REVIEW: Harbor Freight Tools

Today I want to do a product review on Harbor Freight Tools and help you decide “Are they worth it”? I have bought and used many tools from Harbor Freight over the years. I use the tools for my own projects at home as well as the remodeling jobs I have done. I will discuss the Quality and Value of Harbor Freight Tools and help you decide if they are worth buying.

I use Harbor Freight Tools as wells as “Name Brand” tools such as Ryobi bought from Home Depot. I will be Reviewing Harbor Freight tools to help you determine if they are worth saving some money on them over the “Name Brand”.

1. Harbor Freight Tool Quality

There are various brands of tools and types of tools to choose from at Harbor Freight. They carry everything from a screwdriver to automotive diagnostic tools. The quality of some are much better then others so it will be hard to determine the whole store on a general assumption.

I have bought power tools such as Circular Saws, Sanders, etc. I have also purchased hand tools such as Axe, Prybar, Drill Bits, etc. I have even bought some electronic tools such as Distance Meters, Temperature Infrared Sensor, Voltage Meter, etc.

Everything I have bought from Harbor Freight is still in working condition. I have not yet seen any tool break without being abused. A few of the tools I have had for many years and they are still going strong.

I am not a full-time contractor and I do not use all my tools everyday for eight hours a day. I am a “Handyman” and use my tools routinely but not all day every day.

I would say that in my opinion the Quality of Harbor Freight Tools are just slightly lower than a good quality “Name Brand” tool like DeWalt makes. You will have to decide if you are willing to pay the difference though, which brings me to our next topic.

2. Harbor Freight Tools Value

Now if you believe the ad book that they send to your house, Harbor Freight tools are anywhere from 50-80% off. I find that, in reality, the vast majority of their products are about 25% off the same level or quality of tools sold elsewhere.

There are some tool sales that are in the 50% off range and some products allow you to use their 10 or 20% off whole purchase coupon on top of the sale price as well. There are many restrictions to this coupon so make sure you read the fine print.

Now you will have to decide if the savings is worth it. If you are a contractor using the tools all day every day, then you might want to invest more upfront in a toll that will last longer. This way you can save money in the long run by not having to rebuy a tool has broken. This will also cost you down time as well, and you know on the job, “Time is Money”.

If you are a handyman like me or a DIYer then Harbor Freight will be your best friend. I know that even some contractors buy certain tools from Harbor Freight as well.

You can save a bunch of money buying tools from Harbor Freight, you will have to decide of the tool you are looking to buy is worth spending more money on or if you need to save some money at Harbor Freight.

I do recommend Harbor Freight Tools to many people. I also shop there quite a bit myself and I have not been let down yet. I have had some thing fail or break, like drill bits, but this is more of wear and tear along with me being hard on my tools. You should definitely consider Harbor Freight Tools on your next tool purchase.

I hope you have found this information helpful. Leave me a comment and let me know if you have Harbor Freight Tools in your home and what you think of them.