Hey, ex harbor freight employee here. Everything you said is on point though there are a few things I would like to add. With the clearance items with the purple tags, a lot of those items like you said are being clearanced out. Though we do lower the prices on those items typically every 2 weeks if they haven’t sold to make sure we don’t have stuff piling up back there. Practically everything back there is brand new and was used as displays. In my experience as well you can typically be able to haggle the prices down even lower, though you do need a supervisor or higher to be able to do this. I’d recommend asking logistics supervisors as we tend to just want the Shit gone because it’s annoying to deal with. The orange tags we can’t do anything about, they were all returns and we can’t change the price even if we wanted too because corporate gets really pissy when we do. I’m my experience I don’t touch anything in that table because it more often than not isn’t salvageable. For hand tools about 90% of them have a lifetime warranty on them, we will return or replace them for any reason and when I say any reason I mean ANY. We one had this older gentleman that shopped at my store and I thing he owned and bought a set of every single icon tool we carried. When they were first introduced they all had a matte finish, well we ended up releasing most of the sets later with a glossy finish. I shit you not he brought in every single icon set he had and exchanged them out for all the new ones that had the gloss finish. It took forever but we did do it. We don’t need a return if you are just swapping out hand tools for another set, only if you are trying to outright return the. Also if you have a socket set or a ratchet wrench set for example and one somehow breaks. Just exchange the the entire set instead of just the piece that broke, it’s just easier for everyone if you do it that way. We really don’t like having to deal with a brand new set of tools with one missing piece missing just to toss a purple sticker on it and have to deal with it later. As far as the hand tools go you can’t really go wrong with any of them, all of them I barely see returned. Though if you want the little bit nicer ones I would go with the Quinn but the Pittsburgh usually hold up just as well. The only tools that i would stay away from that you haven’t already brought up are the air tools. I’ve never seen anything returned as much as those, absolute shit. Needlers, grinders, sanders are dog shit don’t get them. They have tried really hard to improve their product lines but the air tools have just been untouched. Great video.

Tip suggestion: be polite, friendly, and genuinely likable when interacting with any staff member. This is a good idea in ANY store, but the folks at my local HF are particularly chill, happy people. In return, they give honest advice, tips, and can stretch some of the store policies. Kindness pays for itself~

And, as a current cashier, I want to give a huge THANK YOU to all of you who give us a smile and a friendly conversation when you come through. I work very hard to make each person feel welcome and happier when they come in. When I get a grump who refuses to be friendly, it saps so much out of me. But those of you who smile back - you make ALL the difference!

Former employee here, best time to check the dumpsters is if you can find a new store that's opening, we literally threw out tons of useful accessories and hardware for the floor model displays!! Always be sure to check local laws, never climb inside a dumpster, and never touch one's that are locked or behind a gate even if it's left open. Honesty is usually appreciated, getting the owners approval and rules goes along way, as well as cleaning up after your done. DON'T LEAVE A MESS BEHIND IT'S DISRESPECTFUL AND RUINS OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS!!

As an aircraft structures & sheet metal mechanic, I normally want higher quality tools than what Harbor Freight offers. However, there's something about Harbor Freight that's addicting. When I go in, I _want_ to buy stuff, often stuff I'll never use! Maybe I'm a tool enthusiast? But Lowes tool section doesn't do this to me, or Home Depot, Northern Tools, not even aviation-specific stores like The Yard or Brown Tools have this effect. I've pondered this feeling I get at Harbor Freight but haven't figured it out. I think they have some secret going on that makes people want to empty their wallets there!

I've found HF employees to be awesome. I needed to make a huge purchase from areas all over the store during the pandemic, & the employees were great, helping me find each item, getting them up to the register, making sure I had coupons, getting stuff out to the vehicle & loaded, etc~ just everything! As a disabled person, who'd never been there before, they made it the greatest experience ever & earned my loyalty, not to mention the products have been great... Kudos HF!

