Harbor Freight Tools- tools are gadgets, too...aren't they?

A few years ago, we bought an older home with a kitchen frozen in time. The stove, sink, plumbling, electrical and floor were all 1947 tech. It was long past time for a rehab and after careful planning and holding a funeral for our savings account, we tore into the room, demolishing everything to the bare walls.

Once that was finished, I went to the local home store to acquire the tools necessary to reconstruct the kitchen of our dreams. However, the price of some of the tools were shocking. $400 for a drill? Really? Plus, the price of a reciprocating saw equaled that of a large TV. There had to be somewhere tools were available at a cheaper price. I soon found it just a couple of miles from my home.

(source: HFT)

I went to my local Harbor Freight Tool store and found some of the tools I required to get the job done. For 30%- 70% less than the home store, I was able to get some of the tools (both powered and otherwise) that allowed me to complete the job with a high quality result.



Look- a Harbor Frieght reciprocating saw.
(Source: Harbor Freight Tools)



Few of the tools have name brands anyone would be familiar with- most tools are labled with Harbor Freight's own brand name. The stores aren't what anyone would call fancy, but like most HFT products, they get the job done. Also, the stores have other products for the garden, camping and hobbies.



The catch? The tools are made to a price and sometimes feel like it. I wouldn't buy any of these tools to earn a living, but for occasional use (I bought a reciprocating saw for $20 and have satisfactorily used it about 5 times in 10 years) they're great. There might also be fewer included accessories in the box and a good case may not come with the purchase price.

 My advice would be to invest in high-use, precision tools like table saws, jigsaws, levels, etc., but for occasional use tools like crowbars, impact drivers and the like, Harbor Freight Tools deserve a look. Go here to see what's available and to find out if a brick and mortar store is in your town.