HF Icon vs. Pittsburgh line

[Willman]

I remember when HF was only mail order, before they had their different brands, some stuff was ok, some was pure junk, but was cheap

 

[Fields_mj]

In previous carriers, I worked on a lot of equipment, and most of it required the use of hex keys (ie allen wrenches). I tried a handful of brands and quickly decided that Bohondus had the best product. I was using ball end wrenches which are more prone to get rounded off, but they are a LOT more convenient to use. If you're using a square end instead of a ball end, most brands will work fine. Keep an eye on the end of the wrench. If it starts to show signs of wear, sand/grind a little bit of the end off to remove the worn portion.

 

[homey53]

I remember when HF was only mail order, before they had their different brands, some stuff was ok, some was pure junk, but was cheap

I could never figure out why Harbor Freight continues to drag themselves down with their "Junk Lines" of tools. They have some decent lines of tools, and not being a professional, I buy those often, but some of their stuff I can't understand why they even produce it? Like Willman said, "pure junk". Incidentally, does anyone use HF's "Quinn" line of tools? Where do those fit in to their ranking?

 

[JeepHead]

I could never figure out why Harbor Freight continues to drag themselves down with their "Junk Lines" of tools. They have some decent lines of tools, and not being a professional, I buy those often, but some of their stuff I can't understand why they even produce it? Like Willman said, "pure junk". Incidentally, does anyone use HF's "Quinn" line of tools? Where do those fit in to their ranking?

Quinn is just okay, nothing to write home about. The Ikon series is the high end stuff at HF. You see a lot of pros moving to the Ikon brand and the warranty is unbeatable.

 

[John_Mc]

The similarity between clone tools and high-end name brands is intentional. The clone makers set out to match the appearance as closely as possible, to convince you that they are just as good. In some cases, it actually is as good, or very nearly so. In others, it is just window dressing to get you to by.

In my experience, the Icon tools generally rank right up there in quality with the name brands - or at least close enough that I'll never know the difference. I've found other cases where the clones are just junk. (Northern Tool was famous for the latter. It may still be true, I haven't really followed their stuff as much lately. They or their suppliers would even go so far as copying the text from the name-brand tool's advertisement and using it in their own and designing a name and logo that was very similar. However, the tools were cheap junk.)

And the "made in the same factory..." rumors you her from time to time are really no clue. Sometimes it is just a matter of changing the name and/or the color. Other times its a cheapened design made from lower quality components. The same factory can make junk to meet one company's specs and nice stuff to meet another spec. If the junk company's spec is for a certain look, the factory can do that as well.

 

[5030]

I remember when HF was only mail order, before they had their different brands, some stuff was ok, some was pure junk, but was cheap

Reminds me of Northern. Used to be all chainsaw related and then diversified themselves into everything and opened storefronts and of course still sold a lot of junk stuff along with good stuff. Unlike HF, their after the sale warranties suck, big time.

 

[5030]

I will say I have both a Metric and SAE set of Pittsburgh ratcheting open end wrenches and they work and hold up just fine when used as intended. The only downside is none of them are marked on the ratcheting end with a 'L' or a 'R' so I marked them myself as it was a crapshoot using the correct rotation. The ratcheting box end is a time saver for me.

 

[Bentrim]

For all my working life I purchased tools of the truck. Snap on, Mac, Matco. Started with a set of Craftsman. When Snap on was advertising their flank drive I really agitated the tooolman when I told him the flank quit driving. Had no issue with him warranting that socket. As expected had no issue with the truck tools even when I purchased their cheaper line Blue Point etc.
There was no Horible Freight close so that is why I stuck to the truck guys or Craftsman,
Since I have retired Horible Freight has opened a store just 2 miles from my house, after a True Value hardware store closed. Personally I would rather have the True Valve. My be someday I'll get a need to visit the new store.
Just saw a article where Snap on sued Harbor Freight over their floor jack. From what I read Snap on lost.

 

[John_Mc]

I will say I have both a Metric and SAE set of Pittsburgh ratcheting open end wrenches and they work and hold up just fine when used as intended. The only downside is none of them are marked on the ratcheting end with a 'L' or a 'R' so I marked them myself as it was a crapshoot using the correct rotation. The ratcheting box end is a time saver for me.

Marking them "L" and "R" is a good idea. Most of mine have an arrow engraved, but it's so fine an engraving that I don't have a prayer of seeing which way it points without my reading glasses on. I just end up giving them a spin every time I pick them up.

