Who Makes Harbor Freight's Engine Stands & How Much Do They Cost?

Everyone knows Harbor Freight as the place to go if you want cheap tools that still have great reviews. The automotive department at Harbor Freight has tools every home mechanic will want, and it even keeps a nice stock of lesser-used tools like engine lifts. 

Unlike other vendors, Harbor Freight seems to keep things in-house regarding their engine stands on sale. You won't find a wide selection of name brands, as the big players here are Daytona and Pittsburgh. Both are tool brands you might not realize are owned by Harbor Freight. Pittsburgh is the store brand, making a variety of products like hand tools, utilities, and, of course, engine stands. Daytona strictly makes automotive tools, which makes the brand's name all the more suitable. 

All of Harbor Freight's engine stands are solid picks. They each have over a four-star rating with hundreds of customer reviews. Surprisingly, Pittsburgh dominates the inventory, with three engine stands and lower prices. While Daytona is the most expensive option, it offers a gear-driven engine stand that will undoubtedly come in handy for your next rebuild project.

Of the engine stands sold at Harbor Freight at the time of this writing, the Pittsburgh 1000 lb. Capacity Engine Stand is the cheapest. Barring any sales or membership discounts, this engine stand costs $99.99. Its specialized "I" shape base gives it 360-degree rotations and stability to prevent tipping, while the heavy-duty steel construction ensures the engine stand is strong enough to hold enough weight to live up to its name. The Pittsburgh engine stand has an average rating of 4.7 stars, with nearly 200 five-star reviews.

If you're working with a heavier load and a bigger budget, Pittsburgh's 2000 lb. Capacity Foldable Engine stand costs $199.99. It features the same heavy-duty steel construction and 360-degree rotations, but its H-shaped base provides even more stability and doubles the carrying capacity. Unlike the previous option, this engine stand can fold up when not in use, making storage easier. It has a customer rating of 4.4 stars out of 5, with over 70 five-star reviews.

Last but not least is the Daytona 1500 lb. Capacity Gear-Driven Rotating Engine Stand. It costs $299.99 and offers a nice middle ground regarding the max carrying weight. Its gear mechanisms provide smooth 360-degree rotations, and, of course, the V-frame is heavy-duty steel for stabilization and safety. Harbor Freight customers give the Daytona Engine Stand a 4.7-star average rating, with over 70 five-star reviews.