Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Rock Crawler]

I broke my Mac breaker bar, so I ran to HF to get this until I get a chance in the year or so to get my broken stash of Snap On, Mac and SK tools to my buddy at the Ford dealership. Not having access to a tool truck means that broken professional tools can take months or even a year to get replaced.

This is one of the reasons that I'm leaning on HF so much now that they are on my way home from work with the new store that opened in January. At least I can get broken stuff replaced quick and easy.

And really... How bad can a breaker bar be? It's a most basic of tools. A bar of steel.

 

[Diggin It]

Well, steel quality DOES vary.

 

[Wasmeneh]

Just got back from HF. Had an old 12v lithium multitool that I got when they first came out. Bottom of the line Chicago Electric. Needed a new battery, it has been sitting for a couple of years at least. Manager checked NLA. He said he would exchange the old unit for a new one for the cost of the warranty, $13.99.

Well that was a deal, battery would have been $16 with at 20% coupon. Only thing I lost out was the nice plastic case the old one had.
Happy Camper

 

[Rock Crawler]

Okay guys and gals, I thought I would run to Lowe's tonight in the way home from work and take a look at the Kobay and Christmas tool boxes... To see how much better they might be than the US General boxes I just purchased.

I'm blown away. I'm totally shocked. I really can't believe it....

The Kobalt branded box, it's made of insanely thin sheet tin, it's barely tack welded together and essentially is such complete garbage that I'm completely floored. I'm attaching photos... You have to see it to believe it.

So then I moved over to the Craftsman boxes and I expected great quality since I have owned my Craftsman boxes for 12 or 15 years and just sold them a week ago. Wow! The new Craftsman tool boxes are super thin tin as well, and they are completely assembled with pop rivets. They don't bother trying tack weld. They simply hold parts together, drill it stamp holes in the panels and ham a pop rivet in too hold it. Again, pictures are attached.

The bearing rails on the drawers do appear to all be sourced from the same place, they all 3 (Craftsman, Kobalt and US General) have the same release latch, and appear to be nearly identical.

The Kobalt box tin is so thin that I can grab the front rail of steel and bend it up and down with my one hand.

The US General boxes that I just bought are stamped from thicker sheet tin, they are welded together with much much higher quality welds and just totally in a while different league than the Junk Kobalt and junk Craftsman. I can't even believe what I just saw.

Any ways... I'm attaching the photos so you can get an idea what I just saw.

They look like junk. They feel like junk. They are literally junk. Did you ever think that you'd see the day when someone said that Craftsman is junk and that Harbor Freight is actually much higher quality? I never would have thought that I would utter these words.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I broke my Mac breaker bar, ...

And really... How bad can a breaker bar be? It's a most basic of tools. A bar of steel.View attachment 578141

 

[Code54]

I personally have the Pittsburgh tools version and it has been great. Never the slightest problem and been finding their "pro" tools line seems pretty darn good for the money!

 

[Diggin It]

Okay guys and gals, I thought I would run to Lowe's tonight in the way home from work and take a look at the Kobay and Christmas tool boxes... To see how much better they might be than the US General boxes I just purchased.


They look like junk. They feel like junk. They are literally junk. Did you ever think that you'd see the day when someone said that Craftsman is junk and that Harbor Freight is actually much higher quality? I never would have thought that I would utter these words.

My walk bys of the various displays gave me the impression the it's just a renaming of the Kobalt brand in a different color and at higher prices. They're even showing CM flashlights and pretty much everything else.

 

[sixdogs]

Never throw away a tool. You need a separate box labeled "Tools not worth keeping". But seriously, every tool has its day where nothing else will do.

It seems when I finally throw something out after a long time not needing it I soon have a situation where the discarded tool is the only one that will work. Never throw anything out is the lesson.

I have some of my wife's old plastic shoe containers with lids that I put "discarded" stuff in. Then I know where things are.

 

[Alan W.]

Went to the HF store today and the registers were divided up on how you payed. One was for cash only another for debit only and the third one for debit or credit. They were doing credit cards the old fashion way. Did not see how the debits were being done assume the same. You could use a check at any register. Signs said it was because of the fires in CA. Any other stores like this.

 

[zombie]

Went to the HF store today and the registers were divided up on how you payed. One was for cash only another for debit only and the third one for debit or credit. They were doing credit cards the old fashion way. Did not see how the debits were being done assume the same. You could use a check at any register. Signs said it was because of the fires in CA. Any other stores like this.

Imagine the training seminar for that one! You want us to do what with the cards? We have been having issues shipping bagels down there.