5 Of The Best Pittsburgh Hand Tools At Harbor Freight, According To Users

The Harbor Freight hardware store chain owns and operates a myriad of different in-house brands to meet all of the needs of the constructing public. These include the mighty Hercules line of pro-grade power tools and the Union Safe Company's various safe storage containers. If you're looking to build up a good starter tool kit for yourself, one brand you should consider Pittsburgh Tools, as well as its associated brands Pittsburgh Pro, Pittsburgh Motorcycle, and Pittsburgh Automotive. Pittsburgh products are generally regarded as good entry-level tools, meeting an agreeable midpoint between function and cost.

As Pittsburgh's bread and butter are unpowered hand tools, the brand naturally has quite a few products to sift through, to the point that actually finding what you're looking for could be a bit challenging. Luckily, you can get a good idea of which tools are worth their metal with some help from Harbor Freight's own shoppers, who leave their ratings and feedback on the online storefront. With their help, we've assembled five Pittsburgh tools you'd do well to have in your corner. For more information on our precise selection methodology, check out the bottom of the page.

Let's assume that you're starting from absolute zero with your tool collection. You don't have a single screwdriver or hammer to your name, nor do you have anywhere to put any tools even if you did have them. If you need a good starter kit full of hand tools to cover most basic needs, Harbor Freight and Pittsburgh have you covered with the 130 Piece Tool Set.

This hearty hand tool starter kit has just about everything you could need for most simple handiwork jobs. It includes all of the toolbox staples such as a hammer, a wrench, various screwdrivers, hex wrenches, pliers, a socket set, and much, much more. In addition to the tools themselves, several helpful accessories are included, such as a 10-foot tape measure, a storage case for small components, and just about every kind of fastener and anchor bit you could want. All of this is packed up in a sleek and convenient carrying case with designated divots for every tool so you always know where everything is.

The Pittsburgh 130 Piece Tool Set is available at Harbor Freight for $39.99. Harbor Freight's users have given it a 4.5 out of 5 rating based on 8,875 reviews, several of which call it a borderline requirement for any new homeowner or car enthusiast. It's also great for emergency repairs on camping trips and occasional repairs in a college dorm room.

That large tool kit will give you all the basic tools you need to start fixing and tinkering, but that doesn't mean it can handle every possible situation. Special situations call for specialized tools. For instance, what if you need to strip some wires, then cut them down to size with the same tool? You wouldn't be able to do that with a normal wire stripper or cutter, but with the hybrid power of Pittsburgh Wire Stripper and Cutter, you just might pull it off.

This 7-inch spring-loaded wire stripper and cutter has both the size and muscle to handle all kinds of wire management jobs. It can safely strip 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, and 10 AWG wire, which you can measure out thanks to the convenient size markers on the head. Not only that, it's also strong enough to shear 8-32 and 10-32 gauge screws. With its fierce serrated jaws, this tool can strip, cut, bend, twist, and otherwise manipulate wire and fasteners however you need it to. The spring-loaded mechanism makes repeated cuts easier, though it also includes a safety lock to keep it from snapping when you don't want it to.

The Pittsburgh Wire Stripper and Cutter is available at Harbor Freight for $5.99, where it's managed to earn a 4.7 out of 5 rating based on 3,793 user reviews. Many users enjoy its fine, sharp edge and comfortable grip, with several users being surprised by its reliability and longevity for its low price.

Here's an annoying scenario: let's say you need to tighten some small screws on a new piece of furniture like a desk, but the screws in question are located in an awkward, tiny nook. There's no way you're going to be able to maneuver a regular screwdriver in there to tighten those screws. In this particular circumstance, you need to take a look at things from a new angle — specifically, the Pittsburgh Ratcheting Right Angle Screwdriver.

This little doodad rather ingeniously combines the concepts of a screwdriver and a socket wrench to create a fastening tool that can be held and operated at a tight right angle. It only needs a single inch of clearance to slip in and attach to a screw, after which you can tighten or loosen with a simple ratcheting motion. The tool comes with seven hex bits for PH1, PH2, PH3, 3/16 in., 1/4 in., T15, and T20 fasteners, which you can pop in and out of the head of the tool as necessary.

The Pittsburgh Ratcheting Right Angle Screwdriver is available at Harbor Freight for $2.99. Despite its small stature, it's managed to garner a 4.6 out of 5 rating based on 2,056 user reviews. Several users have said that this tool is an absolute boon to their wrists and knuckles when trying to manage screws in tight spaces like the inner mechanics of a car or under the edge of a roof.

Speaking of useful tools in small packages, consider for a moment your average claw hammer. Hammers are usually rather bulky tools, somewhat necessarily to help generate the necessary force for strong impacts. If a hammer is too long or large, though, you can't really snake one into a small spot to pound in a nail or, for claw hammers specifically, pry one out. If small is the name of the game, try Pittsburgh's Stubby Claw Hammer.

This eight ounce hammer may be small in stature, but it's big on personality. The entire tool is only 6.5 inches long, just large enough to comfortably fit in your hand while small enough to slip into narrow cracks. To ensure you keep your grasp on the situation, even if you have to stick the hammer somewhere you can't see it, the weather-resistant fiberglass handle is equipped with a nonslip rubber grip. With the extra comfort and control from this grip, you're far less likely to drop the hammer into the invisible no-man's land behind your house's walls.

The Pittsburgh Stubby Claw Hammer is available at Harbor Freight for $3.99. Its small profile and smaller profile have made it a hit with 2,287 Harbor Freight users, who have collectively given it a 4.9 out of 5 rating. In addition to handling cramped confines, users have also employed it for hammering finish nails into hanging pictures.

If you're specifically looking for heavy-duty application tools for things like building and maintaining engines, simple hand tools might not cut it. For instance, if you're looking to tighten thick bolts and gaskets, you're going to want a beefy torque wrench that can provide both strength and security. Pittsburgh's ordinary offerings may not meet your standards, but Pittsburgh Pro's Click Torque Wrench might have something to say on the matter.

With a 3/8 in. drive capable of 5-80 ft. lb. of torque, this high-level torque wrench utilizes a cam-and-pawl mechanism to provide the utmost in durability, precision, and of course, raw output. As a click-type wrench, you can get your tightening down to a precision science with the help of a distinctive and tactile clicking. Additionally, the drive is reversible, allowing you to remove fasteners just as easily as you wrenched them on.

The Pittsburgh Pro Click Torque Wrench is available at Harbor Freight for $19.99. 5,309 Harbor Freight customers have brought their opinions together to give this tool a 4.1 out of 5 user rating. Several users appreciate how easy the mechanism is to understand, as well as the satisfying click to know when they're done ratcheting.

The preceding products were chosen from amongst Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Pro, Pittsburgh Motorcycle, and Pittsburgh Automotive hand tools available on Harbor Freight's online storefront. Preference was given to tools and products with a rating of at least 4 out of 5 stars based on an average of at least 2,000 user reviews.