon wrenches flexed and gave way when he applied pressure to them.
 
mfewtrail said:
Considering the Pittsburgh Pro stuff is very solid, I don't see much that the Icon offers over it other than it looks better/has better packaging and marketing. It's already well known that the pittsburgh pro impact sockets are decent quality and that even the dirt cheap torque wrenches are accurate enough. The only thing the Icon lineup really offers is some more complete wrench and socket size options in my opinion...but the price leaves a lot to be desired.


Let's say you wanted a "complete" impact socket set in 3/8 size with Icon. You would need to purchase the following individual sets to get that.

Icon 13pc 3/8 metric impact shallow socket set - $44.99 list price.
Icon 12pc 3/8 sae impact shallow socket set - $44.99
Icon 13pc 3/8 metric deep impact socket set $49.99
Icon 12pc 3/8 sae deep impact socket set $49.99
40 total sockets -$189.96 list price. Even if you take 20% off that total and bought each set individually to use four different 20% coupons, you're still at $151.97


Now let's compare that to Sunex:


Sunex 3342 3/8 master impact socket set(42pc kit, 40 sockets total. The other two pieces are an extension and a swivel). $61.85 Not sure why anyone would go with Icon when companies like Sunex exist. The only difference with Sunex is that you'll be calling or messaging them for a socket replacement vs. being able to walk into a store.


If you need only an individual set, the pittsburgh pro's are not a bad choice for something that can be picked up locally.
Click to expand...

I am still learning about all of these tool brands so be patient with me. I have heard of Gearwrench, Tekton, Husky ect but not Sunex. What is special about Sunex? Who makes them?
 
This may have been mentioned already so, I apologize if I am repeating others. Too many & too long of responses to read...
Obviously, ICON is HF's highest line of tools. Are they as good as the BIG BOYS?
IDK however, without the advertising and franchising cost, they can be(I suppose) in many areas for le$$ money.
And I think that's the whole point.

I think that any tool at HF is for the DIYer and not necessarily for the professional. Maybe the pro's have a particular 1 or 2 tools from HF(ICON or Pittsburgh) in their collection but, not their whole collection of tools. And definitely not when this is your livelihood.

HF tools are for guys like me who use tools a lot but not for my living...all day long for 5-7 days a week.
Not that I need anymore tools however, if I do happen to need a tool, I go out to buy it and only use that tool once in a while. Where as, e.g., my DAD who did wrenching for a living, didn't have the flexibility to go out to shop. He needed the convenience of the delivery truck and high quality for his tools...RIGHT NOW!

Then you have guys like my neighbor who barely ever wrenches at all but, has tons of the high quality tools(hand tools, electrical & pneumatic), always clean and hung & stored neatly. But he wouldn't be caught dead in HF. Not even for an emergency tool that he'll only use 1-2 X.
 
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OVERKILL said:
I buy American, Canadian or first world (Germany, Austria, UK, France...etc) tools when possible, as I try to avoid sending money and supporting outsourcing to China. Most of my tools are Snap-On but I have some SK, Wright, Armstrong, Craftsman (US), Gray and my main set of wrenches is Gedore, made in Germany.
Click to expand...
same. I have found Taiwan made Tools to normally be very high quality.
 
The Icon seem pretty high in price. If the regular Pittsburgh is so good, why spend more? Looking at various warranties on tools, alll is not the same. Some very name brand actually have normal wear and tear exclusions in the warranty. Others like Husky and I think Milwaukee, are more generous. Was surprised reading all the fine print on some.
 
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