 

[charlessenf]

I've got the cheapest set HF offered ten-12 years ago and have yet to break one. HFT really doesn't stand behind their stuff like Lowes or Home Depot. But, for regular home shop stuff, the quality is sufficient (has been) for me - one notable exception are their cheaper batteries!
BTW - I have two different T-Handle Allen Wrench sets for HFT The newer one has (possibly) never been out of its box.

 

[5030]

I've got the cheapest set HF offered ten-12 years ago and have yet to break one. HFT really doesn't stand behind their stuff like Lowes or Home Depot. But, for regular home shop stuff, the quality is sufficient (has been) for me - one notable exception are their cheaper batteries!
BTW - I have two different T-Handle Allen Wrench sets for HFT The newer one has (possibly) never been out of its box.

I have to disagree with that. Not the batteries or the consumable stuff, but the tools, they sure do and I've returned more than one item in the past and I've never had issue one with them.

In fact, I purchase their extended warranty on all the high buck complex stuff I buy from them like welders, plasma cutters for instance. Never had issue one with my TIG machine or either of the 2 plasma cutters I bought there and I use them almost daily.

I also have a full range of Bauer 20 volt cordless tools and not a one has failed yet though I don't purchase the extended warranty on them. I have a whole shelf of just Bauer 20 volt tools and a couple charges and numerous batteries as well.

Needless to say I spend a bundle at HF and I use their HF credit card as well because it has 0 percent financing on it if I buy over I believe 300 bucks at a crack. My last big purchase was well over 2500 bucks btw.

I tend to not impulse shop but conglomerate all I need and buy it all at one shot.

I buy so much at HF, the store manager knows me by first name and I always get excellent service from him.

I almost filled out their employment application but I'd spend all my wages on HF stuff so I didn't. HF employees get a flat 30% off on everything.

Some stuff I agree is junk (like their twist drills for instance, but most of their stuff, especially Icon, General tool cabs and Chief air tools are very high quality.

In fact I own an Ingersoll Rand 4 1/2" right angle air grinder I bought from MSC for north of 300 bucks and I also own the Chief air grinder from HF that I paid about 100 bucks for on sale (ITC Club price) and they are identical in build and quality. Only difference is the name on the composite handle and they both get used almost daily by myself or one of my employees. Same deal with the Icon 1/2" drive clicker torque wrench. Again, I have a Snap-On and it set me back almost 450 bucks. The Icon was $120.00. Only difference between the 2 is the laser etched name on the barrel.

HF has high quality stuff and crap stuff as well but the difference in them is totally up to what you want to spend.

You want chap crap, buy it. I don't.

 

[JeepHead]

I've got the cheapest set HF offered ten-12 years ago and have yet to break one. HFT really doesn't stand behind their stuff like Lowes or Home Depot. But, for regular home shop stuff, the quality is sufficient (has been) for me - one notable exception are their cheaper batteries!
BTW - I have two different T-Handle Allen Wrench sets for HFT The newer one has (possibly) never been out of its box.

I will have to disagree. They have always been very good with anything I have wanted to return and warrantying anything covered under a warranty.

 

[5030]

Marking them "L" and "R" is a good idea. Most of mine have an arrow engraved, but it's so fine an engraving that I don't have a prayer of seeing which way it points without my reading glasses on. I just end up giving them a spin every time I pick them up.

I marked them on the shanks with a number punch, left and right punches and large enough to easily see.

 

[charlessenf]

Snap on, Mac, Matco. Craftsman.

Bentrim:

I would buy Craftsman (long before there was a HFT) when on sale and at their outlet stores for the Lifetime Warranty (Looks like I've out lived that one?).

It does seem that Congress has caved to the corporate interests and, now, it seems 'everything's from elsewhere.

Yet Broyhill and Exxon, and YOUNAMEIT, get same tax breaks, and legal system and national defense as a company that creates its products right here in the USA.

And, they get the same access to "our" representatives even though their employees are foreigners who don't contribute to our tax base. If you pay attention, you will note that the 'foreign' companies that do build factories in the USA avoid states that support American workers (e.g. unions) while depending heavily upon robotics - thus 'their' employees earn less and contribute less in taxes and the economy in general while the 'robotics that replace wage earners (and taxpayers) are effectively paid for by those who do pay taxes (Tax Breaks, Depreciation allowances, etc.) because he cost of government (and 'the debt') is the cost of government so every tax break for Peter is made up for by a tax on Paul.

