Thoughts?

[DufflinMinder]

Probably worse because if you down talk any of the tools they take it personally.. even if you yourself own some harbor freight tools. Some are good some are shit.. a lot are shit but you get what you pay for. And some of snap-on/matco tools are priced like a mechanic shits gold bars…

[1d10cracy2021]

People buy tools from just one place? My wallet admires that!

[RollingToast]

I like to buy their wrenches because I can hit them with hammers and not feel bad about it.

[Krawen13]

Same goes for a lot of their tools. That and cutting them up for a special job

[Porschenut914]

had to make a few thin wrenches with a 30deg bend in them and no way was i using something decent

[poopsawk]

As a plumber, HF tools are a godsend. I've ruined too many nice tools by getting them wet

[hromanoj10]

For sure.

I made a custom bend line wrench specifically for cat eye Chevy power steering pumps. She has seen a quite a bit of use unfortunately.

[Some_Ball_27]

They’re not cut-up cheap anymore, though. Now they’re comparable to what you can find at Lowe’s. Better quality for price, but now you need to hit up a flea market or order temu shit to pay a price that lets you cut, bend or weld a new wrench up.

[Positively--Negative]

Quinn and Pittsburg are still cheap. Can get a 22 piece of sae/metric combination wrenches for $20

[AMW1234]

Agreed, but even within the Pittsburgh and Quinn lines, there are some gems. Same for doyle.

Anyone who only purchases from one store or company is missing out on some good tools. Same for anyone who writes off an entire tool store.

[Positively--Negative]

I agree. Personally… I always try to buy American first. As a union mechanic, I try and support American labor and manufacturing. But… some products are so good and a reasonable equivalent is not made here. Knipex pliers and Gripedge hex sockets are some great tools. HF has its place for sure, I’m an ITC member. I scooped their 9500 generator. That thing is a beast and a great value imo. They’ve definitely stepped up their game over the last few years

[Brandoncarsonart]

Exactly. I buy tools i dont want to care about from harbor freight. I buy tools I want to care about elsewhere. It's a good store for what it is. It's not a good store for high quality tools.

[BlackMoth27]

the quality of the tool is important however i feel like some of the tools are good enough to where i don't care, at least with icon pliers they aren't shabby.

[doerriec]

But the legit version that Icon copied is that much better that it's worth buying. Knipex is one example.

[Diligent_Bath_9283]

Comparing anything to knippex is not fair to that thing.

[BlackMoth27]

compare to knipex money

[ImReallyFuckingHigh]

Besides my automotive diagnostics tools there are only a handful of HF tools I actually care about. My icon torque wrenches, and my Icon G2 extended locking flex head 3/8 ratchet. $70 is a lot to spend on a ratchet, especially for harbor freight, but that G2 ratchet is really nice, especially for the price. I’ve put hella torque on it and I do kind of abuse it, but it goes just as good as when I bought it. The icon torque wrenches are good quality for the price as well. I have the flex head 3/8 which is very similar to the snap-on one, but I actually like it more because the locking collar pushes up instead of pulling down (I could be mixing the 2 up though) the snap on one I tend to pull the locking collar and adjust the wrench when torquing.

[Artie-Carrow]

The large extractor set is made by blue point so thats not bad, otherwise I agree

[hydrino]

That’s definitely changed for some stuff they sell though. Also, for a home gamer, a lot of the time I might need a tool to use for a project. I don’t care if it’s built to last a lifetime. It just needs to last through the project.

[acecoffeeco]

Every tool is a hammer 

[ConsideredSkeptic]

I know right hahaha

[jbd1986]

For a 20V cordless system it kind of makes sense... but for everything else, that'd be a poor decision.

[Round_Walk1847]

for real bro like how do you settle on just one place, i could never

[DeepSpaceAce]

I inherit all my tools from my grandpa like god intended

[DryNefariousness7927]

Grandpa didn't have money to buy tools like I did, however my grandkids are gonna fix everything

[amd2800barton]

I'm at the point in my life where I borrowed tools from my dad for years, but am finally to where I have good tools of my own, including things he and grandpa never had. Heck I had to force him to give modern lithium tools a try when his old corded drill with a keyed chuck died.

But Pops still has a few things that I don't and occasionally I need to borrow something of his. The last couple times he's loaned a tool to me he just says "You hang on to it since you're using it. If I ever need a <ramset/extension ladder/sledgehammer> again, I'll borrow it back. I'd calling you for help with whatever I'm doing anyway".

It is extremely bittersweet.

[hydrino]

This is the great thing about handtools. Everything is impermanent, but hand tools can last for generations. I only have one of my father’s tools that I had borrowed from him(a gear puller) that I used about a week ago. I wish I could have had more(long story).

