Chicago Electric tools at Harbor Freight

[jhb]

Has anyone used Chicago Electric tools and can comment on there quality? Specifcally, they have a 7" angle grinder for 30 bucks, less than 1/2 what the name brands run. I want to put a diamond blade on it to cut rock, so it will take some abuse. At 30.00, its almost disposable!

 

[Jagmandave]

That's how you have to look at them, as disposable tools. If they last longer than the job, maybe you're money ahead. I bought a drill and a grinder. The grinder has held up so far, the drill lasted about a year. I just replaced the drill with a Rigid, with the "lifetime" warranty from Home Depot, it was only about $20 more than the CE was. You have to pick and choose on HF stuff, some of it's a good deal, others - not so much.

 

[escavader]

10 inch sliding chop saw-built 2 houses with it,dropped it out of the back of my truck,still works great ,very accurate.
9 inch grinder,one powerful sucker,hang on tight,makes short work of any grinding
4.5 grinder with paddle switch.bought it so i wouldnt have to go from wheel to wire brush all the time with MAKITA.IT IS ALOT MORE POWERFUL THAN MAKITA,and easier to use,wire brush is on the makita,orange one is better grinder
alot of other miscellaneous harbor freight power and airtools.never got a bad one.
THROW AWAY TOOL...NOT ON YOUR LIFE
ALAN

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( THROW AWAY TOOL...NOT ON YOUR LIFE )</font>

Well now, it all depends. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I have personally owned a number of Harbor Freight tools, and while in the air tool repair business I had some of their tools to repair. So, while I make no claims of being an expert or being able to provide an expert evaluation, I do have a little experience. And I've had a lot more experience with their air tools (Central Pneumatic) than with their electric tools (Chicago Electric).

So . . . in my opinion, they are usually worth at least what they cost, and sometimes a little more if the specs meet your needs. Example: I had a Central Pneumatic half-inch impact for years with no problems at all with it, but it's only capable of 250 ft. lbs. of torque. My Ingersoll-Rand was 425 ft. lbs. On the other hand I had a Central Pneumatic 3/8" ratchet that was as powerful as most of the more expensive ones and never had a problem with it either.

However, when I got Central Pneumatic air tools in for repair, my parts supplier (who supplied parts for almost any brand you ever heard of) told me there was only one place to get the parts and that was from Harbor Freight. Now they had an "800" phone number, but I never did figure out how to get past their recordings and get to speak to a human. So I never succeeded in actually obtaining any parts.

But when the customary labor charge for tearing into a half-inch impact is about $25, how much would you spend to repair a $30 impact wrench?

Bottom line, for me personally, is that Harbor Freight tools are a pretty good buy, but if one breaks, it's a disposable tool, not a repairable one.

 

[Dargo]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( At 30.00, its almost disposable! )</font>

With the Chicago Electric brand of tools, they have been much worse than disposable. Since I actually put my tools to hard use when I use them, the Chicago Electric brand tools simply are not for me. In general, they do not make it through the very first use. With the time and gas spent to go get the junk, I may as well take a lighter to $30; I'd get just as much use.

Sorry, but I bought and tried Harbor Fright tools for a couple of years before I finally got it through my thick head that I was wasting time and money. Sorry if it offends someone, but HF tools do not even rate as junk for the most part. I've had much better luck buying worn out name brand tools at a pawn shop; far better luck. Besides, when one of them does actually break, it is reparible.

 

[BobReeves]

9 years ago I bought two Bostitch air guns, one brad nailer and a 1/2 inch crown stapler. The stapler broke first but was able to get parts to fix it. The Brad nailer died last week and was told by Bostitich that the tool was discontinued 8 years ago and parts are no longer available. At about the same time I bought a cheap Chinese 1/4 crown stapler and framing nailer. Seems like I paid over $100.00 for the Bostitich brad nailer and around $20.00 for the Chinese stapler. The Chinese stapler and nailer are still going strong with about the same amount of use/abuse as the two Bostitich tools.

I replaced the brad nailer with a HF brad nailer and figure I can buy 4 or 5 of them for the price of a new Bostitich nailer. If the Bostitich would have came with the spare parts the HF gun did it would already be fixed.

My lesson is never buy another Bostitich air tool and the Chinese stuff is good enough for what I do...

 

[MadReferee]

I have several power tools from Chicago Electric (the orange ones) and have literally beaten them to death. I have a 4.5" grinder that has taken a beating and still keeps working, just like a Timex watch /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif. Same for a 7" grinder and 1/2" drill. The price was right and I would buy them again.

Now for the blue Drill Master stuff, they are just plain junk. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[kenmac]

It has been my experence that, if you have a tool that is rebuildable.You usually can't afford to have it rebuilt.I own several H. F. tools that have & are still working great.Engine puller(cherry picker), manual tire changer, bubble balancer,sand blaster , several 4.5 " grinders ,several air tools, 10' slide miter saw, etc;I have been happy & given excellent service. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[mikim]

I guess that explains the drill and grinder I bought from HF - they were both blue and both total junk. I gave the drill to my daughter to sell at a garage sale - don't know if it did - and the grinder finally hit the garbage can after I had all the frustration I could stand. I now buy name brands - cost more fer sure - but I'm never disappointed nor left high & dry in the middle of doing something.

 

[Soundguy]

I've got lots of CE tools.. including a couple beater 4" angle grinders.. I've had them for 4-7 years.. and they still go.. a little beat up though..

Soundguy