Stay Ready For DIY Plumbing With These Harbor Freight Finds

Ask any homeowner, and they'll tell you that plumbing projects are something you won't be able to avoid for long. Whether your kitchen sink has a little clog or your shower is experiencing a major leakage, even the best made household amenities and appliances will eventually weaken overtime. However, given the high cost of hiring a plumber, it's worth learning how to tackle certain plumbing tasks on your own. Not only will it help save money, but you'll achieve a feeling of self-reliance and success, knowing that you can handle whatever harms your home. 

Of course, the first step to any DIY plumbing project — after establishing the problem at hand — is gathering the right materials for the job. Investing in quality tools is essential to making sure your task gets done as efficiently and effectively as possible, as you don't want to stress over having to constantly replace cheap, lesser tools in the middle of a job. At the same time, there's no reason to spend lavishly on a collection of absurdly expensive plumbing appliances unless you're seeking to make a career out of it. 

In this regard, Harbor Freight Tools is worth a visit to stock up on plumbing tools. A good majority of Harbor Freight's expansive selection is more than suitable for the needs of most average DIYers while coming in at a far lower price than most competitors such as Milwaukee or Ryobi. Here are a handful of the best plumbing tools you'll find at Harbor Freight based on a variety of factors that we discuss more in more detail at the end of this article. 

When it comes to handling complicated clogs, plungers and snakes aren't always going to do the trick. That's why it's worth investing in a more high-powered solution, such as an electric auger. These compact devices pack plenty of power, with a lengthy cable that can be powered on to make quick work of clogged drains and lines. Harbor Freight has plenty of augers to choose from, as can be imagined, but the 23-foot Automatic-Feed Handheld Electric Drain Cleaner from Bauer stands out as its most highly rated, with a 4.5 out of 5-star rating average from well over 1,600 reviewers. 

Striking a healthy balance of power and compactness, it's easy to see what makes this such a favorite among Harbor Freight buyers. Its variable speed trigger that can hit speeds of up to 560 RPM, combined with its 23-foot length, gives this tool plenty of power. Adding to its versatility, this auger comes equipped with a two-way auto-feed feature. This allows for the power tool to be retracted and extended with exceptional speed. But for jobs that take more time, the auger's ergonomic-friendly design and lightweight build make it easy to use for extended periods. 

Professionals and average homeowners alike have praised the Bauer Electric Drain Cleaner's capabilities as an efficient and powerful plumbing tool that's comparable to more expensive options. It currently sells at Harbor Freight for $109.99.

Even those with minuscule plumbing knowledge can recognize the importance of a good pipe wrench. From removing old fittings, tightening nuts and bolts, or keeping a pipe stable, these simple devices come with a good range of versatility. In fact, many recommend having two pipe wrenches on hand in order to have one to hold a pipe in place and another to twist and turn.

The Pittsburgh 18-inch pipe wrench isn't anything out of the ordinary for a quality pipe wrench, but for the average DIYer, it gives you all you need. And that's not to discredit this handy tool's many merits. It's a great middle ground length for a pipe wrench, with enough length to provide an effective, heavy-duty performance while still being short enough to not be overwhelming or hard to handle for long periods of time. The jaws of this pipe wrench are extremely capable, lined with durable, heat-treated teeth with the ability to clamp onto pipes as wide as 2.5 inches.

At only $8.99 and possessing a 4.7 rating average on Harbor Freight, it's an extremely affordable option with plenty of great reviews. Likewise, it's worth investing in a set of adjustable wrenches to aid in smaller tasks.

Another essential tool for any DIY plumber is a pipe cutter. While there are other tools you can use to cut pipes for repairs and installations, a pipe cutter is the best way to make precise cuts with the least amount of effort, ensuring you make the most accurate measurements. 