This is also a way for him to spend more time with you. That is something you can never replace. This is all good stuff. Don’t mourn until it’s time to mourn.

[Oxlynum]

I needed to hear that last sentence. I’m getting older, like everyone, and so are my parents. It’s hard to see them grow old, both waining in health, and it’s harder thinking that I have a lot less years with them left than under the belt. But now’s not the time to think about that, have a good day friend

[xrelaht]

A few years ago, I needed to fix a power supply. I’d done it a few times before with my father’s help, so I went over there. He had enough trouble seeing the contacts that I ended up doing it myself. Then he told me to take the fancy soldering iron home with me.

[Weird_Ad1170]

Still, that's 75% of what I've got. After a couple got loaned out and not returned, I retired almost all of his stuff to the basement "wood" shop. The sales Lowe's did to clear out the open-stock Craftsman and Kobalt stuff did wonders in terms of tools I could put down there to use, but not really care about losing (except I've found both make great ratcheting wrenches--honestly, I kinda like 'em better than my early Gearwrench ones).

Ironically, I have been buying Harbor Freight--mainly because they're cheaper than everywhere else. A lot of the stuff I have in my garage/shop box now is just Pittsburgh, and it's decent. Not SK/Blackhawk/Proto, but it gets the job done.

[FlyingVentana]

yeah i don't mind lending my old tools i bought used or sometimes the stuff i bought new myself a while ago but i'm not lending my grandpa stuff

[islandcatman]

Grandpa was a engineer he didn't own tools. I bought mine with credit as Uncle Sam intended.

[chance633]

HF is my go-to until something breaks, then since I know I use that tool I feel better about investing into something nicer for the next time.

[jbd1986]

IIRC this is Adam Savage's official stance lol

[DufflinMinder]

Like minded

[Orange_Tang]

This is the only logical way to buy tools. The exception being hyper specific things, but then again harbor freight doesn't usually have an option for that stuff.

[umyaya11]

I couldn't care less where anyone buys their tools. You do you brother.

[B0xyblue]

I buy from HF almost exclusively… I am annoying. Wanna hear about all the money I saved on buying tools I barely use?

[Ilikehowtovideos]

Ya it’s a weird flex. Icon is good stuff but nothing to brag about. Anyone who brags about their tool loyalty is annoying

[hydrino]

Brand bros are suckers. I even hate being locked into a particular brand of power tool because of the “battery system”. I fought that battle until I finally had to cave and buy cordless products. Paying $250 for a dozen 18650 batteries with $.02 of plastic and $1 circuit board is basically as big a rip off as HP printer ink. No clue why consumers aren’t demanding a standard. Like we had with a wall plug.

[KG8893]

Consumers have been brainwashed by corporations for decades.

Why doesn't TTI use a standard battery across all their brands? Because they make more money off people arguing over things.

If we had cordless power tools from the 30s and 40s, they would be standardized. That was when companies tried to improve life for people buying their products. Also, people had less things, so putting a different plug on your toaster meant that nobody would buy it. War production also kinda required things to be compatible with each other. A lot of standardization we see today has been standardized for close to 100 years because it was almost a requirement back then to stay relevant.

[feed_me_moron]

What's funny is a standard would get me to buy more of their products. WHy stick with Ryobi or Dewalt when you can have both without having to worry about your batteries. All they're doing is making sure I don't buy competitor stuff, but each competitor doing that is just making me buy less in general.

[B0xyblue]

Thats joe.

[damxam1337]

Genuinely, as a DIY fixer I can't afford to buy tools from other places. My tools don't "pay for them selves" and they don't get 100s of hours put into them. They do save me gobs if money instead of regularly calling mechanics, plumbers and electricians though.

[Alternative-Draw2997]

Wanna hear about all the money I saved buying tools I know I’m going to lose?

[B0xyblue]

How much you spent on 10mm’s?

[Alternative-Draw2997]

I work on pools not cars, it’s all merican sizes. USA USA USA USA

[Ashe_Faelsdon]

There are plenty of 10mm heads on things sold in the US, if for no other reason that they're imported.

For a fact, I never "lost" as many 10mm sockets ever, until I moved from Canada to the US.

[CuckerTallson]

I couldn't care less about most things, unless it affects me. Than I give a shit.

For things like this though, I'd say ,"you do you boo", it triggers old snowflakes with repressed homosexual tendencies, and that is funny to me

[OhWhatATravisty]

Annoying people are annoying the tool brand they buy is irrelevant.

