Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Rock Crawler]

My opinion is that Milwaukee is really about the only contractor grade left, the M18 and M18 Fuel.

DeWalt is not what it was 15 years ago. They sell DeWalt at the process they do today because they are selling yesterday's reputation.

Harbor Freight and the mid line Bauer and high line Hercules should not be compared to B&D or Skill. Those brands are extremely low end and even HF would take exception to bring compared to those.

Harbor Freight in the Bauer and Hercules lines is right there in striking distance of Riobi, Craftsman, Ridgid, Port Cable and other consumer and prosumer grade tools. I'm seeing that the real differentiator today is who is first to bring brushless at the lowest price, and who offers the best battery packages. Price is the major motivator in this category seeing that we know they are all sub par compared to those mentioned Milwaukee M18/Fuel contractor grade machines.

There is a lot of options and competition in this low/mid range stuff. Pricing and options are all over the map. I'm seeing that Ridgid offers brushless, 2 batteries with one being a 4 amp hour and one a 2, a 5 piece kit with tools that a mechanic needs in a single kit for under $300. At this point, today, it's the best deal out there for the low/mid level segment.

All my opinion. Worth only the paper it's written on.

 

[BoneStock]

I agree Milwaukee is getting to be about the best you can buy in store these days.

 

[California]

...There is a lot of options and competition in this low/mid range stuff. Pricing and options are all over the map.

I don't know how Ryobi compares to the other brands mentioned but I've had good luck with it. I started with the 18 volt $150 combo kit. The flashlight is the only part of that kit that I haven't found a use for. The drill, reciprocating saw, and baby circular saw have seen a lot of use. Later, the chainsaw, 1/4" impact driver, jigsaw, string trimmer, and most recently the angle grinder. Then thrift store finds: $10 for the latest leaf blower, $5 each for two hedge trimmers (Homelite brand, same thing), and a few more drills at $5 each. Finally I bought a $10 (Goodwill) Remington pole saw that I adapted a Ryobi battery to operate. That tool was very useful recently to clear around overhead power lines. Most recent thrift store find was another Ryobi chainsaw less bar & chain, $5 in apparently new condition, to save for a spare.

Ryobi's Li-Ion batteries aren't very expensive if they are bought together with a tool or charger. It's always worthwhile to have 2 or more chargers. And the chargers can be run from a small inverter while driving.

I'm happy with Ryobi for farm repairs and maintenance.

 

[dragoneggs]

For the record, it is 'Skil' not 'Skill'.

 

[flyerdan]

My green 4X6 metal cutting bandsaw was manufactured in 2004. It still cuts great with a new motor. I left it unattended while cutting stacked metal and smoked the first motor after owning the saw for maybe 7 years. Has anyone ever had their original motor last over 10 years?

I have a saw that my dad got back in the mid 80's (back when they paid the shipping on all orders over $50, even if the motor freight bill was more than the tool) and it's still working fine. Granted, this is at least 20 years older than yours, and there have probably been several rounds of "cost streamlining" in the interim which affected quality.

 

[sodamo]

Crescent is the brand. You're speaking of "open end adjustable wrench" in generalities.

I grew up “knowing” that was a type of wrench, not a brand, like kleenex I guess. Mentally, I still think to myself, get the crescent.

 

[Diggin It]

Their is a significant jump these days with power tools.
B&D, HF, ....then Kobalt, Craftsman....then Dewalt, Milwaukee....etc.

I would not put Kobalt above HF.

 

[John_Mc]

Okay, looking at the sales going on at Lowe's and Home Depot, I came across this package again.... And I just can't pass it up. So it's ordered.

I'm going to take back the HF 1/4" Impact and the Hammer Drill that I have $240 invested in with the 2 $18 warrantees. So for around $40 more I'll gain the 1/2" impact and grinder as well as a 4 MaH battery. I think that it's better money spent, and at this price they truly are throw away tools. 5 tools for $280. I'm betting that they are similar in quality as the HF Hercules, but they are actually brushless I believe.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-...Ah-Battery-Charger-and-Bag-R9633SBN/305658534

Yep, brushless. Says so right in the description.

I don't own any Rigid cordless tools (I'm already committed to Milwaukee M18, and my wife has some M12), but $280 is a nice price for that package (list is $499). With the "lifetime batteries and service" that sure seems like a nice deal. ust make sure you jump through the proper hoops to be eligible for the warranty coverage.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Yep, brushless. Says so right in the description.

I don't own any Rigid cordless tools (I'm already committed to Milwaukee M18, and my wife has some M12), but $280 is a nice price for that package (list is $499). With the "lifetime batteries and service" that sure seems like a nice deal. ust make sure you jump through the proper hoops to be eligible for the warranty coverage.

I'm thinking that maybe the drill and the 1/4" impact are brushless and the rest are not. Those first 2 are the base brushless kit and then they grow the kit from there.

(Use your over excited infomercial voice as you read this) But to add 3 more tools for just over $100 from the base kit has me thinking that your buying the base 2 piece brushless kit with 2 lithium ion battery packs and a fast charger... But wait... There is more! We will throw in another brushed tool! But wait, there is more! This is insane, I know! But we will toss in even 2 more brushed tools for a total 3 old school brushed tools for just $120!

So I'll let you know when they get here, but I'm expecting to see 2 if the brushless and 3 older brushed style. And I'm okay with that. The Hercules are all brushed and I was going to marry into that family.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Well.... I'll be dipped in spit.

According to the Q and A section each and every tool is the newest Gen5X series brushless. Seems to cheap to be possible. Black Friday is amazing. For a couple hundred bucks I'm getting just about all I want and need in cordless stuff. I'll order a battery kit with 2 or 4 4 amp hour batteries and a charger later on if I decide that the 2 that come with kit are not sufficient. I should be good to go until I die I suppose.