Who Makes Harbor Freight's Flashlights And Are They Any Good?

It should come as no surprise to anyone who's gone through Harbor Freight's extensive tool selection that the trusted equipment retailer has a fair share of flashlights to choose from. As of this writing, Harbor Freight currently carries close to 50 different flashlights, headlamps, spotlights, lanterns, and other similar products. Understanding who makes Harbor Freight's flashlights and their overall quality can help you make a more informed decision as a buyer.

Like most Harbor Freight products, these flashlights come from the company's various in-house tool brands. Six of these names are responsible for the retailer's selection of flashlights, including Braun, Bauer, Icon, Luminar Outdoor, Gordon, and Hercules. Braun carries the vast majority of these items, with 27 flashlights and similar products currently available at Harbor Freight being under the Braun banner. However, tracking down exactly where these tools are manufactured is not so straightforward.

Harbor Freight's tools are typically purchased directly from the manufacturer, oftentimes the same ones as competitors, and rebranded as one of their products. Due to this, the exact origins of each individual item can vary, with brands like Harbor Freight's Icon tools commonly being traced to Asian countries such as China and Taiwan for manufacturing. The best way to tell where your flashlight came from is to look for the "Made In" label on the tool or packaging.  

While not all Harbor Freight products are made equal, it's safe to say that the retailer wouldn't be so popular if a good majority of its items were of poor quality. Thankfully, the company's selection of flashlights are more than suitable for most needs and can prove to be surprisingly powerful. Some of their flashlights can get as bright as 7,000 lumens while coming with a wide array of unique traits such as swivel heads, magnetic capabilities, and even being waterproof. And while flashlight selections from stores such as Home Depot can get into the hundreds when it comes to price, none of Harbor Freight's options exceed $64.99.

Best of all, most of Harbor Freight's flashlights sport high ratings from buyers. Even on the lower end of the spectrum, items such as the Braun UV Leak Detector Black Light LED Flashlight and Braun 845 Lumen LED Rechargeable Underhood Work Light sport 4.2 out of 5-star rating averages, with most complaints regarding the light's lack of strength and a short battery life. Other flashlights have earned near perfect reviews, such as the Bauer 20V Cordless 2500 Lumen Spotlight, which holds a 4.9-star rating from 400 reviewers. Many customers have even favorably compared the performance and reliability of the higher-rated options to those from brands such as Ryobi, all while coming in at a far lower price. Be sure that whatever flashlight you choose will fit your particular needs to ensure the best fit.