Tech & Auto
The 5 Things Employees At Harbor Freight (Probably) Won't Tell You
By DAVID BIXENSPAN
Best Options
Harbor Freight sells exclusive tools from private labels like Pittsburgh and Daytona that you can’t get anywhere else. However, their more expensive options may not be the best.
Automotive YouTube channel Donut extensively tested several screwdriver sets and found the $25 Doyle set performed better than Harbor Freight’s premium tier tools.
Inside Track Club
Like other retail chains, Harbor Freight offers a discount card program called the Inside Track Club for an annual fee. This card promises various members-only deals each month.
While some can use the card’s full benefits, others may find only a limited use. Since Harbor Freight offers many coupons to non-members, it may not be worth it.
Marketing Lawsuit
After several customers complained, Harbor Freight settled a class-action lawsuit. The company was accused of posting fraudulent “was” prices to make its discounts look better.
Though Harbor Freight did not admit any wrongdoing, it offered an array of potential refunds, or more in-store credit, to members of the approved class.
Warranties
While all of Harbor Freight's hand tools have lifetime warranties, its power tool warranties are generally much shorter than the competition at 90 days.
Built into Harbor Freight’s lower prices are the shorter power tool warranty and, unlike Craftsman, the need for a receipt for hand tools warranty service.
Bad Reviews
Harbor Freight offers plenty of good deals on inexpensive tools that can be of surprisingly high quality. Despite that, the business has abysmal reviews overall.
The company scores 1.22 stars out of five at the Better Business Bureau, averaging out of 150 reviews. Many other review organizations also give similar scores.