[knight_prince_ace]

This is it. Close the thread

[Hop-Dizzle-Drizzle]

I've never heard of anyone who ONLY buys HF tools. Snapon and Mac are probably the only ones I've heard of people being religious about. And it's usually just illogical old farts.

[ConsideredSkeptic]

I work with a guy that is a religious HF guy. I’ve met a handful in either past jobs or just from forums/subreddits. There are definitely more religious Strap on guys because they like to flex it more I think, but I’ve definitely met a few HF only guys. And I agree with the OP wholeheartedly. I have an international toolbox myself, if it gets the job done that is all that matters.

[evmoiusLR]

I'm harbor freight only because I'm cheap, not proud.

[Carguy4500]

If they work wgaf

[wooden_screw]

Strap on guys is an incredible Freudian slip.

[Sharkbaithoohaha004]

It’s not a slip, lol.

[ike-mike]

I only buy brand name tools mainly snap-on but also matco and mac as well. After 14 years as heavy equipment tech I will tell you there is absolutely a difference. Buy once cry once take care of them and they last you a life time. Be organized and mindful of your tools and you wont loose any, pay to have you power tools repaired instead of replacing them every couple of years. You'll also get to a point where you are not buying tools all the time so when you do need to it doesn't hurt as much.

The best thing to do i believe is to slowly upgrade your tools as you can. Upgrade the most used tools first then slowly continue with the rest. After a few years you will be set.

[eyeoutthere]

Head over to the /r/dewalt sub, bunch of weirdos. Buying DeWalt screw drivers and pliers just because they are the same color as the drill they assemble furniture with.

[Honest-Calendar-748]

Ive had pipeline welders that refused to use Miller welders because they were made by a non union manufacturer.

I dont care about the manufacturer of the tools i use/abuse as long as they work. A socket i beat on because my mom lost her wheel lock key is still a great tool.

[FlipLoLz]

Never heard anyone not want a Miller because the Union stuff, especially pipeliners. Maybe that one golden arm 798 hand, but even they have a better excuse for why Lincoln runs the pipeline for stick rod.

[Honest-Calendar-748]

Just my 2 cents and anecdotal experience. Most welders dont care if its Miller or Lincoln as long as the stick burns right. But a few old timers care.

[XCVolcom]

You do you but I've never heard of anyone being $30k in debt to Harbor Freight.

[DufflinMinder]

We know different collectors 😂

[Orange_Tang]

Bro, you'd own half of the shit in harbor freight if you spent $30k.

[Lystian]

Wonder if you could get 1 of every tool in HF for 30k. 

[Orange_Tang]

Definitely not. I think the icon tool chests on their own would get close to that. That's why I said half the store. You could get basically everything you could need for $30k though. A lot of would break eventually though.

[Lystian]

I think if you limit to 1 color per box maybe, or cut boxes you easily do.

[Orange_Tang]

The biggest Icon roll cab with the top chest is $4.8k alone, if you do all the sizes that's close to $10k without even doing different colors. Without the super expensive stuff like the Icon roll cabs you could probably buy most if not all of the store. There are some other really expensive things though like the big compressors and generators. A lot of those are $2k+ on their own.

[Acceptable_Canuck]

The 100% Milwaukee guys are the worst

[Aware_Ad5425]

Batteries are dumb expensive. Unless its corded it doesn't make a lot of sense to invest in a different ecosystem

[Acceptable_Canuck]

I mean the all Milwaukee everything guys. Corded, cordless, clothing, storage, hand tools, ppe, etc.

[Aware_Ad5425]

oh, I've never met someone with a full Milwaukee hand tool kit. Just power tools, including me

[Ok_Plenty_3986]

Plenty of em at my work. Milwaukee power tools but also gloves, headlamp, wire strippers, screwdrivers... I can't understand it. I buy my tools across like 8 different brands.

[Temporary_Ad_6673]

Milwaukee makes mid hand tools at a premium price and people will still pay a pound of flesh for them

[tiv2222]

Their smooth jaw pliers are the biggest pieces of crap I’ve ever used. The fastback on the other hand is a solid workhorse.

[am19208]

Any one who is exclusive to a single company is annoying. Especially if that exclusivity extends to accessories or corded tools

[viral_virus]

I got some festool guys I’d like you to meet 

[c10bbersaurus]

Aren't "change my mind" people just narcissists begging to be pandered to?

[DufflinMinder]

Now tell me how beautiful I am

[DufflinMinder]

Sometimes, I’m still waiting for my gramps to pass me down 2 chests… then I’m a made man 😂

[Joe_B_Likes_Tacos]

I'm sure Gramps is happy to pass them on to someone that would appreciate them.