One thing I can say about Harbor Freight is that you have to remember that the people who work there are people. Treating them right can make a world of difference. I'm always friendly with them when I go in for something and often joke with them (When our local store first opened I went in to see what they had, one associate asked if I needed help finding anything. I decided to have some fun... I asked where the pipe stretchers were. She didn't catch it and asked over the radio for a pipe stretcher. The manager heard this and decided to sit back and watch. This is where it got good... almost all of the employees were looking for a pipe stretcher before I broke and told the little gal to think about it... how do you stretch a pipe? It got a good laugh all around and i built a rapport with the employees there where we would joke around as friends when I went in. A few years ago when HF discontinued the big 60 gallon upright compressors they had the floor model marked down gradually from $999.99 to $599. I asked the manager, whom I'd gotten to know as I was a regular, how long he'd have to look at it before they had some room to work. (I'd already gone down with my trailer intending to buy it anyway). He said, let's take a look. He looked at the tag and asked if I'd do $300. Before I could answer, he offered to extend my ITC by another year. Needless to say, I was all over that and when the employees were helping me get it loaded and secured on my trailer he came out with a package of ratchet straps (on the house) and told the employees to make sure it was strapped down well and wouldn't go anywhere. I'm sure that the fact that I have spent a lot there helped too (I've bought a couple of the big toolboxes and a lot of tools to fill them), but I attribute a good share of it to my taking the time to be nice when I am in there. Another time I was getting ready to buy a floor jack and an employee told me not to buy it unless I really needed it right then. He then went on to tell me that it was going on sale in two days and I could save on it then. I chose to wait and thanked him. When I went back to buy it, he even took it out to my pickup and loaded it for me. Don't hesitate to ask the employees thoughts on a tool and tell them what you're wanting it for either. They don't work on commission so they aren't going to try to push one tool over another. They know what comes back most and won't steer you to something you'll have problems with. They generally aren't experts, but they normally are willing to help you in making a decision. These are just a couple of examples of the great service I have gotten there (Including a very thoughtful card from the entire store staff when they found out I was fighting cancer... thanks guys, that meant more than I can possibly say). My point is though, remember that the employees there are people. They have good days and bad days too. It costs nothing to be nice and not have an attitude with them and make their day a little brighter and if you treat them right, they will do all they can to make your experience with the store a great one. It costs $6 to get a box of donuts where I live. I've dropped a couple of boxes off over time for their break room. Just general being nice on my part. That sort of thoughtfulness can go a long ways towards making their day a little brighter and if you can't afford a couple of bucks for a box of donuts, you really shouldn't be buying a bunch of new tools anyway.

I went to my local store and looking in the open/returned items, there was a Maddox wheel bearing press kit(complete). It was marked from $140(or so) down to $95 for being used. I seen the manager and I asked her, "are them prices set in stone, or are you open to offers?" She ask what I was thinking. I said "I'll give you $80 for that bearing press kit." She said "take it" without even giving it any thought...

Back in time before y2k. I worked in a store that sold tools and other chinese chit. They also sold real tools like Starrett, Ingersoll Rand, Cp, and many other high quality American made tools. Some European tools as well. Some of the low end brands were MiT, Grip, Puma, and King. Being paid around $7/hour and training to become a machinist I couldn't get much. My precision tools were all High end. Where it counts. So after, I blew most of my pay on Starrett and other high end stuff I was basically broke. So when it came down to the air tools and hand tools i was only buying cheap stuff. I used to combine returned stuff in the basement of the store to be able to buy it at a discount. Like all my 6 ton jack stands, 3 ton hydraulic jacks, socket sets, and other tools. Today I still have many of them. I can say with absolute certainty that the 1/2" drive impact sockets from china are nearly bulletproof. I've removed thousands of rusted on bolts from 1/4" up to 2-1/2" and in that time ive only broken a half a dozen or so impact sockets. Meanwhile I killed 2 snapon, 3 china no name, one Mit and soon I'll be done with a Matco 1/2" impact wrenches/guns. I'm hard on tools because I don't have time to play around. If you want quality that you don't want to return/exchange on a regular basis, Taiwan or better is the way to go for most everything. Ill list out how I have seen it since the early 90's. Worst to best 1.India Pakistan Indonesia vietnam hongkong 2. china 3. Taiwan 4. Japan 5. Canada 6. Mexico 7. Germany 8. Poland sweden france spain Italy Switzerland 9. Japan 10. USA I could go on and break it down further. And many of the listed countries could swap spots depending on product type. Like Pakistan makes really good stainless products. But their cast iron or aluminum products are terrible. China makes good impact sockets. But most everything else is mediocre. Unfortunately here in the USA we take too much pride in making tools. So we can't compete with the chinese crap. Even our lowest end steels are better than most top end steel from china. We priced ourselves out of the market. That and the re**rded environmentally ill protection agency is ruining American manufacturing with their over zealous laws based on fudged numbers and propaganda. I may do a side by side video of tools that have lasted me many decades and those that don't. Give me time because it takes a lot to do a decent job of it. Again as a machinist, mechanic, welder, fabricatior, inventor, and excavation equipment owner I don't know everything, but i do know tools. I've got thousands of them. And I'm 💯% not brand loyal. I just expect quality. LAST TIP!!!!!!!!!! Be very wary of anything with these phrases or words: Heavy duty High strength Industrial quality Industrial strength Super Aircraft strength Aircraft grade Military grade Military secret Designed in USA German engineering Swiss design Patent pending As seen on tv Lifetime warranty Commercial grade ......... And one last thing "dinosaur brands" ie. Rockwell

