I don’t shop at Harbor Freight, but I know that some of you might. Earlier this year I had toyed with the idea of going on a $100 shopping spree there to pick up a couple of hand tools for review, but a severe lack of time and desire killed the plan.
Before my shopping spree plan fell apart, I asked my wife to pull the Harbor Freight coupon sheets out of the Sunday paper and weekly flyers. I now have a stack of Harbor Freight coupon sheets filled with 20%-off coupons, free with purchase coupons, and Super Coupons that apply to specific products. It seems that Harbor Freight is spending a fortune on these coupon sheets – a very potent marketing strategy to bring in customers.
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In addition to Sunday papers and weekly sales circulars, Harbor Freight buys ads in many magazines. It of course makes sense to advertise tools and automotive products in appropriately themed magazines.
The other day I realized that Harbor Freight has upped the aggressiveness of their marketing campaign when I found a Harbor Freight coupon in a photography magazine (page 93 in May’s Popular Photography). There’s a 20% coupon, free scissors coupon, and 11 product Super Coupons. I can’t remember ever seeing pressure washers, 18V drills, and air compressors advertised in a photography magazine before.
So, I have come to the conclusion that one should never shop at Harbor Freight without a coupon. Certain product categories (e.g. tool cabinets) are now excluded from the 20%-off coupon, but most items are still eligible.
I know, saying that nobody should shop at Harbor Freight without a 20% coupon or Super Coupon sounds obvious, but a lot of people still aren’t aware of the coupons. A friend of mine just bought a hand tool set from there at full price. Later today I’ll send him a 20% coupon and Super Coupon and recommend he head back for a price adjustment.
With 20%-off coupons in most Sunday papers, weekly circular mailers, printed magazines – including some photography magazines now – and occasionally the web as well, it just seems that everything in the store may be overpriced. (This is a scary thought since some of the products already seem cheaper than the sum of their parts.)
Don’t get me wrong, while I personally avoid Harbor Freight, I have heard good things about some of the products they sell. I have also heard terrible things about some of their products, but that’s not the point here. My point is that you shouldn’t shop at Harbor Freight without a coupon if you can help it, unless what you want is explicitly excluded. If you come across their coupon sheets, and you probably will since they’re now buying ads everywhere, you can stockpile them since the coupons are usually good for 3-4 months (at least?).
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Please note that I am not at all recommending or endorsing Harbor Freight. I’m just saying that if you’re going to be shopping at Harbor Freight, bring a coupon.
Final point – has anyone has success using Harbor Freight at Home Depot or Lowes? Most stores accept competitors’ coupons, but it seems iffy whether Harbor Freight can be considered a competitor since they’re not a home improvement center.
John Sullivan
I’ve never had luck getting Home Depot to take a Lowe’s coupon, nor the other way around. I would expect that showing up with a Harbor Freight flyer would get me laughed at.
jeff_williams
I used a 10% Lowes coupon when I bought my Ridgid r4512 table saw. They accepted it without issue. I’ve read threads on Lumberjocks of guys doing the same with HF coupons.
Fred
If you are purchasing a Ridgid tool, and especially if you say you like it better than the Kobalt version, I have never seen a HD person say no to honoring a 10% Lowe’s coupon. Usually they ask me why I brought it to them instead of Lowe’s, and I think they have a little survey thing they punch whenever they honor one. Usually when one of them has the specific model I want (they carried different versions of the DeWalt circ saw for awhile) or most often blade/bit kits.
I used a HF 20% coupon to purchase my R4510 table saw very recently. They were reluctant, I think I got the brown-nose ‘keyholder’ assistant manager who didn’t want to make a real decision. He was a decent guy but anyone who has been in retail will understand that position. This forum post is a little old now but the author describes a similar deal he got.
Some of HF’s tools are very good. Some are absolutely terrible. It’s really situational; don’t buy anything with a battery. I would say that for most of their electric tools also, but on the other hand their 120v oscillator tool is the best value (not just the cheapest) of all the oscillator tools. Their higher end air tools are still less expensive than pro stuff, but in your home garage they work fine most of the time (I’ve had plenty that have leaked, I bring my pancake with me to the store and put the tape & ends on before I buy it. At first they didn’t like it but when I hand them a batch of leaky tools and save them time to restock/refund they’re pretty happy) and you aren’t likely to need a 600ftlb MAC gun if you’re pulling the wheels off a Corolla for the occasional brake job.