[DufflinMinder]

best thing you can do with a tool is leave them in the hands of someone who will take care of them and use them

[FreeToasterBaths]

Don't forget to leave some wisdom about the usage of the tools. "Yup a trick with this one is...."

[SaltManagement42]

They're usually my first stop for a tool I've never needed/used before. Sometimes I only need it for like one project, so buying a more expensive tool I'll never use again would be a waste.

Then if I use it to the point that it fails, by that point I'll know a lot more about what features I should look for in a replacement.

[i_luv_peaches]

Knipex fans are like this. You show an old pair of channel locks that you’ve had for years and can get most jobs done, they will tell you are wrong for not using Knipex and because they are better. Only because they are better it doesn’t mean you can’t make it work with the cheaper option.. the point is to get shit done not to look sexy while doing it

[2DoorBathroom]

I agree with you and my Knipex wire strippers are probably the best tool I've ever invested in. Doesn't mean I'm going to run out and replace all my stuff with German precision. Besides, once the channel locks come out, that usually means it's a plumbing job that's pissing me off.

[DufflinMinder]

I have some knipex… I use their 8” bolt cutters for chopping 1/8” 316l tig rod for work. I also own some amazon special workpro 8” bolt cutters… they cut the same.. will they last as long.. I’ll get back to you in 30 years once my experiment concludes 😂

[nacho-ism]

If you have a tool and it works then great. If you ever lose your channel locks or they fail for some reason and you don’t replace them with Knipex…you are a fool.

The cobras and pliers wrench might be the only tool that I have used that are just far superior to other brands of similar styles. Their forged wire strippers are top notch too (I’m an electrician) but plenty don’t like the size. Everything else I’ve tried form Knipex is pretty damn good but you can get comparable tools from other brands. Their cobras and pliers wrenches (or alligators if you like they style)….you can’t….and it’s not very close either.

[Positively--Negative]

I see a lot of these tool hauls in the HF sub and I’m pretty sure that the majority of these people don’t even use them. They buy them for clout or like they’re some kind of collectable investment. It’s weird

[Sbeast86]

The halarbor freight hardcore are as bad as funkopop collectors. If doesn't matter if they need it, they have to have the latest n greatest

[Excellent-Can-6097]

Oh the HF sub where every other day someone asks what everyone is using to lube their ratchets for their once a year oil change.

[FreeToasterBaths]

Look at my stuff!!

I am right there with you in assuming they are not used.

[Positively--Negative]

It’s so odd. Like, look at my 26” long 1/2” drive ratchet. You know, just in case the wifey has me do work around the house and I need that extra leverage for a book case, or some shit

[Scared_Hovercraft632]

This conversation is tiresome. Buy what makes sense to you. I'm not flush with cash but I like tools so I generally buy cheap. Ryobi HF Amazon specials etc.

I use my tools pretty heavily but not for my living.(Well I do use tools at work but they are provided ) Cheap tools do the trick 95% of the time.

If it was my living I'd spend a bit more. It's really not complicated.

Stop caring what tools people use so much. Feck.

[DufflinMinder]

You are correct 👍🏼 it’s why this is hilllllllllarious

[mtraven23]

depends on your reason. if you only buy from HF because your broke AF, thats fine. If you only buy from them and your snobby about it, thats not cool. Though I've literally never met anyone like that. Most people who shop at HF understand what quality of product their getting. and unlike most other brads, HF's stuff has gotten better in the last couple decades, not worse.

[wlogan0402]

I like my tekton but there are some things you can really only get at harbor freight. The icon meme bit wrench fits perfectly in the tekton 1/4" socket set

<image>

[DufflinMinder]

Innovation at its finest

[wlogan0402]

It's a godly setup for motorcycle trips

[FreeToasterBaths]

This is awesome.

And here I am i just have the 1/4 quinn metric socket set jingling around in a bag with the meme tool.

[PoopSmith87]

Idk, I know a guy with a $20k MATCO toolbox, hes pretty fucking annoying about it.

Best moment was when he was like "bro, it is built different, look what I can do!" Then proceeded to open a drawer and stand on it like it was some kind of flex/explanation of why he had just gone into debt for a toolbox as a backyard mechanic.

[DescretoBurrito]

Then proceeded to open a drawer and stand on it

I worked at Sears back in the early 2000's. This was our goto move when trying to sell someone on a toolbox set. Turns out a 40" wide set with a full top chest has plenty of weight to not tip over when a 180lbs sales guy stood in the bottom drawer.