Former employee here, great tips and all legit! If I may add my 2 cents to this it would be: Dumpster diving is fine, but wait until after the dumpster has been emptied, we would toss stuff the next day so over the next week it would be covered up with actual trash to discourage dumpster diving. The extended warrantee is most defiantly worth it on heavily used or abused items such as the mid/upper tier hand tools, jacks, pneumatic tools, etc...If you know it will get beat up, get the warrantee. The purple tagged items are usually discontinued items and are incrementally marked down, meaning they are scanned once a month and may be marked down. If you see one have a cashier scan the price, it may be lower than what the tag says.

Great tips here! I had such a good experience at Harbor Freight today. I’m a member and shop there all the time. Today I went in for a rolling tool bench that had been on sale. No one in Western MA or Connecticut had this item. I was so bummed because I really needed this and it was pretty much all I could afford. The cashier said she could look up within 100 mi on her computer and found 1 . She called the store, and they saved it for me and I drove two hours down to get it. When I got down there they had my name on it and they were ready to load it in my car. Both stores were so over the top nice, I just wanted to shout out East Springfield and Saugus MA stores.

A lot of years ago, we had a house fire. I lost every tool I ever owned! So for about 20 years, I just did not mess with my vehicles. But, since Harbor Freight came to town, I got my old 56 Chevy out of the pasture, built a shop with a lift and have stocked it to the brim with HF tools!! THank you HF! If it were not for you, I would not be able to afford to restore my old car. :) :)

1, the purple tags are open box items and orange is clearance items. 2, Warranty - I have a lot of the Hercules 20V Brushless tools, including the reciprocating saw. (The Hercules Brushless have a 5 year warranty) After 5 months of using the saw hard, cutting steal oil tanks everyday, mine started making squealing noise & not cutting right. I stop by HF on my way home, put the see on the counter, asked for a warranty exchange. Clerk asked for my phone #, found the receipt, & told me to grab a new one from the shelf, scanned it, had me sign the warranty receipt, and put the door i went. All in less than 5 minutes, never even asked why.

Part 2 please! I became a hater when the coupons went away and thought they were crazy to do so, but they proved me wrong. I now actually love them and go more often.

As a retired person I try too save money on everything I buy, and I have been aa Harbor Freight customer for years. I have never had a tool break and I don't buy their best just their regular tools. I have a mig welder that cost just 129.00 and it is great too have in the shop to repair my yard tools and equipment. Don't underestimate their quality.

Go ahead and make the part 2. I learned a lot from part 1.

If you are signed up with your phone number at Harbor Freight and give them the number every time you check out, you would not need your receipt to do a return, they can look up purchases from your phone number.

I am a wood worker. I don't work on my own cars, ever. About four years ago, I joined the ITC club for a year, however, most of the ITC discounts applied to auto work or metal work tools and I never bought enough wood working related products to recover my ITC membership fee. So now I just use coupons. I really am impressed by the Hercules line and will stick to those when possible. This was a great video and has terrific information worth saving.

I purchased a roll pin set about 6 months ago. I finally needed a 5/16" x 2" roll pin so I got out my set, found the 5/16" inserted the roll pin in the hole and it fell straight through onto the ground! I got my calipers and measured all the 5/16" roll pins. They averaged .303" to .306" diameter, 5/16" is .3125" and they should have been approximately. 010" over .3125" or .3225" diameter max! The manager said I needed to call the corporate office myself because the corporate office didn't listed to employees, only to customers!

As an Inside track member I find the employees are courteous and friendly .

