What HF tools do you trust in your box?

[occam's mullet]

I've been picking up more hand tools lately and my dad swears by some of the older Harbor Freight sets he's had for years. I grabbed a Pittsburgh socket set a few months back for driveway repairs and it has held up better than I expected. I know some people roll their eyes at HF but for the price I can't complain. I wanted to hear what other people actually keep from Harbor Freight in their box. Has anyone had good luck with their newer ratchets or wrenches?

 

[slim3r6]

I started using Harbor Freight tools back in college while working on my old Tacoma. Got some Pittsburgh Pro ratchets and short wrenches last year, they've been used a lot and still work fine. I use them almost every day for small engine fixes.

For the price, they're really good if you're not in a big shop. I'd keep them in the toolbox for sure!

 

[occam's mullet]

Good to hear the newer Pittsburgh Pro ratchets are holding up to daily work. My dad's old set is still going strong but I was wondering about the new production quality. I mainly do small jobs around the house and on my car. Is there a big jump in quality with the Pro line over the standard chrome wrenches?

 

[mustang72]

I've always had good luck with HF wrenches and sockets. I personally chose the "impact" sockets for the extra strength just in case. The price difference between impact and standard is not enough to worry about. I would stay away from the cheap screwdrivers though. Nothing worse than a stripped screw due to a crappy screw driver. Spend the money for a quality tool there, you won't be sorry.

 

[Kirr0yale]

@mustang72 same with me. I think for ppl who do DIY and light professional work, the Pittsburgh brand is a fantastic value.
they're usually made from decent steel and have a lifetime warranty. They might not feel as polished as a Snap On, but they absolutely get the job done for a fraction of the price.

 

[occam's mullet]

I'll keep using my Pittsburgh set for now and avoid the screwdrivers, then look at upgrading drivers by next month. Do you find the impact sockets hold up long term under heavier torque or do they wear quicker than the Pro line?

 

[mustang72]

I've had mine for years and never had an issue of any kind. As with any impact socket, they are designed for heavier torque. I have split many cheaper "non-impact" sockets over the years. I think you would be hard pressed to find a situation that these wouldn't suffice for a DYI home/automotive project.

 

[lawntroll]

I just took my 13year old grandson to Harbor Freight last night, for him to buy his first socket set, wrenches and tool box. He bought the Quinn 66pcs 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 drive socket set. The Pittsburgh polished SAE and Metric combination wrench set and A US general 30inch 5 drawer tool cart. He spent his birthday money for his new tools plus Grampy added some other things to his new tool box plus some extra cash. I am surprised at the value and quality what he got and I would like to see more 6point sockets but that will come in time.

 

[occam's mullet]

Thanks @mustang72 for the follow up on the impact sockets and @lawntroll, that's a great story about getting your grandson a starter set.

The consensus here seems to be that, for my DIY use, the Pittsburgh or Quinn lines are more than sufficient and the lifetime warranty provides peace of mind. It also appears that the one thing to avoid is the screwdrivers.

I'm going to stick with the Pittsburgh set I have for now and put my money toward a quality screwdriver set instead. Thanks for all the input, everyone!

 

[Alan]

Pittsburgh stuff seems to get mixed reviews depending on when you bought it. The newer Icon line is supposedly better quality

 

[preacher.45]

Yeah, actually the Pittsburgh stuff has gotten way better in the last few years, I can attest to their newer Icon line