Harbor Freight Tools... Inverter Generator

I visited the HF nearest me today and they had one of the 2500/2200 watt units but it was on the floor in a box and I didn't/couldn't get down to check out any names or numbers. Sorry, but-----------If I didn't already have a Honda2K I would buy one with Electric start, maybe Energy Storm? Or wait for that CPE with el. start.

I have tons of tools. Some are expensive high quality and some lesser quality. I don't shop at Harbor Freight regularly but I do occasionally shop there. Some of their stuff is not bad and some is junk. Just need to know what your looking for. Also depends on why you need it and how often you will use it. While their prices are generally good you can still sometimes find better quality elsewhere for a price that is not much higher.

As far as the generator, as I recall Costco has or has had a very similar one at a similar price. If it were me I think I would lean toward buying from Costco.

When HF tools ever truly become junk instead of providing value like today to those who shop there over and over it will be known because they will be out of business. To hear some talk one would swear only idiots shop there. :)

MrWizard wrote:
i know that i am one of the few that 'defend' HF

i bought their $29 vibrating? multi-tool, on sale $19.99 4 yrs ago
i have used it many times on many projects, bought replacement blades etc..

cut 'pergo' laminate flooring, scraped and RV roof, loaned it to a friend to scrap mortar and clean tile

it still works great, was a great investment

i also have their hydraulic wire crimping tool
and the cheap version of their hydraulic body tool

i am very happy with each one

NOTHING on the face of the earth is as discouraging as snapping an INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE guaranteed for life wrench, falling over backwards and badly spraining a wrist. The job does not get done, drive to the store or Snap-On dealer truck is a one handed and and get a replacement tool. When I get screwed I want it to be as cheap as possible.

Decibel ratings are tricky. Place that generator in an open field and you will get one reading at "23 feet" ; place it 10' away from the side of a rig and the rig will reflect sound and you can toss that 64db out the nearest window. Same for any db. I have a 120db alarm mounted in a discarded electric heater parabolic dish. Aimed at the front door. Keypad with five second delay (ya gotta be fast)

At a distance of sixteen feet the shriek is incredible, maybe 130db. Painful. No one can withstand it. And my neighbor across the street can hear it in her back bedroom.

The American consumer has been conditioned to believe that price=quality, ie, if it costs more it has to be better, and the HF corrolary, if it's that cheap it has to be junk.

I recently shopped for a HF drill press. Look in Lowe's , HD, etc, and you will see the EXACT machine branded as Skil, Porter Cable, etc., just as was reported with the angle grinder in the above post.

The reason HF power tools are so cheap is that they use designs that are aold and whatever patents covered them have expired. Last year I bought a portable band saw for $69. The Milwaukee was $299 and featured stuff like tool-less blade change etc that the HF did not have. The HF is identical to an older model Milwaukee that didn't have cool new patented features.

I have found the HF Pittsburgh hand tools to be every bit as good as Craftsman, Kobalt or Husky. In fact some magazine just ran a test of torque wrenches and found that the HF model performed just as well and was just as accurate as the Snap-on wrench.

What I have found to be junk are any kind of blade for anything. I put a Milwaukee blade in that portable band saw (61 5/8" blade size, exactly the same, go figure...) and it drops through 1/4" steel like an electric carving knife through warm butter. I am hard pressed to see what I get for $299 vs $69. Yes, if I was in the trades and I relied on my portable band saw to get the job done and put food on my table, I would probably buy the Milwaukee. But I'm not and I don't, and for the # of times I need a portable band saw it works fine.

n7bsn wrote:

Gulfcoast wrote:
I received a new sale paper from Harbor Freight the other day and see that thay have a NEW inverter generator:

Predator brand
2500 max./2200 rated watts
125 cc
Red in color
Lot # 61169
$499.99

I don't see it on the website yet... probably in the stores soon.

Watch your local Sunday paper, I see 20 to 25% off coupons every couple of weeks.. I have a 25%, that means it would cost $375

If you look at the fine print on these 20-25% off coupons they contain a list of items the discount cannot be used towards. Unfortunately, generators are usually on that list :(

SaltiDawg wrote:


Funny. So did I. That said, I would not have thought to mention it as a "credential." lol

probably similar backgrounds (NUWC-Keyport's ATF and TATF)

I suspect most of people who brag that HFT are not good enough for them, have relatively no tools but on the rare occasion when they actually do buy a tool , they want a status symbol.
Many probably would not recognize a harbor freight tool. They probably just think if its a loud generator, it must be harbor freight lol.

You have to have more money than brains to buy expensive tools that you're only going to use a few times a year, and I have plenty of HFT electric and air tools that are more than 10 years old.
I have more than a half a dozen hydraulic jacks that works perfect and are more than 10 years old.
now I will sayI will never buy another cordless tool from Harbor Freight

.and still work fine even on the original brushes.I have a bucket full of brand new brushes
because they always give you an extra set

But even buying junk tools feels so good. :)

I expect some HF slamming comes from some who have never seen a HF tool. :)