Dave thanks for the tips and thanks for just giving the facts!!!!! No stupid jokes, no satire no stupid memes just a great run down. You had a lot in there so anything in part 2 would be a must watch. I appreciate you making this with so much info. Worth the time to watch. THANK YOU!!!!

Back about 10 years ago I went to harbor freight and was looking at an open box 21 gallon air compressor. They had it marked $110 down from $150 but they wanted me to take it bad and offered it for $55. I still use it all the time and has served me well.

One day my buddy and I decided we wanted to “straight pipe” our vehicles, we didn’t have any tools to cut it so we went down to harbor freight bought a pack of cutoff wheels and the cheapest angle grinder we could. (This was 4 years ago yes I know a sawzall is a much better tool for such a task) we broke 6 of them and only paid for one and a pack of cutoff wheels. Had to drive back 6 times and every time the guy at the counter kept smiling harder and harder. I only buy tools from there now and if they fail I buy nice ones

I agree with you! If you are a construction person or use your tools for a living, perhaps stay clear of some HR items. Example: I bought a HF reciprocating saw in 2010 for $17 to keep at the deer camp. It is used like maybe 40Xs per year to cut through pelvic bones, limbs and necks. Today 2024, still a charm with same blade. I know for sure if we used it daily to cut through 2 X 4"s it would not be alive today. For your average DYI, HF is the way to go but do not complain. I once needed a concrete hammer drill to drive some anchors for home project. HF product was working but it was a struggle. My neighbor heard the cursing and came over with his high end tool. It was like busting butter. So easy. There was or more expensive Impact drills from HF but I picked the cheapest one. The drill I purchased is fine going into mortar. Concrete was a struggle. Hand tools, grinding tools, cut off wheels and cut off machines are awesome from HF. As you said, careful on the power tools and do not complain.

Dave, I like your style, direct, to the point in a great easygoing style. Many KZfaqrs could learn from you. Yes I would love to see part 2. Keep up the good work!

Great video Dave. Side tip: allow them to email you your receipts that way they are just a search away. And as for the dumpsters - yes it is a thing - I returned a green house because the plastic was so thin it would have blown away even put up where I live - but I watched them roll it into the dumpster - box and all. (no I didn't even think of going back for it)

Haven't bought a ton of stuff from HF. But every time I've gone in over the years the employees have been helpful. And I usually find something else I need. Thank you for the tips!

There is always a friendly employee that can help you

Big fan of HF. One tip I have is to go online and before buying something read all the reviews on what you are buying. I have found them to be more "genuine" as opposed to companies like Amazon reviews. Something else is when I get home I always scan my receipts and put them in a file.

On the dumpster diving issue.. I have on many, many occassions, checked my local HF dumpster and yielded a LOT of good items which worked fine and I think were victims of the "rental tool" scenario where someone bought the item, used it, brought it back claiming "it didn't work" and got their money back. Fuel Pressure test tool, wooden workbench, jewelers toolbox, Diesel fuel pressure test kit, shop presses, dollies, liquid siphoning tool, complete tap and die sets, (same dive, got metric AND SAE versions) and the list goes on and on. Things have been slim pickings lately, but I suspect that is just because so many people check the dumpster! Most definately have gotten thousands of dollars of stuff from their dumpster.

An employee actually told me that I could use a saws all and bring it back no questions asked after he only could find one rechargeable. I had zero intention on doing that but it's nice to know. I may not use the tool often (Why I wanted HF to start with) but when I need one, I need one. Very useful information Dave. Thank you!

I bought a Central Machines short-stand drill dress from HF. Being so heavy, the shipping box was damaged and its internal Styrofoam packing which holds the parts to be assembled was cracked to pieces, and the motor starter capacitor cover was dented. I called and asked for a replacement motor starter capacitor cover, and they sent me whole new motor for free, including shipping. I was very surprised and pleased. The motor and starter capacitor (the whole drill press) worked fine, so I've been using it as received and I have a complete spare motor if I ever need it. They did this for me without question, but I was very polite about asking. So getting replacement parts when something is bad is another tip you can add to your list.

I have bought two air compressors from Harbor Freight both are portable units that are capable to air up semi truck tires without any problems at all both of these compressors are over 4 years old and work great .

ITC member here. Love shopping at Harbor freight. Very informative video. I bought a Vulcan Protig 205 back in April w/ the extended warranty. No matter what I did I couldn't get it to weld correctly. So I boxed it back up and returned it. I had the receipt and they offered to upgrade at no extra charge. I swapped it for the same model and the extended warranty restarted on that date even though I'd had it for several months. Very friendly and helpful employees. Part 2 video would be great.