Dan Richards
I hate the Harbor Freight television commercial, it’s so condescending. Twins get $100 gift cards, so one buys last year’s DeWalt drill and the other buys a cart full of garbage from HF, including an 18v drill, and acts like an asshole.
@John you’re not using the right language with the HD or Lowes people if you can’t get them to take a coupon. Just say, “I have a competitor’s coupon for _____,” and most of the time you won’t even find a manager called over. They both have a generic “Internet Coupon” button on their POS that the cashier can use at their own discretion. It helps if you’re a regular customer of course, but that’s the code they’ll use for Harbor Freight, OSH, Meynards, etc. The only time I had trouble with the HF coupon, I was buying pool chemicals and the manager gave me a hard time, called Harbor Freight, denied my coupon because they no longer sold pool supplies, but gave me 10% off anyway since I was there so long. If she said, “Look, idiot, this isn’t Harbor Freight, how about 10% instead of 20?” I would have gladly taken that over the lost time.
Cameron
I need you to be clear here… are you saying I shouldn’t go to Harbor Freight without a coupon? 😉
Stuart
Maybe some nose plugs as well. The one time I went in there I couldn’t stand the smell.
Will
Every item I’ve ever bought from Harbor Freight has either broke on me or is just flat out bad. Does not help that nearly 95%, if not more, of their products aren’t made locally, if you catch my drift.
fred
I’ve been tempted by the circulars that arrive in the mail from time to time to buy at HD forsome infrequent home use (like an arbor prss that I looked at) . Looking at some of the reviews on their website seems to indicate that some of their tools may be OK – as they get pretty good reviews. But I guess an online review is only as good as the person writing the review and (if the review is legitimate) the sort of use to which the tool was put. What I have noticed about some of the HF reviews is that some are polar opposites of each other – one gushing with praise and another just gushing. Maybe this bespeaks the reviewers competency or perspective – but it may also mean that QC is lackng and one box may contain a decent tool – while the same tool in another box may be a dud.
Lennue
I still refuse to go to HF tho some of their ad’s are tempting.If you sell junk that breaks the first time it’s used,You deserve to get fleeced.Don’t forget that K-Mart bought Sears ,and carry Craftsman tools.Tho some of Sears stuff should be in HF
Bottom line—-If all you want is crap,,go see HF..if you want a tool you can depend on,,Don’t go to HF
Fred
HF & Craftsman hand tools come from the same company, Central Forge. HF gives you a lifetime warranty if it’s in the category of ‘hand tool’ while with Craftsman’s warranty, many tools still are but you have to look because not all are.
Stuart
What? Who told you that?!
Craftsman hand tools do NOT come from the same compact as Harbor Freight.
The mechanics tools are built by Danaher, many if not most of the screwdrivers are made by Western Forge, and some of the wire strippers are made by Stride. I don’t remember who makes the pliers, but it is (was?) a USA company. A number of other OEMs produce some of the screwdrivers and most of the other hand tools.
HF gives you a lifetime warranty because they want you back in the store. I figure that many people will toss the defective or broken tool rather than spend the gas money to head on over. For those that do drive over to return a tool, how many will really leave the store empty-handed?
With Craftsman, they still offer the guarantee on most hand tools. Consumables, such as thread-cutting taps, are not eligible.
Benjamen Johnson
Maybe it’s just me, but Harbor freight seems to be getting stingier with thier 20% off one item coupons. They used to be in the monthly circular I got in the mail and the email coupons. Now I can never find one when I need them. Maybe they figure since I’m registered with them that I’ll go to the store without a coupon.
To Lennue, I don;t believe that you really know what you are talking about. You make a blanket statements and don’t supply any specifics, it makes me think you are talking out of your ass.
