Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Diggin It]

Had about $550 or so in my cart based on 'normal' prices. After coupons and discounts and the Settlement GCs, I ended up putting only a $129 dent in my CC.

 

[dragoneggs]

Had about $550 or so in my cart based on 'normal' prices. After coupons and discounts and the Settlement GCs, I ended up putting only a $129 dent in my CC.

I'm thinking I must have ignored the HF class action thing 'cause nothing showing up in my mailbox! I was getting excited for awhile :smiley_aafz:

 

[Rock Crawler]

A couple questions for you folks.

I am into these for a few dollars off of $200, lets round to $200 to make it easy.

I bought that drill yesterday, the Hercules but not the Hercules Hammer Drill. I have seen it suggested that when you have two identical drills in a family and one is a hammer and one is not, that there is a potential that the hammer version has bigger bearings, larger rotor shaft and heavier duty nose assembly parts hiding inside to be able to withstand the hammer mode. So, the suggestion from this supposition was that if the price was similar enough, a person should buy the hammer version even if they never use it, just because they might well be buying a better built drill.

Next.... Saturday I bought that Hercules mini impact (I am amazed!) and yesterday (Monday) I grabbed the drill. Am I being a fool? Should I return them, take the $200 and go to Home Depot and buy the lifetime warranty Ridgid brand?

I really think I should return the 2 HF Hercules items, toss a couple beers worth of additional money at this (Add $80 or so) and get this crazy kit with brushless tools and 4.0 MAH packs. The only down side is that adding batteries is big $$ compared to the HF batteries.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-5-Tool-Combo-Kit-with-1-4-0-Ah-Battery-1-2-0-Ah-Battery-Charger-and-Bag-R9633SBN/305658534

Or add no money and go this way.... Remember that Lifetime Warranty?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Brushless-Hammer-Drill-and-Impact-Driver-2-Tool-Combo-Kit-with-2-4-0Ah-Batteries-Charger-R9205/206127587

Help! I am an insane person and I am going crazy!

 

[4get gto]

A couple questions for you folks.

I am into these for a few dollars off of $200, lets round to $200 to make it easy.

I bought that drill yesterday, the Hercules but not the Hercules Hammer Drill. I have seen it suggested that when you have two identical drills in a family and one is a hammer and one is not, that there is a potential that the hammer version has bigger bearings, larger rotor shaft and heavier duty nose assembly parts hiding inside to be able to withstand the hammer mode. So, the suggestion from this supposition was that if the price was similar enough, a person should buy the hammer version even if they never use it, just because they might well be buying a better built drill.

Next.... Saturday I bought that Hercules mini impact (I am amazed!) and yesterday (Monday) I grabbed the drill. Am I being a fool? Should I return them, take the $200 and go to Home Depot and buy the lifetime warranty Ridgid brand?

I really think I should return the 2 HF Hercules items, toss a couple beers worth of additional money at this (Add $80 or so) and get this crazy kit with brushless tools and 4.0 MAH packs. The only down side is that adding batteries is big $$ compared to the HF batteries.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-5-Tool-Combo-Kit-with-1-4-0-Ah-Battery-1-2-0-Ah-Battery-Charger-and-Bag-R9633SBN/305658534

Or add no money and go this way.... Remember that Lifetime Warranty?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Brushless-Hammer-Drill-and-Impact-Driver-2-Tool-Combo-Kit-with-2-4-0Ah-Batteries-Charger-R9205/206127587

Help! I am an insane person and I am going crazy!

Here I thought you were going to be our go to guy when it comes to Hercules .. As to the hammer drill combo versus the regular drill I'd just go with the hammer version. Though it could be a bit heavier. Little more money but best of both worlds.

I know how you feel when it comes to buying "a tool" to a name brand tool for a little or more money. Guess what it comes down to is that a little more money is alot to next guy.

 

[Diggin It]

And here I though people had decided there were really only a couple of tool manufacturers making them under a wide variety of names and colors. Sort of like tractors.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Here I thought you were going to be our go to guy when it comes to Hercules .. As to the hammer drill combo versus the regular drill I'd just go with the hammer version. Though it could be a bit heavier. Little more money but best of both worlds.

