Rate the Harbor Freight Tools Thread- Pass or Fail?

GeneT45 said:
Picked up one of these sets today: https://www.harborfreight.com/long-jaw-master-puller-set-22-piece-58003.html I'd love to know what makes the Snap-On version worth 7x the price... Fit and finish are good. Threads are smooth and tight. Oh, and it did the job! Even for my modest needs I'm happy with this investment. No way I'd spend $1400 on Snap-On, or $1100 on Snap-On via eBay for what can't possibly be any better.

GsT
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Differences might be that the Snap On version may last several generations of use, and are guaranteed probably forever, and they pay their workers a living wage; I too would not like to spend that much, but I'm not sure that I would buy Chinese tools, although they do make some good tools sold for decent prices; a friend bought me a set of short handled open end wrenches, I can't say there is anything wrong with them, except I think there is one size missing, as purchased.
 
GeneT45 said:
Picked up one of these sets today: https://www.harborfreight.com/long-jaw-master-puller-set-22-piece-58003.html I'd love to know what makes the Snap-On version worth 7x the price... Fit and finish are good. Threads are smooth and tight. Oh, and it did the job! Even for my modest needs I'm happy with this investment. No way I'd spend $1400 on Snap-On, or $1100 on Snap-On via eBay for what can't possibly be any better.

GsT
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The name. I believe some snap on is worth it. But for most things, it's way overpriced. The most valuable feature of snap on is they come to you if you are a mechanic, and they give you credit, because no one can buy the tools in cash on a mechanics salary.
 
benmychree said:
Differences might be that the Snap On version may last several generations of use, and are guaranteed probably forever, and they pay their workers a living wage; I too would not like to spend that much, but I'm not sure that I would buy Chinese tools, although they do make some good tools sold for decent prices; a friend bought me a set of short handled open end wrenches, I can't say there is anything wrong with them, except I think there is one size missing, as purchased.
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I suspect this set (which also has a lifetime guarantee) will last generations. I'm not sure I give much credence to "they pay their workers a living wage" when their business model is based around miring underpaid mechanics in debt.

GsT
 
I know some professional mechanics that will only buy Snap-On but when I ran my shop I told the guy with the truck to stay away. I couldn't pay my guys enough to make the payments....

Seriously though, if Snap-On can get $1400 for that tool good for them. Hope they pass a good portion of that along to their workers, presumably some of which are in China.

From their website.

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I take the point of this thread is to "rate Harbor Freight Tools", not to debate the merit of their product sourcing. BTW, Harbor Freight also sources things from manufacturers around the world. Yes, they do have a very different business model than Snap-On but at the end of the day I need tools to perform whatever job I purchased them for.

American industry isn't what it used to be nor are the tools one can buy (remember Craftsman). Harbor Freight stands behind the tools they sell and are the only national tool chain here in the US. They sell a wide range of tools, some of which might only work once or twice but also ones that I've owned and used for decades. True, they don't have some of the very specialized tools needed by working auto technicians, the ones that turn a flat rate job profitable. But they know their customer base and are constantly trying to improve their products.

On a completely different note, I'm glad I bought one of the close out US General boxes while I still could. The new Series 3 chests have more deep drawers which aren't what I need for machine tool tooling. I'd rate the Series 2 US General boxes (mine were built in Taiwan) as top notch and a great value for the money....

John
 
I really like their Icon brand but it seems the prices have really gone up in the last 9 months or so. Still a heck of a lot cheaper than the Snap-On as you mentioned.
 
I haven’t been updating this as I buy stuff, but I’m pretty loyal to Harbor Freight. I’ve got a big battery impact, a hammer drill, a hand held power planer, and a hand held belt sander this year. I’m completely happy with all of them.

The sander and planer got a ton of use, and have been so much better than my old Stanley hand plane and rasps.
Full disclosure on this stuff is that I have literally no experience with these sort of power tools previous to this.

Not a lot of use for such things on a framing crew. But for DIY patio furniture, it was tops.

Two things I bought there were not good. A digital caliper and a pneumatic die grinder. But I fixed the grinder with a well placed dent, and the calipers weren’t worth the drive to replace.

2 things in 13 years ain’t bad. The little blue square magnetic flashlights are sort of weak, but they’ll answer in a pinch.
 
The set looks nice, especially the pins which are like the proto's with ball detents.
But the pictures of the tools pooling disk brakes is way off.
They are not using the forged forks, but using the stamped steel ones. I would never pull with that, it's merely made barely strong enough to keep the fingers from falling off what is being pulled.
 
I got an Icon ratchet handle for Christmas. In one place the chrome plate is so thin you can see the copper color underneath. Also, it should be stamped ON/OFF on the head. Mine is stamped ON/O. I'm sorry but these Chinese manufacturers just cannot understand quality control.
 
I've avoided HF hand and electrical tools but I do like the two US General roll-arounds I've got. I've looked at similar in the big box stores. They all seem very close to the same manufacture. All of them are going up in price a lot. Inflation eating away at us! It's going to ruin our tool habits.
 
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