There are good tools and there are bad tools at HF. For instance, I’d rate their F-Clamps up there with Jorgenson, while I wouldn’t trust their quick style clamps. Like with any other tool purchase you have to do your research. I do agree with fred that many times the reviews can be erratic, so I normally rely on my friends (both real and virtual) opinions or actually examining the tool in the store. Yeah I’ve been burned — in my experience the drill bits are junk– but I’ve found some real gems.
I’ve also found that they aren’t always cheaper. I often get better deals at Menards.
Norm
I’ve been on the edge of buying a new grill for a while now. The one I want is at Home Depot. I can never find any coupons for that store. Then I was reading some will honor competitors coupons, but I wonder, would a 20% off from Harbor Freight work on it. Irregardless that it doesn’t carry that specific model, since it is a Home Depot exclusive, but Harbor Freight doesn’t carry grills at all (but they are not excluded from it!).
Allen Dawson
I have two sets of tools I use. I keep one at work, and have an . . . less expensive set I use around the house. (they stay home to keep from having to carry them back and forth.) Most of my home set came from HF, and so far they have worked pretty good. I admit i keep a good drill set here at home instead of HF, but at the end of the day, a hammer still drives a nail, a screwdriver still screws a screw, and a square still marks a straight line. Would i trust an HF 3/4 ratchet to break lose the head bolts on a Cat engine? Heck no, a good way to get hurt. But how many guys out there are gonna be pulling the heads off a 3206 in the driveway? My CE orbital sander took the paint off the tank and fenders of my V65, and only cost me 20. If i had broke it, i would have just gone and spent another $20 lol
Ni
Just went to Harbor Freight yesterday and immediately wanted to leave right away. Not only did that place have a “interesting” smell, but virtually nothing at all was made in USA there. A great deal of their products looked like complete junk as well and I am talking from experience here.
Bought a diagonal cutter there once, not only did the “ultra strong and durable” comfort grip come off, but the spring fell out and the blades became dull after one and only one use.
I’ll stick with Grainger and Amazon Supply.
Robert Wdowiak
I have a HF stubby 1/2 inch ratchet ( similar to Gearwrench Roto Ratchet) that has very beefy metal, great fit and finish, and a super comfortable handle. It’s marked CR-V and is made in Taiwan (Taiwan makes some good tools). My HF caliper set works great (automobile brake piston retraction). Got to go tool by tool at HF, but this is a must when buying tools anywhere.
David T.
Has anyone else been having problems getting their HF coupons to work on their site? I guess they were having issues, but it looks like they’re working again. I finally got mine to work this morning for a tig welder and helmet. 20% off. I’m a cheapskate I admit it. I love for those coupons.
David E.
I just my new copy of WOOD magazine and the Harbor Freight Tools advertising page. I tried to order some items and not one of the super coupon codes worked. I was so frustrated I called customer service and asked what the problem was and gave the customer service rep the numbers of the tool and the super coupon code. Whalla his price was what was in the flyer add. When I asked him why the coupon code didn’t work on the web site he gave me a song and dance about to many users were on the system. Being a retired computer programmer I told him this was a bunch of bull. He said he could order the items for me, but I told him until they get their web site fixed I will not order anything on line!!!! All super coupon codes have an expiration date of 12/21/12. Also did you notice that you need a telescope to read the coupon codes. Everyting else is in readable size why not the coupon codes.
Jim
I buy a fair amount of tools, etc., from HF and have always been treated fairly by their store employees. One time I had an inverter that quit working after over two years; I returned it (without my receipt) and told the manager I had purchased it a couple of years ago but did not have my receipt. He sold me a warranty extension for $7.50 and replaced it with a new unit. They never argue about refunding the difference between an item that goes on sale within 90 days of purchasing thesame item at a price higher than the sale price unless the sale specifically states “not good on previous purchases”.
AlanJ44
I did a short tour of employment at a local HF. Had lot of fun. This one night a guy and wife comes in with a coupon and asks where, I looked at coupon and replied ” up the street at Northern Tool! Some time later at NT I was telling this and the clerk said “happens a lot here we get them with HFT coupons, usually we honor them”