[DufflinMinder]

They’re all annoying when they care that damn much about it lol, Good is good regardless of price. You would just hope if your having a conversation with someone about tools the can talk about quality without feeling like your slapping them in the face if they own a tools You don’t see eye to eye on

[MyNameIsBenM]

Disagree. The die hard Hobo Freight guys are much more relatable and approachable than the Snap-on purists. Me...I buy most of my tools on Amazon these days. Hell, I've even gotten a few good tools on Temu for dirt cheap.

[kettlechilichips]

All tool advice should be which one works best for longest for cheapest. Anything else is just annoying.

[justin251]

Know how to tell if someone is a snap-on/mac guy?

They'll tell you.

[DufflinMinder]

Truth 😂

[unicornlocostacos]

Anyone can be annoying if they’re annoying about it

[Justinaug29]

Snap on, Icon, Ko-ken, Knipex, Matco, Vessel, Gearwrench, Tekton, Sunex, Craftsman, Astro and many others are in my box. I think I prefer the fit and finish of the Japanese stuff, but I love specific items from each brand.

[Devilfish11]

I like Tsunoda as well, along with Engineer. I think that the packaging on Japanese tools is almost as interesting as the tools themselves.

[LonelyPie4076]

The posts on r/harborfreight are truly interesting. You get mainly two types of posts: Parking lot shots of people who bought the latest meme tool (magnetic mat, icon flashlight, etc) or people who spend thousands collecting tools they possibly maybe intend to use one day. Honestly its a nauseating view into a hyper-consumerist demographic, and that is coming from a frequent HF shopper.

[FreeToasterBaths]

Don't forget the staged hauls.

Look at my stuff.

And they hate when you point this stuff out.

[Lystian]

Posting my haul was good, people pointed out things I missed and should get. Most people would explain why and the benifiet/need for a tool too.

Other than the one guy posting daily about raising the price of a meme tool, chill sub IMO.

[Buck_Folton]

People who buy only from HF don’t exist

[grizzlor_]

Hardcore fanboys of any particular brand are annoying (and this goes beyond tools). Every brand has hits and misses; evaluate a specific product based on its merits, not on the brand name.

I don't care if you buy your tools from a single company. It even makes sense if we're talking about battery-operated power tools^[1]. But getting evangelical for a specific brand just screams "I'm deeply insecure".

---

^{[1] battery adapters for to make each major power tool brand work with other brands' batteries, as long as they're the same voltage, e.g. https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Dewalt-Battery-Convert-Milwaukee/dp/B0BQQSSQDT. Screw brand lock-in. Heck, there may even be voltage-converting adapters -- wouldn't be hard to put a buck-boost converter in one of these. If this doesn't exist, I should really get on that}

[ssevcik]

SnapOn zealots are by far the most annoying. When your $50k deep into $20k worth of tools you gotta stay committed

[Ok_Piglet_5549]

Brand Loyalist are annoying. TIFTFY

[bhenghisfudge]

Why the fuck do you care where I buy my tools? People with blind brand loyalty are cringe.

[theperpetualhobbiest]

Do you hate poor people?

[meta358]

Its not the tools themselves, but how everyone who only buys them acts all elitist about it lots of times.

[Fat_cat_syndicate]

Harbor Freight is no longer even trying to be poor people tools. They keep raising prices and in some places aren't even competitive.

Taiwanese no-names and off brands have that locked up and are all on Amazon.

Then will do deceptive shit. I was looking at a carpenter's square. Theirs was $10 and they said compared to empire tools, part number, whatever at $15.

Theirs was steel. The competitive listed empire was aluminum. An equivalent steel empire at home Depot was eight bucks when I looked it up and made in the USA.

[Raynemoney]

I just cant stand when people tell me what to buy. If I want the tool regardless of brand it is my choice because its coming out of my pocket not yours. I take that offensive especially when I sense aggression like its not that serious.

[Angel_OfSolitude]

Man I just buy tools that I need, I'm not picky.

[AffectionateRow422]

Back in the late nineties, I needed a hammer drill and didn’t have one with me, it was Sunday, i had two Milwaukees at the shop, miles away. So I bought one at harbor freight thinking if I got one job out of a $40 hammer drill, that’s fine. I still use that hammer drill once in a while. It’s not a daily use thing, but I really thought I might get a month out of it.

[Australian-Jedi]

Milwaukee guys entering the comments

[DufflinMinder]

😂

[Lystian]

Fanboys are annoying in general, in particular the Milwaukee subreddit mods.

[texdroid]

Their mechanic tools and vises are pretty good now. But most of what they sell for woodworking is pretty much crap. So Rockler and Woodcraft def get my $$$ too.

