Does anyone here have experience with Harbor Freight stores?

[Drum]

Good selections, prices?

[WA-03 Democrat]

1. Depends what you need

Prices are great. Great bargains but I never expect great quality. I have heard good things about their generators being good value and great quality. Small hand tools are what I buy there. It is well laid out and tons of interesting stuff. Check it out

[KPN]

6. If you need an expensive tool and are only going to use it once or very infrequently,

Harbor Freight is a great way to go. Not that everything they have is junk, but their tools won't hold up to the tools that professionals use daily on their jobs. On the other hand, if you're looking for a tool that you will use often over many years and hope to only ever buy once, then go with the more tried and true brands.

HF is also good for disposable/consumable kinds of products -- things you don't expect to last a long time anyway.

This is just me. I see people buying cart loads of tools at Harbor Freight whenever I go into one of their stores -- so they must be somewhat happy with what they purchase their unless they are first time customers which I doubt all of them are. I do see construction rigs parked outside our local store often -- so contractors buy and use some stuff from them.

I have also heard that their generators are good alternatives to more expensive brands as one of the posters above mentioned as well. I hear their Predator generator is a good as Honda's small, quiet (e2 and e3000) generators. Thinking of getting one myself as they are about half the price of the Honda.

[Wicked Blue]

2. Yes. There's one near me and I like it.

They sell tools at very reasonable prices, much lower than Home Depot or Lowes.

I go there mostly to buy garden gloves and work gloves, but I've also bought tools in the past.

They don't sell paint, screws, home decor, etc.

[Scrivener7]

10. Huh. We just got one and I've never been inside. Do they have other gardening things like

seed trays and potting soil?

[MichMan]

12. Tools and other ancillary items like batteries, glue, paint brushes, gloves and tarps

[Scrivener7]

13. OK. Thanks!

[Wicked Blue]

17. Never saw any

They sell rakes, pruning clippers and hoses but the selection is small.

[Scrivener7]

18. Thanks!

[IA8IT]

3. My experience is they sell things that only look like tools.

[dem4decades]

15. I bought a small generator to go camping, used it a couple of times then forgot about it.

2 years later our power went out. Took the generator out, 1st or 2nd pull it started and kept out refrigerator and phones going for days.

I have no complaints though I've heard their zip ties are shit.

[IA8IT]

23. For the WIN!! Any time a motor starts.

[mobeau69]

4. Spend a little more for better quality tools is my advice.

[MichMan]

11. They have several brands of tools that range from cheap to good

Their ICON line is very good quality. Pittsburgh not so much.

I seldom shop there as buying Chinese made products is something I try and avoid if possible

[Drum]

5. Thanks for your rapid replies, DUers!

[Wingus Dingus]

7. I've never walked out of Harbor Freight empty-handed.

Too many handy/cheap little gizmos and tools and stuff. It's like a little flea market/garage sale set in a hardware store.

[DURHAM D]

8. Sign up to get their free coupons.

Right now - even if you buy something that costs less than a dollar you can get free AAA or AA batteries (24), or flashlights (2), or screwdriver set of 6.
I do this all of the time and take the batteries and flashlights to places that distribute to homeless people.

[MichMan]

14. Their coupons are deceptive sometimes

Example; 20% off anything in store (with separate exclusions listed stating only on items $19.99 or less)

[MyOwnPeace]

9. As others have said.........

If you are not a 'professional' using a tool every day - instead, maybe 2 to 4 times a year, this is the place to go.
I've built projects using their 'better' cordless drills, a power sander, a table saw, a band saw, several car jacks, many car jack stands, hand-held grinder and wheels, and many clamps.

Got the jobs done and they're still ready for more.

Oh, and sign-up for their e-mailed coupons - EVERYTHING (just about) goes on sale on what seems to be a rotating basis. NEVER pay the regular price!!!!!

[gab13by13]

16. You get what you pay for, or don't pay for.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

19. Harbor Freight has both junk and jewels

You have to be specific.

I have a collection of HF tools I'd fight you over, and a pile that are not worth the effort to put in a garbage bag.

"You get what you pay for" does not apply to anything -- price is what the seller thinks the market will bear regardless of quality.

[grumpyduck]

20. I tend to use them only for

disposable items (gloves, sandpaper, etc.) and hand tools now and then. I've bought a couple of routers from them, but they weren't for everyday use; still, they worked fine. If I needed to replace a long-term tool like a drill press or band saw, I'd go elsewhere.

In general, I consider anything I buy there to be disposable: it's cheap, so if it breaks, it's history.

[Kali]

21. cheap chinese stuff but some of it is GOOD

we buy water pumps and the year warranty on them. sometimes they last a LOT longer, other times the warranty is so worth it.

random tools are better than others. small grinder is known to be good. the stores are just fun to browse...kind of like a dollar type store for hardware. you just have to learn what is a good deal and what is crap like any other store.

[Phoenix61]

22. Love Harbour Freight.

As others have said, it’s not high end stuff but I’m not a professional builder. I’ve been very happy with everything I’ve gotten there especially my manual hydraulic log splitter. Won’t work on green wood but splits aged oak like a camp.