Who Makes Harbor Freight's Pallet Jack & How Much Does It Cost?
If you find yourself buying pallet loads of merchandise, whether it's being delivered at home or to your business, you're going to need a way to move them. To move a heavy pallet around, though, you'll need a specific tool called a pallet jack. You'll want one that is durable to handle heavy loads while also having smooth wheels, so it's easy to get your pallets from one place to another. However, if you look for one at higher end stores like ULINE, you may end up spending more money than you want to.
Harbor Freight houses many brands of tools and other products that help around the shop or within a business. When it comes to pallet jacks, the company only sells one. It's made by Franklin, a company that also produces many other products such as ladders and service carts that are sold at Harbor Freight, many of which come with at least a four out of five-star rating, demonstrating the brand's reliability.
Pricing and product specs
The Franklin 2.5 Ton Pallet Jack can be found in Harbor Freight stores for the price of $400. It is highly advised that you purchase the tool in person. For some reason, Harbor Freight also sells an online exclusive version for $470, and that doesn't include shipping and handling. Both versions have the same specs — though, they are listed under different SKU numbers. There's no indication as to why this is the case.
The standard pallet size is 48 inches by 40 inches, with a fork length of 48 inches. The steering column on the tool comes with oversized wheels for easier maneuverability. There's a durable sealed pump with an overload safety system as well as the ability to lower any pallet at a controlled rate. Additionally, there's a three position lift control. Many of the standard pallet jacks on the market tend to be able to handle a maximum capacity of between 3-5,500 pounds. The Franklin 2.5 Ton Pallet Jack can handle near the higher end of that allowance at 5,000 pounds, while still being decently priced compared to other pallet jacks.
Reviews on Harbor Freight's pallet jack
Harbor Freight has many unexpected finds for the right price, especially compared to its competitive retailers like Home Depot and Lowes. It's also the only place where you can purchase the Franklin brand pallet jack, and with it comes a 4.8 out of five-star rating from over 500 reviewers. Many have stated that the quality of the tool is good. One reviewer said that the wheels are quiet and roll smoothly, with or without a load. Another reviewer stated that compared to the previous pallet jack they owned, Harbor Freight's is more lightweight at 156.20 pounds.
However, like any product on the market, there are bound to be a few bad reviews. A business commented stating that they bought a pallet jack and after less than six months of use while being properly taken care of, the tool simply stopped working. It couldn't pick up more than a few hundred pounds and wouldn't stay up. They believe a valve or o-ring failed and were upset that the warranty for the pallet jack is only 90 days from the date of purchase, so nothing could be done about the failure.
On the product page, there is also a customer review video. The content creator tested the max 5,000 pound weight for the pallet jack, and though the tool could lift it, he had a lot of trouble moving it. However, keep in mind that the positive reviews do outweigh the negative, with 98% of customers recommending this pallet jack.