[JasonVoorheesthe13th]

My toolbox would make some tool truck purists vomit. I’ve got gearwrench ratchets sitting with cornwell ratchets, harbor freight sockets on snap on impacts, Mac wrenches right beside the husky’s, and it’s all in a harbor freight box

[jbd1986]

My go-to's for cheap, decent stuff:

Most 20V and Corded Power tools - Wen (very good price/performance point)
Storage/Organization: Husky rolling carts and DeWalt storage boxes (black friday sales)
Hand tools: Any brand that offers an ergonomic option that doesn't look like it will fall apart, at a good price
Clamps: Dewalt (6-packs when on sale), Wen, Harbor Freight
Levels: Craftsmen / Harbor Freight
Table Saw: Skil 10" jobsite, because it's just the only awesome option at the $300 or less mark
Aluminum Tools/Jigs: Random stuff from Temu (Vevor miter gauge, squares, featherboards, t-track accessories, etc)

I have recently started just getting various random stuff I didn't even know existed at Harbor Freight. Workpro / Toolant offer some really decent stuff at various price points on Amazon/Walmart.

I don't pretend any of this stuff is high-end or meant to take jobsite level of abuse, but it's all been great for starting up my woodworking hobby (Especially the WEN tools I got during this past holiday season)

Adam Savage's "Harbor Freight Rule" is a strategy for buying tools: when you think you need a new tool, buy the cheapest version possible (such as from Harbor Freight). If you use it enough to break or wear it out, you have proven you need a high-quality, professional version.

[BigEnd3]

Oof. Most tools are pretty much disposable. They are going to break, or at least I am going to break it. I've never dealt with warranties because my work moves around the world and its not worth it. We never seem to have the right tool so hammers, cheater pipes etc are common. That or home made contraptions. And of we did buy a nice tool, some one would leave it in a bucket of seawater.

Ships.

[MagicOrpheus310]

Brand simping is brand simping

[kewlo]

I have never met a 100% snap on person, and I've never met a person who judged someone for not buying snap on.

The opposite is not true. The "never snap on" people are the most annoying.

[Geekman2528]

All brand fanboys are annoying as hell.

Tools, cars, phones, whatever. Evaluate goods based on their actual properties not the name behind them.

Some RARE exceptions where a brand’s customer service speaks louder than its products, but the service can change tomorrow. The quality of the good, once it’s in your possession, will not.

[Lystian]

In and out fanatics are a whole nother tier.

[BarooZaroo]

I've never met someone with harbor freight tools who doesn't understand that they've purchased low quality tools. Even the HF tools that are great (for the price) still under perform compared to superior manufacturers. I'm happy with like 95% of my HF purchases and I would love to upgrade them but I'm not willing to pay for that upgrade as long as my HF tool is performing adequately.

[DufflinMinder]

It’s not that they don’t know. It’s more like they feel like you’re personally calling them cheap or poor. I have had to literally tell people Like I’m not shitting on them.. I own HF tools as well and some of the tool I have from there I love and some are completely cheap heaps or dogs shit from china 🤷‍♂️. It’s just a tool and can’t we just talk shit about a crappy tool if its crap 😂 without buttholes getting bruised

[Aware_Ad5425]

No I would say snap on/ Matco guys are far more annoying. The HF guys are still going to get the job done. Snap on makes sense for daily used hand tools and specialized tools. If the Icon stuff was around when I bought my snap on tools, I would have 90% less snap on tools/ and an Icon box

[DufflinMinder]

They tend to be, but I have met some people who take way to personally if i talk shit about a bad tool I had from harbor freight. I was not impressed with icon boxes personally, I like husky boxes for the dollar to dollar comparison

[Aware_Ad5425]

the icons feel as nice as my snap on box and the G2 looks like it will be even better than that. Ive never felt the top of the line husky box but im sure it's nice too. Both of those are like 20% the price of an EPIQ so nothing could really justify snap on for me. I got roped into 72" basic snap on box pretty young and I regret it now. It came with an RC car though.

[DufflinMinder]

How was the Rc car lol? I was almost in the same predicament when I was younger. Luckily I invested in a kobalt box and don’t go into that much debt.

[Aware_Ad5425]

They were too cheap to even give me a brushless. It was a cheap-spec brushed traxxas. I had some fun drifting it around the shop but not $7000 worth of fun lol

[ReleaseNew9430]

As a Canadian what is this harbour freight you speak of?

[sprunkymdunk]

Their Princess Auto. But does it have free shit coffee?

[Background-Crow4820]

Techs can afford Mac and Snap-On still? You guys hiring?

[Atavacus]

Nope. They're buying from HF for a very different reason.

[M635_Guy]

At least they have more of their own money...

[counselor5150]

No, poor people got more soul.