I know how you feel when it comes to buying "a tool" to a name brand tool for a little or more money. Guess what it comes down to is that a little more money is alot to next guy.

I'm really torn. Have you watched the AvE Boltr tear down and testing in the Hercules. In the words of AvE.... They don't chooch.... His slang term for work.

I watched that at 4am this morning and he shows that the battery ratings are flat out lies, the mosfets have essentially zero hear sink, the motor has only 2 brushes and the brushes are of a very soft material and he's guessing maybe 100 life span at the top versus many others with better brushes will go to about 300 hours before the brushes are dead.

I wish he did a Ridgid tear down to compare, I like that he's an engineer in real life and doesn't speculate much. He knows what he's looking at and talking about, much unlike many of the YouTube people doing similar reviews that are worthless.

I know that Ridgid is also a cheap made tool... What I'm trying to learn is... Is Ridgid above or below the Hercules tool in the food chain.

BOLTR: Dirty Secrets of Harbor Freight HERCULES | Better than DeWALT? - YouTube

 

[PJSprog]

I'm thinking I must have ignored the HF class action thing 'cause nothing showing up in my mailbox! I was getting excited for awhile :smiley_aafz:

I distinctly remember ignoring it. My thought at the time was, "Who thinks they're getting top notch stuff at rock bottom prices from HF? There is no great mystery around the 'compare to' pricing." I shook my head and chucked it into the trash can.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I distinctly remember ignoring it. My thought at the time was, "Who thinks they're getting top notch stuff at rock bottom prices from HF? There is no great mystery around the 'compare to' pricing." I shook my head and chucked it into the trash can.

Over the last few yrs, I have gotten several notifications that i was in a class action lawsuit. I have never seen a penny from them.

 

[Michael Aos]

I bought the 44" black tool cabinet ($407.99 w/coupon - I see it's now $399.99 for Black Friday) and black end cabinet ($169.99 w/coupon).

I haven't opened the tool cabinet yet. Despite the box looking fine, the end cabinet has a pretty good ding in the bottom corner. It's tweaked enough that the bottom drawer doesn't hit the detent like the others. I think I'll just live with it.

 

[tjkubota93]

A couple questions for you folks.

I am into these for a few dollars off of $200, lets round to $200 to make it easy.

I bought that drill yesterday, the Hercules but not the Hercules Hammer Drill. I have seen it suggested that when you have two identical drills in a family and one is a hammer and one is not, that there is a potential that the hammer version has bigger bearings, larger rotor shaft and heavier duty nose assembly parts hiding inside to be able to withstand the hammer mode. So, the suggestion from this supposition was that if the price was similar enough, a person should buy the hammer version even if they never use it, just because they might well be buying a better built drill.

Next.... Saturday I bought that Hercules mini impact (I am amazed!) and yesterday (Monday) I grabbed the drill. Am I being a fool? Should I return them, take the $200 and go to Home Depot and buy the lifetime warranty Ridgid brand?

I really think I should return the 2 HF Hercules items, toss a couple beers worth of additional money at this (Add $80 or so) and get this crazy kit with brushless tools and 4.0 MAH packs. The only down side is that adding batteries is big $$ compared to the HF batteries.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-5-Tool-Combo-Kit-with-1-4-0-Ah-Battery-1-2-0-Ah-Battery-Charger-and-Bag-R9633SBN/305658534

Or add no money and go this way.... Remember that Lifetime Warranty?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Brushless-Hammer-Drill-and-Impact-Driver-2-Tool-Combo-Kit-with-2-4-0Ah-Batteries-Charger-R9205/206127587

Help! I am an insane person and I am going crazy!

I have Milwaukee because I didn't do my research. I needed a new drill that day, so I got what I knew. I should have got ridgid with the better warranty.

Either way I would NOT buy ANYTHING these days that's not brushless. Anything that isn't brushless is outdated. The performance and battery life is much better.