Tariffs are a TAX on imported goods that directly increase Snap-On's line item "COGS (cost of goods sold)" and directly decrease Snap-On's "P (profit)."

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Calculate profit margin, net profit and profit percentage from the cost and revenue. Given cost and selling price, calculate profit margin and profit percentage. Profit margin formulas.

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Judiciously targeted and applied they are tools designed to influence trade decisions as between foreign and domestic producers and consumers. Another tool we've seen used here a lot is the nation's Tax Policy. Neither is a simple 'one pager,' indeed I suspect America's IRS code runs into millions of pages - all designed and passed into our law by the likes of Lauren Boebert, MTG, the congressman from Arizona, the Gomert of Texas and, of course The Heritage Foundation that brought us Chainsaw Efficiency, "across the board tariffs," "reciprocal tariffs," Tariffs on Penguins, "Permanent Tariffs" as well as Surprise Tariff Pauses ("Now is a great time to buy" DJT) and a falling Bond Market.

We, the people, bear the brunt of all this as (a vet) we see the future we bet upon threatened at every turn by some of the least competent and least patriotic group of billionaires and their lackeys as have ever graced the halls of our government.

Imagine the government accidentally sending your wife, son or father to a prison in El Salvador (a nation whose president proudly proclaims to be "the world's coolest dictator") without so much as a hearing before a local magistrate." Then, effectively refusing to bring your relative back - even after the unanimous ruling of the United States' nine justices of the Supreme Court?

Hmmm, and we're talking about the quality and value of Chinese Allen wrenches!

 

[5030]

The local Lowes we have here, if you can find a sales associate, good luck with that. I tend to avoid Lowes and Home Despot if possible. Especially Home Despot. What a junky store.

 

[charlessenf]

I will have to disagree.

No, you could simply accept that the sum of my interactions with HFT outlets since the first appeared (in Florida) has been different than yours. We are simply two data points and each as valid as the other.

 

[California]

I've got the cheapest set HF offered ten-12 years ago and have yet to break one. HFT really doesn't stand behind their stuff like Lowes or Home Depot.

My experience is just the opposite.

I have my original Craftsman socket sets for real projects, but got HF's $9.99 3/8" socket set to keep in an outdoor workbench drawer. Real convenient.

Broke the HF ratchet when I was under the tractor pushing on it. Not a high torque situation. HF gave me a replacement. Broke the replacement. This time they gave me the entire cheap set, even the case. Broke that ratchet. Swapped an old Taiwan ratchet from a yard sale into the set case. A couple of decades now and I haven't broken the Taiwan ratchet. I've rounded a couple of the cheap sockets.

 

[charlessenf]

The local Lowes we have here, if you can find a sales associate, good luck with that. I tend to avoid Lowes and Home Despot if possible. Especially Home Despot. What a junky store.

The lack of 'sales associates' at Big Box Outlets is likely a function of the leveraged financing employed when Venture Capitalists bought a going venture (like Home Depot) and then began implementing cost cutting measures (e.g. DOGE for the private sector) that reduced staff (if not shrinkage), service and customer satisfaction generally.

We presently have such VCs deployed across our nations government implementing similar measures in order to justify extending 45's tax cuts that cost us billions in added debt as part of an attempt to restore us from the financial debacle that culminated in the Great Recession that began when George Jr. and company last managed "our" economy.

If these tariffs hit - Lowes and Home Depot and YOUNAMEIT will be reeling like we've seen the market do.

But, you may not notice if your SSI checks stop coming or The Medical costs increase or you lose your disability, or those kids in Texas bring their measles to your town.

 

[charlessenf]

My experience is just the opposite. I broke the HF ratchet - Not a high torque situation. HF gave me a replacement. I broke the replacement. This time they gave me an entire set, with the case. Broke that ratchet.

A couple of decades now and I've rounded a couple of the cheap sockets.

OK twenty years ago? Maybe a bit longer? Maybe when they were "new to your town?" Did you have the original receipt in hand? Had you opted for the 'extended warranty?"

Looks like you broke four ratchets. and never bothered to get the fourth swapped out but had to replace it with "a yard sale" ratchet. So, basically they never replaced the original ratchet with a working tool and you had to make four round trips to their store and never got a refund or a working tool.

Not what I'd call great warranty service.

 

[California]

...We presently have such VCs deployed across our nations government implementing similar measures ...

Agree with your points. I don't understand why the dire consequences aren't obvious to everyone. But on here, I think politics outside that one political sub-forum will get a thread shut down.