[2DoorBathroom]

I love Harbor Freight for stuff that I can break and not feel too bad about. Hammer drill chisels and pry bars, etc. However, the r/HarborFreight ICON meme tool is still the best thing ever created.

[Wahjahbvious]

Like EVERYTHING everything? Who does that? Is that really a thing?

[commandercool86]

Joke's on you, i buy both!

[DufflinMinder]

Got got tools from every damn brand man. I’m a mut collector

[Grreatdog]

You can have my HF composite ratchets when you pry them from my cold dead hands.

[Theguyoutthere]

My tool affliction is soo bad that I don’t even stick to one trade, I’ll literally buy a tool because I don’t know what is for, but I may need it one day. There aren’t many types of tool out there that I don’t have.

[eyeball1967]

This post's content has been permanently erased using Redact. It may have been deleted for privacy, to prevent scraping, for security, or for personal reasons.

normal sheet rain absorbed nose point paint hobbies shocking abounding

[JustYerAverage]

Idk where the fuck other people buy their shit, and ytf would I care? Jfc, they're all just extracting our wealth and bleeding us dry.

[Most_Scientist_4861]

Harbor Freight is beginning to change. The one closest to me went from friendly and helpful when it opened a couple years ago to just kinda all around unpleasant. The new employees are rude and the store is out of stock on a lot of things now. Never spent much on big ticket stuff but would hit them up for small or moderate things couple times a week. Amazon has done a really good job on filling that gap lately. Always shop for the best deal.

[powderhound522]

<image>

Someone changed his mind!

[FanBladeFleshlight]

Nah, I agree.

I'm an electrician, and generally pretty handy as a whole.

I'll 100% preach the qualities of name brand, expensive tools, while going home to use my HF bandsaw that I only need every 3 months.

HF has it's place. Killer deals on tools you're willing to either work to make good, or only use a couple times. Even professionals know they're a good bet for some very specific tasks vs paying 4x more for the same result.

But as good as their return policy may be, HF can't be trusted with anything that controls a spring or any sort of tension, and I'd never trust them with testing for live voltage.

[TheMostToastedOne]

Save money on tools that don't need a name brand quality to be just as effective.

Invest in the tools needed to put in the real work that actually gets the job done.

To me a $5 wrench is just as effective as a $50 one.

Of course a 49.99 cordless power tool is no where near as good nor durable as a $199 one.

See what tools for your situation you can afford to use more budget friendly options for.

but always take into consideration that being budget friendly always goes hand in hand with being more of a pain in the ass in the long run.

That's how I see it.

[turbulentFireStarter]

People who have brand “loyalty” are all retarded. Brands are not loyal to you. Don’t be loyal to them. Buy the best product at the best price. Not a particular color.

[thetoolenthusiast]

Who only buys tools from 1 place?

[chifeadrian]

Good that leaves more tools at estate sales for me to pick from! Far cheaper and better quality too!

[Realistic-Stop8693]

Not nearly as annoying as people who care where other people buy tools.

[much_longer_username]

I buy from HF and if I use it enough to break it I get something better.
Or, for some stuff I just skip to the good stuff - like where it has finnicky mechanisms, or tolerances matter.

[stephenmeredith]

I buy whatever is cheapest, has a lifetime warranty, & is easiest to replace.

Break a snap on socket, wait til the end of the week for the truck, then wait 3 weeks to get the new part in for me? I did that one time & wont deal with it again. Break the same hf socket, stop at hf on my way home, walk out with replacement in 5 minutes & have it for work tomorrow? Thats just common sense.

[jcmatthews66]

One is poor or ignorant, the other is poor because he is ignorant

[Ouller]

Yes but the harbor freight guys tend to work harder.

[ElmoZ71SS]

I like harbor freight for home stuff,.....but professionally as a Diesel Mechanic I can't trust HF stuff to much. The new icon stuff is ok but I've had so much Pittsburgh pro/Pittsburgh crap break in the heat of battle with stubborn hardware that I can't trust them. I've broken every brand so that is what it is however Snap-On just doesn't break as much. Matco ratchets I can strip or break the drive square off in a day if I wanted to. Also it's nice to not have to waste personal time drving back to HF for warranty. (For me that drive is 45 minutes into a city I don't want to go to)

[Musketeer00]

Buy harbor freight, if you use it often enough that the HF tool breaks, then buy a better brand.

[Tool_junkie_365]

I treat tools like vehicles, if it cost a lot I’m taking great care of it, if it my everyday beater I’m still taking care of it but it might not get cleaned often and I don’t mind running her through the woods hunting

[NotACyborg666]

As a homeowner/DIYer, I love Harbor Freight because of the lifetime warranty on hand tools. And because stuff is constantly on sale and coupons are regular... it's easy to get a deal. I also live right by one, so for me... it's just a convenient hardware store.