The as is table is great. Recently my local HF had a tile saw priced around $110, down from $190. At checkout I applied a 40% off coupon and got it for $65. Got it home and it worked fine with no missing parts. It hadn't even been used. It's the best buy I've made at HF so far.

Ive had an employee apply a one item coupon discount to the entire transaction. They did without me asking. That was really cool of them 👍

I used to have a lot of success at Harbor freight on the scratch and then type stuff. But the local stores in my area have moved away from that model. Because it was getting so common it discouraged people from buying their new merchandise. The other problem with dumpster diving is although it is legal, the harbor freight stores in my area locked down their dumpsters, and so it is not possible. Because of the homeless problems in the big cities we have around here, they also discourage it because they don't want people getting hurt dumpster diving.

Thank you Sr. Very useful info. No trashy graphics or crazy effects or any of the Photoshop madness: just 100% useful info. Great! Thank you! Thumbs up 👍🏻 !

I think their “thin” tarps are great. They make great “wheelbarrows” for leaves and grass clippings. I have been trying to wear one out for about 3 seasons now. Have a larger on that I cut halfway through to lay around bushes and trees when trimming. A lot of the cheaper stuff, I consider single or limited use. I don’t see it now, but they used to have an electric paint sprayer. With coupon it was around $20. Used it to stain a fence. Then it went into the trash. Why would I even try to clean it, especially when I didn’t expect it to have a very long life expectancy.

Good job. Very helpful information and so refreshing to find a tool guy who just gets to the point and delivers the information without trying to act cute or crack stupid jokes. I'm going to check out your other videos just for that reason alone! Please do make a part 2!

Dave, I stumbled across your site while I was just browsing. I was really impressed with your style and quality of information. I'm past most of my DIY days, because I'm 83, but I do things occasionally, just usually nothing heavy. I want to put a word in for the Warrior drill. I purchased their drill on sale about five years ago for about twelve bucks because it was lightweight and made it easier to work overhead. I found that it not only did that, but it's weight was great for craft work. I bought another one to keep upstairs for easy access. Not only that, when I put up my HF greenhouse three years ago, I used my Warriors so I didn't have to change bits. I discovered that they were quite capable tools. Batteries lasted quite long in spite of being small, and I was able to do some heavy drilling with them. I don't have any other Warrior tools, but I wouldn't hesitate to try one if I needed another tool. My tool inventory is actually pretty complete, though. I subscribed and will be surfing your older sites to see what interesting topics you've covered before. Again, your style is great.

Would love to see a part 2 . I love harbor freight and recently found out that the managers have the power to offer you items returned or sold as is at a lot lower of a price. And I love the track membership. They always tell me things like “ oh come in this weekend because of your membership status you can just walk in and get this, this or even this! No purchase required. What other stores do that ? Just happened onto your video . I loved it ! Was not overly long but full of helpful tips . Thanks 👍

Very precise and helpful. I will feel 100% more empowered the next time I shop HF. Thanks so much for getting the background information from former/current employees. The clear pictures of the pricing and coupons are great. I would love to hear more of the tips you have.

I first started shopping at a HF store in the early/mid 90's near where my best friend lived at the time, about 20 miles from my house. Bought what they sold at the time which was mostly simple hand tools, a floor jack for my cars, hand trolly, that sort of stuff. And most of it I still use to this day.

I use to pick up old cardboard box from a harbor freight. there were many times that tools were left inside. New and not visibly damaged.Yes the staff was always Awesome 👌

The single product I see most people buy there is the Predator series generators/inverters. A great value, but put a magnetic dipstick in it BEFORE STARTING. It's Chinese machining and one sliver of steel can tear-up a lot of aluminum.

My son has two storage lockers full of dumpster diving treasure. Alot of it from Harbor Freight. They were the place that got him hooked on dumpster diving. I cant get him to stop!

