12 Budget-Friendly Harbor Freight Tools For Everyday Tasks

It's easy to get sucked into thinking that you need to spend a fortune on high-end, big name tools when in reality, there are basic and affordable tools that will get the job done just as well. Harbor Freight has built a loyal following on the latter, and offers a huge range of tools and accessories covering everything from automotive products to landscaping tools. All of its tools are offered at competitive prices, with the best of them often undercutting big name brands and rival discount chains alike.

Harbor Freight can be useful for finding both specialist and common tools at reasonable prices, even if not all of their tools are worth the cash. Still, for everyday basics, the store remains highly popular for good reason. It offers simple, straightforward options like the 12 picks below, all of which should come in handy on a regular basis whether you're a DIY master or an occasional weekend handyman.

While leading vacuum brands like Dyson offer pricey models packed with the latest tech, not everyone wants or needs a cutting-edge vacuum for everyday duties. The Bauer 6 Gallon, 4 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vacuum offers plenty of suction and the ability to deal with all kinds of dust, dirt, and spills, without breaking the bank like a Dyson. It retails from Harbor Freight for $54.99, and includes a washable filter and two extension nozzles.

It should be equally useful in the home as it is a workshop, with its 7-foot hose able to reach into awkward corners and its 6-gallon tank meaning less time spent emptying it. When it's not in use, the vacuum's accessories can be stored using the onboard storage. Its four wheels allow it to roll across hard flooring with ease, although buyers with lots of carpet to clean might find it less appealing. The Bauer vacuum also includes a blower port — a feature missing on even the priciest Dysons.

Investing in a reasonably priced but powerful blower can help save significant amounts of time during fall and winter. The Atlas 80V Brushless Cordless 150 MPH/605 CFM Blower retails for $74.99, making use of the brand's 80V interchangeable battery packs. The blower is significantly better value for buyers who already have a suitable battery pack to hand, as buying a pack separately will cost an extra $139.99, more than the price of the tool.

Still, frequent Harbor Freight buyers who are already ingrained in the Atlas ecosystem can bag themselves a powerful blower for much cheaper than most rival tools. According to the brand, it provides the same power as an equivalent 27cc gas blower, and can clear over 1/2 acre per charge. For the most frequent users, that means less time spent clearing debris and less time lost to charging, and thus more time to spend on other everyday tasks.

A pressure washer is another tool that comes in handy in a wide variety of cleaning jobs, and much like a vacuum, buying one doesn't have to cost a fortune. Portland's corded pressure washer offers 1,750 PSI of spraying force, and features a 20-foot hose for ease of use. Two 4-inch wheels and a sturdy handle make it straightforward to transport to where it's needed, and the 35-foot power cord means it can be wheeled around driveways or small yards without needing to be disconnected.

The Portland 1750 PSI 1.3 GPM Corded Electric Pressure Washer retails for $89.99, with that price including the washer, a detergent bottle, and a single nozzle. Buyers looking for a wider range of nozzles and other accessories can buy the brand's spray wand separately for an extra $7.99. Harbor Freight does offer a warranty for the tool, but it's far shorter than most big name brands. At 90 days, it's in line with many of the retail chain's other products, but the thousands of positive reviews from satisfied customers should go some way to assuaging any worries about its longevity.

A utility knife is one of the most basic tools you can get, but it's also one of the most essential. It's never a bad idea to keep a spare around just in case, and the Gordon Folding Lock-Back Utility Knife is an affordable way to do just that. It costs $4.99 from Harbor Freight, and can be bought along with a pack of ten replacement blades for a further $1.99.

Virtually every major tool brand offers its own knife, and some, like Milwaukee's 6-in-1 utility knife, offer added functionality to differentiate themselves from their competitors. However, in most cases, a standard, basic knife will do just fine, particularly for everyday tasks.

One of the key things worth paying for in a utility knife is safety. The Gordon knife's key safety feature is that it folds away when not in use, making it much more difficult to accidentally catch the blade than with a standard utility knife. When the blade gets blunted, the knife's simple construction makes it easy to swap it out for a new one.

At a retail price of $34.99, the Bauer 20V Cordless Hand Vacuum makes a solid secondary vacuum to clean up small spills. It offers a peak airflow of 44 cubic feet per minute, and runs on the same interchangeable 20V batteries as Bauer's range of power tools. The bin is transparent to make it easy to keep an eye on its fill level, and when it needs emptying, the quick-detach mechanism is designed to keep mess to a minimum.

Various nozzles are also included with the vacuum to add to its usefulness. A floor brush, crevice nozzle, brush nozzle, and extension tube all come as standard, but there's nothing stopping users from fitting any other nozzles that fit from their primary vacuum too. Most people will still need a primary vacuum, as the Bauer cordless vacuum is too small to deal with smaller surfaces, but as a household backup or a compact car vacuum, the Bauer is well worth considering.

Flashlights are only useful if they're bright enough, and many of the cheapest flashlights won't cut it in an emergency. Granted, not all of them need to offer military-grade lighting power, but it's still better to have extra capacity on hand and not need it. One powerful option is the $64.99 Braun 7000 Lumen Rechargeable Waterproof LED Flashlight, which puts out enough power for both indoor and outdoor use. It features multiple lighting modes available to preserve battery or maximize brightness.