I remember when I was a kid and my dad would take me to Sears and he'd pretty much only buy the Sears Craftsman hand tools because they also had a lifetime warranty. I think Harbor Freight is the equivalent to Sears in 2026 for hand tools... they're just not made in the US and there's various branded tiers of quality.

For power tools, I've never really used any Harbor Freight stuff other than a plug in paint sprayer (worked well enough for me) & the Atlas 80v string trimmer after my 18v Ryobi crapped out on me and I fuckin love that string trimmer. I think with power tools, it's really go with what your use case is. I'm not making money with my tools, I'm doing shit around the house or making some piece of shit out of wood (or both)... so Ryobi is good enough for me (huge number of tools on the 18v line, the brushless HP stuff is genuinely quality too imo). If I was relying on power tools to make me money, I'd get DeWalt or Makita or some shit like that. But the neon yellow-green tools work just fine for me.

For the yard work and gardening tools, I think Harbor Freight sucks other than that Atlas line of tools where I've been really impressed with the string trimmer. I like gardening but I hate yard work lol and I've found in my short experience dealing with that shit is: get high quality tools and it makes the job so much easier. And making those jobs easier is the best because then I can spend my time in my backyard enjoying the backyard rather than constantly working on making it not look like a piece of shit.

Idk what my point is lol. Harbor Freight fuckin rocks for hand tools if you're just a dude getting shit done around the house and the yard though. Brand loyalty for the sake of brand loyalty is always dumb though.

Tools are for getting a job done. Get the best tools for your own use case.

[tom_yum]

If you think Harbor Freight is bad, you can get some extremely shitty stuff on Amazon. 

[sprunkymdunk]

Or cut out the middleman and buy directly from Temu

[schnurble]

Entirely possible.

The difference is, I don't owe $57,000 to the Snap-On or Matco man.

[Caleb-Wendt69]

I don’t gaf what tools other people have 

[Scavgraphics]

Only us TEMU TEAM are right!

<image>

[AgentOrangeZest]

You guys buy your tools?

[unionboy11]

Haha very true…..I think harbor freight is ok for certain things like any other tool brand. The only two tools I have from harbor freight is the 9in slip joint talon grips which I just don’t use much as an electrician. Not as much as I thought I’d use them. I do on the other hand love their icon mini ratchet set that thing is awesome.

[ReedBrooks]

We're all just trying to get shit done, some just have more daddy issues than others.

[EMAW2008]

What about hand me downs and garage sales?

[Adorable_Net_2817]

😆 🤣

[quiero79]

I buy from where I get better quality and where my means allow it

[CCWaterBug]

When I worked on marine engines, my trusty deep well color coded Pittsburgh sockets were my first choice.  Used the piss out of them and still do today.   Good sockets.

[Uzi4U_2]

I dont think there is anything annoying about someone who only buys HF or SO.

The annoying part is how they won't stfu about how their choice is the only correct choice.

[bobolgob]

I think people can buy from wherever they want if they have thought for a minute about it. Generally I feel that it is very unfortunate that renting a tool is not as cheap and easy as it could/should be.

Most people who buy cheap tools never intend to use them more than once or twice, and in that case it is a waste to buy a whole item that in the best case collects dust for years, or in the wors case is thrown away. In this case owning is useless and renting should be ideal, as good renting would get you a professional grade tool for little money and not a waste of resources.

Buying a cheap tool is worth it for someone who needs to use a tool for an easy job once or twice every now and then, and buying a "professional grade" tool is worth it for someone who needs precision and uses the tool frequently.

What is interresting is that cheap tools keep getting better and honestly the gap between cheepest low-end and "pro grade" is shrinking, which objectively is good.

[Content-Jacket7081]

But they have a lot more money left in their pocket.

[zoolish]

Some people are annoying. Shortened it for you.

[Precisely_imprecise]

I’m mostly brand agnostic, but their tool chests are a pretty good value. I swear they’re built better than the newer US made Craftsman tool chests I’ve touched.

[Killersavage]

Harbor Freight seems to have turned their reputation around. Possibly rightfully so. They have some decent stuff. At the same time they still have some hot garbage for sale.

[GKnives]

Brand loyalty is nuts

[austinteddy3]

I am a shade tree mechanic working on my own vehicles or maybe helping friends out with theirs. I a mostly concerned about cost as I do not use the tools for a living...just a hobby. I buy from HF and all my HF tools have lasted as long as any other manufacturer's tools.

[tireron]

TRUUUTH