Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Pub Talk). This thread is read-only.
Recently my area had a staples go out of business. Today I found out harbor freight is going in. The closest one to me is like 50 miles.
While I am excited there are others who aren’t excited. It bothers me that they aren’t. Not because they aren’t excited about tools but because they don’t see how it is good for jobs or revenue. The people upset se it as cheap Chinese tool and why do we need that if we have Walmart and Home Depot.
There are some things you can’t get from either of the those store. I will never understand how some people think.
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Psh harbor freight rocks! For certain things !! Like I won’t buy power tools but like zip ties, electrical tape, gloves, and so on
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Add drop cloths, bungee cords, and latex gloves.
Nothing electric.
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They definitely have some gems.
I have a love/hate relationship with HF. A lot of junk, a few gems, and the unmistakable smell of China free with every box.
Im definitely glad they’re here though as there’s a lot of stuff you just can’t get anywhere else around here.
FlaveNico wrote:
Psh harbor freight rocks! For certain things !! Like I won’t buy power tools but like zip ties, electrical tape, gloves, and so on
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Exactly!
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Conductor562 wrote:
6 hours ago, Conductor562 said:I have a love/hate relationship with HF. A lot of junk, a few gems, and the unmistakable smell of China free with every box.
Im definitely glad they’re here though as there’s a lot of stuff you just can’t get anywhere else around here.
Agree 100%
We are getting one down the street in the next couple of months. Nice option to have. They do have some things that I like. They sell locking wheels for carts that are a good deal and I always have a few cheap HF paint brushes on hand for touch up that I just use and throw away.
I also have one of those love hate issues with HF. We just got a new one here in my town a couple of months ago and I think it is a good thing. The current trend here has been stores just closing up shop and leaving with little to no warning, so it is refreshing to see someone who is willing to expand into the area. I just need to go visit them now… maybe… sometime…
I drop in HF about once a month of random stuff, no tools though
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Gotta love the freebie AA/AAA batteries. I don’t think I’ve actually bought any in years!
I do buy their clamps along with few other items already mentioned.
The Chinese tool store is great for a lot of stuff I use a router in my router table that has worked great for a while now. A bunch of clamps and even some chisels that are surprisingly good. And next month I’m getting the dust collector they sell has a lot of positive articles online and it’s 199 before the 20 percent off coupon. But like everyone else said they do have a lot of duds..
I see Harbor Freight as a necessary evil of sorts. Maybe that language is too harsh, but they sell a lot of shoddily manufactured items and almost everything comes fresh from China–from the tools to the U.S. flags. If there were other choices nearby (such as Northern), I’d venture into the local HF even less than I do now. On the other hand, there are some gems to be found. Also, with so many other stores closing, big box stores selling tools that are often barely better quality (or sometime worse), and locally owned stores offering little variety at usually full retail pricing, HF is all but needed in a lot of towns.
We’re all tool aficionados here, but the average consumer doesn’t want to pay a premium for DeWalt or Milwaukee power tools, domestically produced hand tools, or quality disposables like blades and bits. Instead, they want to take their 20% off coupon in to buy that $8 hammer and get their free tape measure as a bonus. Maybe while they’re in there they’ll realize they need a square or a level for the project, so they’ll pick those up as well after showing their wife the nice looking new Bauer or Hercules power tools in hopes of getting one as a gift.
I usually stop in on a whim, walk through, and leave. Don’t get me wrong, if I need an automotive specialty tool, I’ll buy one there, and when I look at buying stationary shop tools I’ll definitely check out the reviews of their offering before considering a mail order. Hence the “necessary evil” reference at the start of this post: “evil” to many of us because they offer cheaply made products of Chinese origin, “necessary” because they provide us a source of inexpensive (and sometimes surprisingly decent quality) items that simply cannot be purchased in person elsewhere in town.