As your newest subscriber, as of this moment. I appreciated this video on Harbor Freight. They’ve certainly improved dramatically on their quality of the past few years. Hard to beat their prices. Inside track club is definitely worth it in my opinion. Paid for itself in 3 visits to the store. Plus I’ve acquired enough free buckets that everyone is getting one for Christmas!! Thanks for the video and would love to see more

My best deal so far has been a $100 Hercules 13 amp angle grinder which was on sale for much less and I bought it using a no restrictions coupon. I got it for $39. I'd have to say that the Inside Track membership cost has paid for itself at least four or five times this year for my purchases. I must be pretty smart because I've been using most all of your suggestions having figured it out for myself...except the dumpster diving.

Make part 2! Thanks for the tips. We appreciate it!😊

Nice tips! Would definitely like to see episode 2. Also, I now get ‘Manager’s because we miss you’ 25% off coupon about once every two weeks, ever since I put the Apex winch in my wish list. Now I always keep something higher priced in there and they keep the coupons coming.

I’ve gotten tons of freebies from the dumpster that had little to nothing wrong with them. I always check the dumpster on every visit!!

I have found that alot of Harbor Freight merchandise is not that much of a bargen, even when on sale. I appreciated the information about product disposal .

I love harbor freight. Obviously if you're a professional you might want higher quality tools for durability purposes but for just doing work around the house or car you can save so much money at harbor freight.

Yes! Part 2 would be great. I'm a big HF fan, especially since they just built a brand new store 15 minutes from my house, and I'm learning new things through your video.

I'm a big fan of HF. On top of the staff being really nice, I actually was able to pay for my membership with only a couple of purchases. Clamps and speed squares at a fraction of the price of the orange or blue stores. Same with tarps and drop cloths. Their little Dremel knock offs were affordable enough to buy a couple so I don't have to change bits as often.

Great and very informative video, Dave! Although I've been a longtime and loyal customer at Harbor Freight, I'm always happy about learning something new. As an example, whenever purchasing anything that's pricey, such as a lawnmower, you really need to do your 'homework', and always look at the 'Big Picture'. Last spring I decided to purchase a power rotary mower, and at first, I almost bought it at Harbor Freight. But after adding up the costs of everything, and comparing it to a mower at Costco, it turned out to be a No-Brainer, since the HF version did NOT include the batteries or the charger, which would have cost me an ADDITIONAL $126 MORE than the Costco unit, which were included. Timing was everything, as the Costco mower was on sale for a short time, with $100 off! Thanks again, for your stellar video!

Harbor freight has been in my town for 8 or 9 years now. It has been super handy. They always have deals. 60% or more of my tools are from there

Ooh, I can help you out, with the dumpster diving laws. I was just researching it. Dumpster diving is legal in all 50 states.Trespassing is NOT legal, however! If there are "No Trespassing" signs, or if the dumpster is locked, or it is enclosed behind a fence, wall, or gate, you are no longer dumpster diving, you are trespassing and can get in a lot of trouble. Here's the run-down on the law: A landmark US Supreme Court case in 1988 (California vs. Greenwood), ruled that if a company or a person has discarded anything in a public place, they have abandoned their ownership rights. Hence, they can’t file a complaint against anyone who’s taken anything from a public dumping place. Most states have affirmed that ruling in state law. Just a tip from a retired paralegal! Great info on your channel - I'm really enjoying the content.

GREAT content and tips. I would like to see a Part Two very much. Thank you for your efforts in providing the content that you do!

I think you covered the 1 thing pretty clearly. Always buy the higher end items, it's cheaper in the long run. Never get anything hand tools. I've had impact sockets explode, yes explode, on me. I've had wrenches seize within a month. I do love their jacks and as the employee said, they're bombproof. Why? Because it's the same supplier Snap On uses.

My HF tip... don't forget you can't get parts. They exchange items, but if you just bust a thing, HF won't be providing parts. So, here's the tip: a lot of this stuff is the same as other tool stores. I had a 10k jack combo set...the one with the ram and all kinds of bars and ends for pushing and pulling. I broke the 90 degree end. The EXACT same jack kit was sold by northern tool and they DO sell spare parts. Voila..new end was an exact match. Yeah!

7 years ago I bought a 1 1/2 ton Pittsburgh low profile floor jack. 70 lbs of steel, still works today. Part 2 please.

"Free rental" is a common problem in retail. I worked at an office supply store and we once had two women buy 20 8' plastic folding tables on a Friday and they returned all 20 for a full refund on Monday. One of the employees overheard them talking about their family reunion that weekend.

All excellent, helpful, info. Glad that you took the time to interview resources available to you...past employees. Thanks!

