Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[KubotainNH]

I like reading the reviews to see why people like and dislike an item. Sometimes the dislikes are failed units out of the box. Sometimes it's something silly like it didn't do something specific the user wanted or was the wrong size. I can deal with a failed item but not an item that works but fails to do what it is intended for. Case in point, I got a jump starter that has light, inverter, air pump and 12v plug all in one unit. The light wouldn't work and they didn't have a replacement in stock. I would have preferred to get another but instead pulled the cover off and found a bad solder joint, easy fix and it does what it should. At one point I got black zip ties, every one I grabbed out of the bag would break when tightened, waste of space but the white ones were fine.

 

[California]

...got a jump starter ... The light wouldn't work and they didn't have a replacement in stock. ... pulled the cover off and found a bad solder joint, easy fix...

Ditto last week, smaller scale. I grabbed the freebie blue 27-LED flashlight but didn't test it until I got home.

Dead.

I peeled off the decals, took out the three tiny screws, found one battery had fallen out of position. Easy fix.

Never leave the store without testing your purchase, if possible! It is HF, after all.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I got some of the socket organizers (99 cents) in 1/8", 3/8" and 1/2" sizes. To organize a lot of duplicate loose sockets before handing over to my son in law. I figured if they did not work I only had a few dollars invested. But they work great. Not too hard to put on or take off, but holds securely. And thin enough to cut to length with a pair of diagonal cutting pliers. I have some very stiff and more costly socket holders that I will replace with these cheap HF organizers.

 

[4get gto]

Ditto last week, smaller scale. I grabbed the freebie blue 27-LED flashlight but didn't test it until I got home.

Dead.

I peeled off the decals, took out the three tiny screws, found one battery had fallen out of position. Easy fix.

Never leave the store without testing your purchase, if possible! It is HF, after all.

Funny thing. I just picked one of them up on Saturday. First one I picked up didn't work. Tried some more till I found that worked. Glad they're " free ".

 

[California]

Funny thing. I just picked one of them up on Saturday. First one I picked up didn't work. Tried some more till I found that worked. Glad they're " free ".

You're the guy who put that dead flashlight back in the display!!!!! :laughing:

 

[dragoneggs]

I got some of the socket organizers (99 cents) in 1/8", 3/8" and 1/2" sizes. To organize a lot of duplicate loose sockets before handing over to my son in law. I figured if they did not work I only had a few dollars invested. But they work great. Not too hard to put on or take off, but holds securely. And thin enough to cut to length with a pair of diagonal cutting pliers. I have some very stiff and more costly socket holders that I will replace with these cheap HF organizers.

Good to know... these things are generally way over priced at the big box stores.

 

[sixdogs]

...

Never leave the store without testing your purchase, if possible! It is HF, after all.

Wise advice, especially on tool boxes or anything that can be damaged in shipping.
If it can be damaged it likely will be damaged.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Typically I find a place to plug in power tools to see if they will spin up at least since one way is 50 miles.

 

[Garandman]

I like reading the reviews to see why people like and dislike an item. Sometimes the dislikes are failed units out of the box. Sometimes it's something silly like it didn't do something specific the user wanted or was the wrong size.

They’ve been accused of removing negative reviews, but that is kind of hard to prove.

 

[KubotainNH]

They致e been accused of removing negative reviews, but that痴 kind of hard to prove.

True enough but that could be for any site. I hear the same about Northern Tool, HF seemed to not delete the bad ones in the past but they do look to have more high stars on average than they used to. Not much I can do about that.