No matter what kind of pipe you have to handle, the Doyle 2 in. Heavy Duty Adjustable Pipe Cutter gets the job done with ease. While many pipe cutters are only good at cutting through softer material such as PVC, this tool has the added ability to cut through steel pipes as round as 2 inches. Its T-shaped handle and extended shank allow for precise control and adjustments to make the cleanest cuts possible. 

It's another highly rated Harbor Freight buy, coming in at a near perfect 4.8 out of 5-star average rating, with buyers loving its sturdiness and power. While a bit more pricey than traditional PVC pipe cutters at $59.99, it nevertheless makes for a smart purchase if you're seeking a pipe cutter with the utmost versatility.

A shop vac may not be the first tool that comes to mind when you think of plumbing. However, just as you're likely to experience excessive dust and debris while working in a wood shop, you're going to, at one point or another, encounter pools of water as you go about plumbing. Rather than going through an entire closet's worth of towels to soak up the mess, why not use a tool that can handle water with ease? The Bauer 9 Gallon Wet/Dry Vac is an economical yet potent solution from Harbor Freight for just such a purpose. 

Whether it's a tiny leak or an explosive spill, you can count on this mean machine to handle the job. Delivering 4.5 peak horsepower gives this vac plenty of power, while its nine gallon capacity provides ample space to contain plenty of water. The seven-foot hose and ten-foot cord also provide a sufficient length, allowing you to reach exceptionally far within your work area. At the same time, the vacuum comes equipped with features designed for maximum convenience and portability, such as a cord wrap, lightweight build, on-board storage, and a top carrying handle. 

What makes this an even greater investment is that it can be used for more than plumbing purposes. Being a dry vac, it's also great for heavy-duty cleaning jobs in garages, basements, and workshops. Additionally, it can be converted into a blower for further functionality. These features and much more have contributed to this tool's exceptional 4.8 rating average with over 1,100 reviewers singing its praises. It's also surprisingly affordable, coming in at only $74.99.

As you adjust and work around your faucets, toilet, and tubs, you may loosen the caulk that surrounds these areas. Recaulking lets you seal holes or gaps that might come from this activity, keeping everything secure and preventing further leakage and damage from occurring. Along with getting a good quality caulk, you'll need a caulking gun to dispense it evenly. 

While only a single 9-inch caulking gun is listed on Harbor Freight's website, it is thankfully another well-reviewed option from the retailer, sporting a 4.5 rating average from nearly 850 reviewers. Whether handling adhesives or caulks, this simple yet effective little tool can apply what you need with ease. It handles most regularly sized caulk and adhesive tubes with a 10 ounce capacity and smoothly dispenses them through the use of a dual spring trigger. 

Along with being good for resealing areas around faucets and toilets, your caulking gun is also great to use for other areas in your house such as walls, doors, windows, and more. Take good care of your caulk gun and it will last you quite a while. This one can currently be bought at Harbor Freight for the delightfully low price of $3.99.

As you can imagine, this list only scratches the surface of what you may need or encounter while handling plumbing tasks around the house. There are countless other tools we could have included, such as plumber's putty, plungers, basin wrenches, tape measures, and more. However, we wanted to stick to what would make the best investments for a first-time DIYer, with a mix of both widely and lesser known plumbing tools.

Variety and versatility were a major driving factor in our choices. While many tools only sport a singular function, we sought out items that could be applicable to as many different scenarios as possible while plumbing, with some even having the potential to be used outside of plumbing purposes. With that in mind, we wanted each tool on our list to stand out from one another in terms of what kind of task it performed, whether that be cleaning, sealing, tightening, and more, in order to better suit the diverse needs of individual readers.

We applied a likewise mindset when it came to prices. With these items being sold at Harbor Freight, they all generally came at a cost way lower than what most tools of their type typically cost at other retailers. Nevertheless, we made sure nothing here costs an exorbitant amount while still presenting a decent range to fit within different budget levels. Last but certainly not least, we picked products that only sported high customer reviews, with the lowest rated on this list sporting a 4.5 rating average.