The flashlight is powered by a built-in battery bank with up to 46 hours of runtime on the lowest brightness setting. Turning the mode to High or Turbo will significantly decrease that runtime. It's suitable for use in all weather conditions, being IPX7 waterproof and featuring a sturdy aluminum casing. The flashlight's design also incorporates what its maker refers to as a "striking edge," which it claims makes it good to have on hand for emergencies as well as for everyday tasks.

It's tricky to guess which tools will come in the most handy on any given day. With the Pittsburgh 146-Piece Tool Set with Case, there's no need to guess, as buyers will have all of them on hand at once. Whether it's a set of pliers, screwdrivers, hex keys, or even a hammer, whatever job needs doing can most likely be done with this tool set. The included wrench set features both SAE and metric sizes, and the set even features a torpedo level thrown in for good measure.

The set comes in a sturdy plastic case with carry handles, and so can be readily transported or thrown in the back of a truck for day-to-day jobs. It retails for $64.99, which means each piece in the set only costs around $0.40 each. It's tough to argue with that kind of value, particularly since the whole set including the case comes with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.

It's easy to spend a lot of money on a mower, particularly for anyone keen on having the most powerful mower in their neighborhood. However, Harbor Freight offers a reasonably priced alternative that's still more than powerful enough to deal with large or overgrown lawns. The Atlas 80V Brushless Cordless 21 In. Self-Propelled Lawn Mower runs on the same 80V interchangeable batteries as the Atlas blower listed above. As a standalone tool, it's available for $269.99, but buyers without batteries and a charger will need to purchase them separately.

Buying a new battery pack and charger for any single tool arguably isn't good value, but buyers looking to stock up on multiple new Atlas tools should be able to better justify the added cost of the new battery. Atlas claims its tools offer professional-grade performance, with its mower offering up to 80 minutes of runtime with two full batteries and a cruise control function to make large mowing jobs less strenuous. A choice of seven cutting heights is available, with owners able to choose between them via a simple lever. When it's no longer needed, the mower can also fold flat to take up less room in a garage or shed.

The Pittsburgh 12 ft. x 1/2 in. QuikFind Tape Measure is the cheapest tool listed here, retailing for $1.99. Tape measures are easy to overlook as everyday tools — most people will already have one and won't think about it until they need it and can't find it. To save the annoyance of scrabbling around in a tool box or drawer trying to locate it, it's best to keep a backup one handy.

That's where the Pittsburgh tape measure comes in: it costs less than the price of a cup of coffee, and so it can be added to a basket or trolley without too much extra thought. That is, until you need it again. The rubber-wrapped case means it's tough enough to withstand the demands of a jobsite, while clear markings including stud finders make it suitable for DIY projects and household use alike. The tape measure is also offered with a lifetime warranty, and so in the rare instance that any defects do become clear, it can be returned for a refund.

Depending upon the time of year and how keen buyers are on yard work, pruning plants around the home and garden can be a frequent and often highly repetitive task. The Doyle 8-1/2 in. Steel Blade Bypass Pruner doesn't have a magic way to make it less of a chore, but it does at least cut down the amount of money buyers will have to spend to get the job done. At $24.99, it's cheaper than many of its rivals, but no less capable.

According to its maker, the pruner is able to deal with branches up to 1 inch in diameter, making it suitable for most shrubbery and small trees. The blade and body of the tool is made from steel, while the handle is made from rubber for extra grip and increased comfort. Since the tool only weighs just over half a pound, it's suitable for all kinds of gardeners, including those with reduced mobility.

Whether it's putting together flat-pack furniture, taking the batteries out of a kid's toy, or tightening a loose bracket, it always pays to keep a set of screwdrivers around. The Pittsburgh 22-Piece Screwdriver Set covers all the most commonly used sizes and types, and it retails for $11.99 from Harbor Freight. It includes a range of Phillips, star, square, and slotted heads in various sizes, with each one made from vanadium steel for added durability.

It's worth noting that the screwdriver set does not come with a carry case or similar container, so buyers will need to have enough room in their tool box for 22 new screwdrivers. Rummaging through said tool box, it won't be difficult to distinguish one screwdriver from another, as each type is color coded — red corresponds to a Phillips head, green corresponds to a star head, and so on. A single, silver double-ended slotted and Phillips driver is also included.

While it's not quite as universally useful as some of the other tools here, auto enthusiasts aiming to keep their vehicle looking perfect will need to make frequent use of tools like the Bauer 20V Cordless 10 In. Buffer as part of their cleaning arsenal. It retails for just $24.99 and uses the same 20V interchangeable batteries as the brand's other power tools. The brand claims a maximum runtime of 2 hours on a full charge, while the rubberized grips are designed to make longer periods of usage as pain-free as possible.

The buffer can reach a maximum of 3,000 orbits per minute, enabling users to quickly and efficiently polish their vehicles. One polishing bonnet and one terry cloth bonnet come included with the tool, but once they wear out and need replacing, extras can be picked up from Harbor Freight for just a few dollars.