Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[California]

I have always considered Harbor Freight tools to be the Bic's of the tool market, use it once and throw it away. If I manage to get a second use then I have gotten my money's worth.

Bic pens? Bic lighters?

I have Bic lighters in my camping toolbox from before I quit smoking in 1988. They still work fine, in very infrequent use now. Indestructible.

Two, I think including one I still have, fell out of my shirt pocket (at different times) while we were dredging for gold, stayed underwater for a week or two, then worked fine when I later found them. An hour to dry the flint and they were same as new. (Try that with a Zippo!)

Forget wooden matches for survival gear. A couple of Bic lighters is a better choice. Quality, and simple.

 

[5030]

I have always considered Harbor Freight tools to be the Bic's of the tool market, use it once and throw it away. If I manage to get a second use then I have gotten my money's worth.

That used to hold water but not anymore. I agree the cheap stuff like the Chicago line is single use junk but the higher cost lines like Icon, Bauer and Hercules are quality stuff, come with a lifetime replacement guarantee and hold up very well. Like everything in life, you get what you pay for.

I'll put my Icon stuff up head to head against everything else, Snap-On and MAC included.

 

[5030]

Bic pens? Bic lighters?

I have Bic lighters in my camping toolbox from before I quit smoking in 1988. They still work fine, in very infrequent use now. Indestructible.

Two, I think including one I still have, fell out of my shirt pocket (at different times) while we were dredging for gold, stayed underwater for a week or two, then worked fine when I later found them. An hour to dry the flint and they were same as new. (Try that with a Zippo!)

Forget wooden matches for survival gear. A couple of Bic lighters is a better choice. Quality, and simple.

BIC pens make excellent spit ball blow guns too.... Least they did when I was in high school. Nothing better than getting hit with a wet spitball in the back of your head. Makes for a complete day. SOP in our survival gear, BIC lighters.

 

[TMGT]

BIC also makes a nice durable surf board, better then beginner foam, not as rigid as fiberglass but still rides decent.
As indestructible as their pens/lighters!

Sent from my SM-G715U1 using TractorByNet mobile app

 

[hornett22]

This may have been mentioned before on this thread - too many posts to check back for that. There are a number of HF items that I buy - some because I know I will only use them infrequently, or the price is such that I will get enough use out of them for the price.

But the one thing that pops into my mind as a really good purchase is one of their rechargeable spotlights. I have four of them (house, barn, garage, pickup) and they have proven to be really reliable.

I also had a number of name brand and expensive spotlights that were junk - stopped working and tossed in the trash after I got tired of trying to make them work.

I just hope the quality does not go down hill like some products do after they become popular.
The link: 3 Watt LED Rechargeable Cordless Spotlight

I'll go check them out

 

[Gregster613]

hornett22 & 5030, How do you guys do that? beowulf's post was many pages back yet you show their whole post in a light blue square, in your new post. Is that a quote function? I'd like to know how to do this rather than the way I usually have to state their name, post #, date, etc., etc. Which one of the site function buttons is used to bring a person's entire post into your new one? Thanks, Greg

 

[bearthebruce]

@Gregster613 do you see the +Quote below your post? When I click it, your post is copied. To add it here I simply click Insert Quote:

hornett22 & 5030, How do you guys do that? beowulf's post was many pages back yet you show their whole post in a light blue square, in your new post. Is that a quote function? I'd like to know how to do this rather than the way I usually have to state their name, post #, date, etc., etc. Which one of the site function buttons is used to bring a person's entire post into your new one? Thanks, Greg

 

[Oaktree]

That used to hold water but not anymore. I agree the cheap stuff like the Chicago line is single use junk but the higher cost lines like Icon, Bauer and Hercules are quality stuff, come with a lifetime replacement guarantee and hold up very well. Like everything in life, you get what you pay for.

Whose "lifetime"? Most of their product lines (other than the el cheapo Chicago Electric, etc.) seem to be discontinued after 5 years or so.

 

[5030]

Has not happened with their impact socket sets that I'm aware of.

 

[Midniteoyl]

@Gregster613 do you see the +Quote below your post? When I click it, your post is copied. To add it here I simply click Insert Quote:

Simply hitting 'Reply' will also quote. +Quote is good if you want to quote more than one reply.