5 Harbor Freight Finds That Will Come In Handy For Storm Cleanup

The aftermath of a big storm can leave you with many days' worth of chores, especially when you're dealing with large amounts of rain, hurricanes, and strong winds. However, when it comes to after-storm cleanup, several gadgets and tools can come in handy to help make the daunting task not quite so stressful. Chainsaws can cut down fallen branches, pumps can displace water from flooded areas, and generators will keep your tools running.

Harbor Freight is renowned for having reliable merchandise at budget-friendly prices that can assist in nearly every aspect of your life. Among its range of products are many items that can help during an emergency like flashlights, power supplies, and safety gear. That said, based on high ratings and positive user reviews, here are five Harbor Freight finds that will help you with your post-storm cleanup. A more thorough explanation of our methodology can be found at the bottom of the article.

Whether it's a flooded basement or large puddles in your yard, you're going to want an easy and quick solution to transfer water. The Drummond 1/4 HP Worry-Free Automatic Submersible Utility Pump is a unique hands-off tool that can push water from one point to another for $150.

This utility pump has an electronic water sensor, so if you place it in a minimum of 3/8 inch of water, it will automatically start working. It has a flow rate of up to 1,750 GPH (gallons per hour) at zero feet and a maximum head lift of 26 feet at zero GPH. In other words, try not to have the pump work so hard to pump water up. Instead, keep the hose as level with the pump as you can. It also has a removable strainer base to help prevent debris from getting sucked into the pump and clogging it.

It has a 4.6 out of five star rating from over 800 buyers and a 91% recommendation rating. Many satisfied reviewers have used it for pool cover water build-up after a rain storm. One buyer used it during Hurricane Francine to pump water away from where flooding usually occurs around their home, and their crawl space stayed dry. Of the small batch of negative reviews, they focused more on either the pump not moving water quickly enough or normal wear and tear usage after some time.

Bauer Power Tools, a Harbor Freight house brand, makes several useful tools, both corded and cordless. Of its corded selection, the 14 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum, one of the brand's larger options of vacuums, is a popular hit among users and costs $110. It comes with a 4.7 out of five star score from over 1,100 buyers and has a 96% recommendation rate.

To clean up the mess the latest storm left behind, this wet/dry vacuum has some serious suction power with a flow rate of 115 CFM (cubic feet per minute). It comes with a 20 foot power cord and a seven foot hose. There is also an abundance of different hose accessories, and it comes on wheels, so you can drag it around easily without having to pick it up as often.

The product description does indicate that this vacuum has six peak horsepower. However, Harbor Freight makes it very clear that this power description is used for "customer comparison purposes" and doesn't necessarily "reflect the operational performance." It also makes note that the 14 gallon size is the tank's physical volume and not the exact capacity it can collect.

A shop fan can come in handy for a number of cleanup projects and after-storm situations such as drying a wet floor or circulating air throughout a closed space. For $140, the Central Machinery 24 Inch 2-Speed High Velocity Shop Fan comes with a 4.7 out of five star rating, and a 96% recommendation score from over 1,700 users.

This fairly large fan with a 24 inch diameter weighs 34 pounds but has built-in wheels for easy portability. It also comes with a six foot cord, which may not be enough, but you can use an extension cord to add more length. However, just make sure you're using the right extension cord for the fan's power. Unfortunately, the manual does not indicate what kind of length and gauge that should be. Another downside is that this fan is not built to hang from the ceiling or along a wall.

Keep in mind that if the power is out, you'll need a power source like a gas or battery-powered generator. You'll just have to be aware of how many watts you're using, so you don't run out of power completely. The product description doesn't state what the watt allowance is for this fan's high and low settings, but that can be figured out using the A x V = W formula (amps x volts = watts). For high, 1.85 amps x 120 volts = 222 watts, and for low, 1.45 amps x 120 volts = 174 watts. Take these numbers into consideration for future use.

Storms bring broken branches and the occasional fallen tree, and you'll need a powerful tool to work your way through them. Like anything else, electric chainsaws have their pros and cons, and the Atlas 40V Brushless Cordless 16 Inch Chainsaw seems to have more pros according to many users. It has a 4.5 out of five star rating from over 1,000 users and a 92% recommendation score.

This brushless motor chainsaw can cut through logs up to 28 inches, and according to the Atlas product description, can deliver twice the power compared to a gas chainsaw with over 180 cuts per charge. It also has top and back handles for grip, while only weighing 7.7 pounds (without the battery), so relatively, it's not too heavy to control.

You can find this chainsaw for $100. However, that is the tool-only option price, which means you'll need to purchase a battery and battery charger if you do not already own them. It can be powered by a 40V or 80V Atlas battery. One selection is the dual 40V 5.0 Ah / 80V 2.5 Ah Atlas Battery for $140.

Often, with a powerful storm, the power goes out. As many power tools need either direct power or a way to charge their batteries, some form of generator is a necessity for cleanup and powering other items in your home. Harbor Freight sells several generators at different price ranges. At $480, the Predator 4375 Watt Gas-Powered Portable Generator is a mid-size option with plenty of power, while still being affordable.

This generator has a 4,375 starting watts and 3,500 running watts capacity. That means that if you have a gadget that requires 3,900 watts to run, it'll start up and immediately stop working because the generator cannot support that much power after the initial start. However, it does have a runtime of 16 hours using 50% load and a four gallon fuel container. It also comes with four 120V GFCI protected outlets, one 120V/240V twist-lock outlet, and one 12V DC outlet along with a carbon monoxide shutoff for protection.

It received 4.6 out of five stars and a 94% recommendation rating from over 500 users. Many users stated this generator to be a good investment. In fact, one user bought theirs right before Hurricane Helene, and they said that it ran perfectly providing power for vital appliances just when they needed it most. 

Of these Harbor Freight products, we selected ones that we felt would be beneficial for all-around storm cleanup. This can range from a few fallen branches to flooding in the basement. Among the products selected, we made sure they had both high ratings and positive reviews from an appropriate number of users. Each product has at least a 4.5 out of five star rating from a minimum of 500 consumers.

Additionally, we understand how expensive storm repairs can be and made sure to select products considered relatively affordable. This is affordable based on what the product is — for example, a high wattage generator for under $500 could be considered inexpensive but a big fan for over $300 is fairly pricey. Of the items in this article, the list prices range from $100 to $480. That said, Harbor Freight has many low-cost finds to assist with hurricane season, along with other major storms throughout the year.