5 Harbor Freight Finds Under $5 That Are Actually Worth Buying (According To Reviews)

In the nearly half a century Harbor Freight has been around, it has amassed several tool brands that are always adding new items to their collections. The company has built a reputation for providing quality products and today there's no shortage of Harbor Freight finds that are no-brainers at their price. Previously, we've listed top-rated Harbor Freight Finds under $25, but with changing priorities and continuing inflation, $25 isn't affordable for everyone. In addition, some people may be wondering whether Harbor Freight tools will get more expensive with President Trump's tariffs on China. 

So you might be looking to invest in a few pieces from Harbor Freight before they get out of reach. And the company still offers a ton of options under $5 that you might want to add to your cart. To help you find the best bang for your 5 bucks, we've picked some notable items that can assist you in woodworking, organizing, auto maintenance, and even painting. If you want to know how we chose them, we discuss our process at the end of this article. But if you want to start copping them before they become more expensive, keep reading.

Pittsburgh is an exclusive Harbor Freight brand that offers a slew of tools with generally positive reviews. Among its highly- rated offerings is the Pittsburgh 6-Inch Quick Release Bar Clamp, which over 5,000 reviewers on Harbor Freight's website have given an average of 4.7 of out 5 stars. Priced at $3.49, the carbon-steel bar clamp has cast-iron jaws and weighs 1.15 pounds. Measuring 10 inches in total length, it has a 6-inch clamping capacity and a 2½-inch throat depth. And if you need something wider, its Pittsburgh's 12-inch variant costs just a dollar more at $4.49. While it shares the same throat depth — and the 4.7-star rating, from over 2,200 reviewers — it has double the clamping capacity.

If you already have a quick-release bar clamp, the 6-Inch Pittsburgh Ratcheting Bar Clamp/Spreader is priced at $3.99, with a 4.5-star rating and over 94% of its 4,200-plus buyers recommending it. And if you're looking for other Pittsburgh tools under $5 to add to your toolbox, the 25-Foot QuikFind Tape Measure retails for $4.99, with a 4.7-star rating from over 7,600 buyers. On the other hand, the $3.29 Pittsburgh Eight-Piece Ratcheting Right Angle Multi-Bit Screwdriver Set even makes it to our list of the best Pittsburgh hand tools. More than 2,000 Harbor Freight buyers have given it an average of 4.6 stars.

Storehouse makes a ton of organizers you can use to keep everything from crafting supplies to bolts and screws. While some can be a little pricey, several organizers under $5 are available on Harbor Freight. Among them, the least expensive is the $2.97 Storehouse Clear Stacking Bin. Earning an average of 4.6 stars from over 1,000 Harbor Freight buyers, it's made of heavy-duty plastic that measures 12¾ by 8¼ by 6 inches and can hold 15 pounds of stuff. But take note, it's only available in-store on clearance, so you can't get this online.

For just two cents more, though, the $2.99 Storehouse 4-Inch Stacking Tilt Bin is available online, designed to attach from both the top and bottom, and rated 4.8 stars by over 800 reviewers. Of course, stacking bins' primary advantage over other types of organizers is how they can lock into each other, so you can expect to spend more than $5 to buy multiple ones. But you can opt to only buy when you need them, and build your stacks with time.

U.S. General has proven itself a fan favorite across tool storage categories, from U.S. General tool cabinets to U.S. General toolbox accessories. But did you know that it offers magnetic ways to keep your tools under control for less than $5 each? 

To start with, 99% of over 12,200 people who bought U.S. General's 18-Inch Magnetic Tool Holder think it's worth recommending. Giving it a 4.8-star rating, many owners of this magnetic strip say they love how strong it is, as well as its affordable cost. Priced at $4.99, it's meant to easily mount on flat surfaces and keep your frequently used tools within reach.

On the other hand, if you struggle with keeping little pieces like screws, bolts, and nuts in place, the $4.99 U.S. General 6-Inch Magnetic Parts Tray might be up your alley. Despite its small size and light weight of two-thirds of a pound, it's rated to hold up to 10 pounds, but with its nonmarring rubber base, you don't have to worry about accidentally damaging painted work tables. It can even be used upside down. It has netted an average of 4.8 stars from over 1,300 buyers, and you can get it in five colors: red, blue, green, black, or chrome.

Brushes are crucial tools for keeping your car clean or applying things like paint or oil. So it's unsurprising that Harbor Freight's HFT product line offers several brushes under $5 that you can use for a wide range of needs. Among them, the $2.99 36-Piece ½-Inch Horsehair Bristle Acid Shop Brush Set is the most popular. Each brush measures half an inch by 6⅛ inches, has a tubular handle, and is made of horsehair, which works with oil, paint, or glue on different kinds of surfaces. Across 1,800-plus reviews it has garnered 4.7 stars on average, with users mentioning that they do everything from greasing drive shafts to applying glue.

If you're looking for less delicate-looking brushes, HFT also sells the $4.99 Deluxe Dip & Wash Long Reach Brush, with an average rating of 4.8 stars from 350-plus reviews. Measuring 18 inches long, it's bound to hit those difficult-to-reach areas. And there's also the HFT Deluxe Wheel & Grill Brush Set for $3.99. This comes in a pair and is made of 1-inch bristles designed to reach your car's tight corners. It offers ergonomic grips and edge bumpers, too. Over 400 buyers have given these brushes an average of 4.6 stars. 

Quinn is another Harbor Freight hand-tool brand, and there are a lot of highly-rated Quinn hand tools, including its diagonal cutter, torque wrench, and screwdrivers. But if you don't have the budget yet to invest in larger sets, like Quinn's 428-piece Master Technicians Tool Set, you can still get your hands on its affordable, but feature-packed, painting tool.

Holding an average rating of 4.8 stars from 780-plus buyers, the in-store-only Quinn 14-In-1 Painters Tool will set you back just $4.99. Recommended by around 96% of people who bought it, it can do a lot of things despite its compact design, which is about as heavy as a baseball at 0.32 lbs. Made of stainless steel, it has a 3" blade that can be your companion in scraping, opening cans, and spreading. Not to mention, it can even work for non-painting tasks, like as a nut wrench, crack or can opener, or hammer end bit holder.

Alternatively, if you don't really need all these fancy features and only want to add putty knives to your painting kit, there's the Quinn 2-Inch Putty Knife for $2.99, which 95% of its 200-plus buyers recommend. And for those who care about supporting American products, the Ohio-based brand is proud of how 85% of its tools are made in the U.S. 

Because of Harbor Freight's extensive portfolio, it's not difficult to find a few stocking stuffers that fall under $5. But for choosing the products on this list, we looked into things such as unique features and overall ratings. 

In general, we mentioned brands where Harbor Freight offers multiple items in the same category within the price range and listed some of the most highly rated options. Apart from making sure that they have at least 200 reviews from the official Harbor Freight website, we only included items that have average user ratings that surpass 4.5 stars and have been highly recommended by verified reviewers. Lastly, while it didn't affect whether they were included, we also mentioned whether items could be purchased online or just in-store.