For any of you long-time Harbor Freight customers, I’m a little frustrated in that I hear/read about guys getting deals on drill presses, band saws, etc. at 20%, 25%, even 30% off but for the life of me, I haven’t been able to find anything like that since Christmas when I really began searching. I even paid for their “Inside Track Club” membership but so far every time there’s a 20% (or higher) discount coupon, the fine print excludes anything made by name-brands and Central Machinery, which is HF’s in-house brand for most of their shop equipment.

My question: are there only certain times of year that “unrestricted” discount coupons are offered?

Not sure of a set time. Seems like there was a 20% off anything at Black Friday.

You are right. There’s so much exclusions now about all the coupons are good for are nitrile gloves and microfiber clothes.

All the HF “name brand” items are excluded.

Hf is all Chinese junk. Why shop there?

Maybe it's because we cant afford the alternative.

Forth of July iirc or nearing Black Friday or maybe around Veterans day. Or? No, I can't recall but only once or maybe twice a year. Can't imagine anything better than a used something else could be had.... What item specifically?

I've gotten totally adequate service from many a Harbor Freight tool....

88% of tools are Chinese junk, I don’t understand what’s the difference in buying it from HF or Grainger.

There are other options besides Grainger and HF. I understand most tools are made over seas as well. I just have found anything i have ever tried from HF just seems to be of poor quality.

Those Harbor freight coupons come out about three or four times a year. Harbor freight is great for the weekend do it yourselfer who doesn't need a 300 dollar drill to make a few holes or drive a few screws. Myself i am a Milwaukee addict which is turning into a expensive habit

I don’t buy much there, I prefer name brands.

I only get junk I’ll use once or twice at HF. Beyond that, it’s worth the price to get something more robust.

I’ve got a set of the $20 Pittsburgh impact sockets that have been used and abused.

Having snap on impacts wouldn’t give the warm fuzzies.

Black Friday or July 4th - hmm, OK. Thanks for replying - there's so much hysteria posting on the CF now, I didn't think anyone even noticed this post

HF is the place I go first to purchase stuff. You can't beat a life time guarantee.

I'm not a tool snob but I was in a local HF store last week. I was not impressed. I also got a "coupon flyer" and there were so many restrictions I left it in the car. After leaving the store I tossed it. I have a Home Depot and a Menards chuck full of Chinese crap just down the street. I doubt I will be back any time soon.

kwg

That right there. I can't afford a $120.00 3/8 ratchet, that I'll use 8-10 times a year. I'm also Real bad about leaving tools sitting on my tractor or swather, etc when I do repairs in the field. I'd rather plow up rusted cheap wrenches every spring.

What do you buy instead? Which items from HF have you found to be junk, and which brand proved more reliable?

Harbor freight =Dollar General.China junk..

Indeed. Impacts made in Taiwan are plenty good enough for most. I built some good chit with the $90 wirefeed welder when I needed to. Jack stands. Floor jacks. The better pneumatic impacts are fairly good. Rattlecan sanding primer, OK. Gray tarps, nothing bad to say about them. 4 1/2" cutoff wheels, they get'r done cheap. $11 angle grinders, uhhhh..... Colored 1/4" sockets, not too bad. Bolt cutters - I'm in... $5 hammers of various types, got hammered. Cheapass dial calipers, good enough in the crud. 12V test light, duhh, Little cheapass transfer hand pump, saved my ass for $6.

My Craftsman band saw crapped out on me so went to Hf and got their big floor model band saw reasonable and the 20% coupon worked on it too. It’s a direct copy of an old Delta that is solid as a rock. No complaints. Later read it is most likely the best machine they make. For a hobbiest like me it will do fine.

I'm not in there that much but they do have both my mailing and E-mail info. So I get offers which are sometimes pretty good. I get smaller, cheaper stuff there that I only use occasionally. For "serious" stuff like lithium Ion tools I'm building up my DeWalt collection that I get elsewhere. They sometimes have lots of other small stuff besides tools that are interesting. Although I'm beginning to have second thoughts about patronizing the Chinese products.

Somebody has to support the little yellow bat eating virus makers.

?? Wonder what's up in your area. ??

I get their flyer all the time with 20-25% off coupons.

I like Harbor Freight.

As you do with your computer / tablet / cellphone?


The HF impact won’t ever replace my Milwaukee fuel 1/2”.

Their wrenches , ratchets, sockets are good. Taiwan.
I’m don’t mechanic for a living. Just work my truck, tractor, around the house stuff.

Folks love to hate HF. Garage journal has plenty of threads about HF.


Next no exclusion coupon, I’ll grab of of the $199 5 drawer chest roller toolbox. It gets great reviews.

I have a HF angle grinder that I'm not wild about the ergos on, and when it dies I'm upgrading, but that sumbitch will not die. Had it for almost 10 years now and It's been used and abused and keeps going.

I would always go in and use the 20% off coupon (cheap item) and then also use the free item coupon.

Usually got a free tarp.....used those out west for boning out elk in the field. I have a stock pile of those.

Anyway....my #3 son has an account too....and his catalog is still is mailed to my address.

Just got our catalogs yesterday. His had the 20% off coupon and the 39 cent scissors coupon.

MINE DID NOT! No kidding.

I just use his coupons.

I did buy the small green generator as a back-up to my big one at the cabin, as well as a generator for my little Casita. It was $79 on one of those sale weekends. Didn’t even try to start it for 1.5 years. When I did.....no spark. Didn’t pay for warranty.....but they let me trade for a good one. I bought the warranty for the replacement, since they let me trade.

I’ve used the $99 Briggs knockoff 5hp engine’s on tillers

It’s not a Honda. But it’ll start with 2 pulls.

Only used couple months a year.