Harbor Freight Tools

Their tools definitely have their place. I needed a 1/2 inch D handle drill for a remodeling project (my Milwaukee was TU). They had one for $29.99 that worked, not great, but good enough. I needed a saws-all for the same project, they had one, ...

Cheap tools in price as well as quality, but sometimes that is all you need. Shipping takes 2 weeks ...

I recently started wood working as a hobby and came across this retailer online.  The products seemed a bit less expensive than most other retailers, some items even being dirt cheap.   On their website there was something about their ...

This is the wrong place to shop if you need something at, well, any certain time. I ordered a trailer a month before I needed it. It took 3 weeks to deliver. Then they don't mention that no Certificate of Origin is included and that it will take another "2 weeks" (we'll see how long, really) before I can actually register and use my trailer.

I recently bought a 55-pound anvil from Harbor Freight, and I was extremely unhappy with it right out of the box, which by the way said "top quality".

The top striking surface was rough with saw blade teeth marks instead of being polished smooth. The point was irregularly shaped as was the area around the main flat striking surface. But the kicker was when I tried to temper a needle-nosed plier, and the pier left dent marks on the surface of the anvil! This means that these anvils are not tempered, which makes them worthless as anvils unless you finish polishing and tempering them yourself. This is a lot of work!

I paid $30, and that is the sale price! Scrap iron is about 4-cents a pound, so I paid about $28 too much. I compared the anvil I returned to the others on display, and none of them had a finished top striking surface. So I would say, save your money until Harbor Freight lowers the price closer to the scrap iron price or raises the quality to genuine top quality.

In the past 35 years I have purchased many tools from Harbor Freight. They sell brand name tools as well as their own brand.

I purchase a central pneumatic impact wrench and an air ratchet. Both were of poor quality. Later I purchased an Ingersoll Rand air ratchet. The quality was great as is usually the case with Ingersoll Rand tools.

The quality of their hand tools such as ratchets, sockets and wrenches is poor.

Some of the items that I purchased that work great are a router, grinder, band saw, electric drill, drill press and a large tool roller cabinet and chest.

Bait and switch, that's what I would call it.
I ordered three items from Harbor Freight and only received one of them. That means I paid close to 50% of my total cost in shipping and handling. And I ordered the products the same day I received the magazine with the offers.

I've attempted 2 order on the HF website and both of them got screwed up and for the same reason. After waiting patiently for my order to arrive I instead get an letter snail mail from them saying " they had trouble processing my order " Seems the individual I spoke with via telephone put my credit card expiration date in incorrectly. Now both orders have failed to arrive and all I get is a snail mail letter saying my credit card was rejected.(again due to their error)

On Monday I suggested they send my the items but waive the shipping charges to make up for their continued mistakes.

This order (totaling over $100.00) and BTW I've spend nearly $2,000.00 with them this year at the local store.

They have refused and continue to point the finger at me. Heck, I don't think the CS reps even read the damn emails or letters.

The local store has great people and excellent customer service. Too bad the local charm is lost on the mail order department.

Anyone else had a similar experience?

Larry in NC

The Web site is easy to use. (I've never had reason to call them) Takes a long time to ship

Buyer Beware! Don't buy from this company. I placed an order with them on Nov 30, 2006 and as of Dec 23, 2006 I still don't have it. Of course they immediately charged my credit card.The tracking information they sent me is supposed to be from Fedex but shows no movement since Dec 4th. More than 5 phone calls to customer service resulted in a different story every time. They refused to contact the shipper to find out where the package is. I contacted my credit card company to investigate and so far they can't get answers either. Looks like a scam to me.

Ordered Items from them. Easy to order from the site. Be ready to call them in a couple weeks because they do not tell you that the orders DO NOT ship within 48 hours like they say on the site. Customer service refused to give out tracking number even after they said it shipped 2 weeks later. Their prices might be great but the overall service from them is complete CRAP!!! 3 Weeks and still nothing but an email from them. If you need it within a month DO NOT order from them!

Harbor Freight illegally placed an order for me and charged me without shipping anything.

I called them to order 3 things:

Drill Press
Digital Calipers
Air Rivet Gun

None of these items were in stock, but they offered other items as replacements. I was not satisfied with their chosen items as replacements. The replacement items had a total value of $70-$80 more than the parts I wanted.

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This company practices sleazy bait and switch.
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After telling my salesperson AND manager that I don't want to order anything, and I won't buy anything, THEY PLACED THE ORDER FOR ME! w/$72 shipping! I never received goods, but was charged. So they took my money without delivering goods. Authorizing my CC w/o permission, charging it, and shipping an order w/o my permission is...

FRAUD.

I called them and they "Never saw where we charged you for that order."

Update: They credited me for 1/2 of the order amount, refusing to give me a full refund for the parts I didn't order and didn't receive, or the $72 shipping that they choose.

Fortunately the issuing bank with my credit card has already heard of this happening from Harbor Freight.

Harbor Freight has decent tools at the lowest prices anyone dare offer. However, don't get things online from them anymore. I have a drill press that didn't simply arrive in a damaged box, but was literally missing one of the four corners of the rectangular box it came in. I could pull parts out without touching the packeging material. The electric motor casing was dented and the base plate was banging against the press's post (_very_ critical to have a straight post on your press). Plus, this was after I changed my order to avoid being on a backorder list for 20 days.

Fortunately I set up the press and it seems to be working alright. I could not find any missing pieces. It is possible that the truck freight people were the ones who messed up, but the whole experience has souered me. (Plus, the trucking people weren't the ones who unexpectedly placed me on a 20 day backorder)

I have many Harbor Freight items in my shop. If I need more, it'll have to be at their store location, because I'm not buying anything from them online again

The stores are a great place to shop (if you have one nearby). It sounds like the online version isn't quite as good.
I bought my first items from the store (which, if you ask me, is like a handyman's candy store). The items were so much cheaper than other stores. I bought a earphone-style noise reducer for $1.99, a quick-connect drill bit set for $5.00, and a 3/8" to 2" 18 gauge brad nailer for $19.99.
I winced the first time I squeezed the trigger on the nail gun. Worked perfectly. I was amazed. This Central Pneumatic brad nailer worked exactly as I hoped, and I only had to pay 20 bucks.
Whew. Knock on wood. They have cheapo 18 Volt rechargeable drills and other tools really cheap. Great for at home work. As others have said, probably not for contractor work, but good nonetheless.

Was not delivered as promised...Can't get in contact with customer service...Main thing to remember when buying from Harbor Freight Tools..."You get what you pay for" One item I ordered manufactured by CHICAGO ELECTRIC/POWER TOOLS, Pressure washer Model #2433...
First time I used it, the trigger on the gun malfuctioned allowing high pressure water leak...(Repeat) first time it was turned on. Plastic gun is made of paper thin inferior plastic...Poor quality product..Now I have to buy a replacement Gun which will probably be made of the same inferior material...Best advise, pay the extra few bucks and buy a name brand of quality....I won't take a chance with HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS again, the frustration isn't worth it...Now I understand why they only give a "Limited 90 day Warranty"