Nice video. Have sort of forgotten about Harbor Freight for a while. Maybe I'll give them another shot, especially for new discounted tools! Thanks for the tips!

You have to be older to know this, but HF started out as a liquidator of damaged and distressed merchandise coming off West Coast ships from Asia. They eventually concentrated more on machinery and tools, but their biggest boost was the sourcing of regular tool lines just when Sears went away. Their early reputation was tarnished by offering whatever China made for them, but now they're big enough to commission their own lines and specs. The limited quality in the lower lines is deliberate. Long ago Black and Decker did a survey and found the average homeowner uses a drill for a total of 20 minutes over their lifetime. That's when B&D went plastic everything.

I’m a previous HFT employee. We never threw away anything. Instead, our “scratch-and-dent tools” were sold at the parking lot sales, and you can haggle with the managers. I can’t advise checking the dumpsters out back (unless you’re already there for some reason….)

Dumpster digging at harbor freight is key. Have gotten a lot of awesome items. For example: Concrete Mixer, torque wrenches x5, tap and die set, tire changer, ball joint press x2, dollies x7, foldable truck, 5" table vice, ratchets, wrenches, caster wheels, and several other items.

My only suggestion on coupons is to watch them and track the items you want most. In the case of a tool box that was couponed for $219, also was couponed down to $199. So track coupon rates. Secondly- always consider opening a credit card as this takes an additional 10% off the first purchase. Would be great to pair this up with a 20% off coupon for a US General or Icon tool chest. Great savings their too.

I’ve never had any issue with my HF power tools. due to their price point, I never was as diligent in taking care of them, but they’ve endured regardless. While I probably wouldn’t recommend them for commercial use, they’re definitely more than enough for household diy

Please make part two I have bought there for years and finally they got one close to me

Though I don’t shop at HF often. The tools I buy are not heavily used. On one occasion we had heavy rains for days and I was bucketing water away from my door. I was exhausted. Exasperated I went to HF to get “something” to pump the water from my back door. My clothes were soaked. I explained what I needed and this young man (employee) said I needed a sump pump. I told him THE WATER IS NOT IN MY BASEMENT, I’m trying to keep it out!! He quickly shifted gears understanding the urgency, and sold me a pump that he said couldn’t run if it was in a dry area with a lot of debris. Since it was outdoors he told me to place something that would filter out the debris and check it frequently. It worked GREAT! Wonderful idea!! I will almost always go to HF!

Yes. I bought a large tool set and the discount was so significant by joining that i basically got inside track for free and saved about 5 bucks as well over the standard price. So by signing up for the club i saved only 5 dallars at that time but got the club for a year

I remember shopping the first ever store in Camarillo CA.

Are you in a home depot giving a review on harbor freight? 😂😂

I really like the employees at my nearby store. Always helpful in locating an item in the store. I’ve looked over the entire place and they walk me right to it. I’ve only broken one item in all the items I’ve bought there. A small tailpipe expander. One of the cast rails just snapped. It was exchanged without question. Great value tools for those times when you need it once or twice and it doesn’t make sense to spend a fortune.

Those “No Expiration Date” coupons do eventually die out. I’ve had the 20% Vulcan coupon for years and used it many times until about a month ago. When scanned the register popped up a message to force the clerk to call a manager. They then informed me that coupon was no longer valid but at least gave me one last 20% off on that purchase and then kept the coupon.

The amount of research for this video is absolutely incredible. Respect. Much appreciated. Subd!

Regarding tip 25. If you notice the purple tags, sometimes you will see a purple tag on top of another purple tag. The manager at my harbor freight told me they will go up to three purple tags as the price gets lower. After the third purple tag they dispose of the tool. So if you see three purple tags stuck together, that is definitely the final price

First off, the ITC (inside track club) is well worth the annual 29.99 membership fee. I've saved hundreds each year having the ITC. I was at my local HF just an hour ago. They have the deal if you buy a Bauer 20V 5ah battery, you get a free Bauer tool. I already have two batteries and a small selection of Bauer 20V tools, so this is just a nice addition to my tool collection. Besides, I've already used many of these tools, some of which I've used multiple times, and they are just as good as many name brand tools that I've owned over the last 35 plus years. The employees of HF all seem to be happier, less stressed, than most any other big box store like Ace, Lowe's, Home Depot, and such. HF seem to treat their employees with more respect than many other stores do. Always look at the weekly ads, even if they may not pertain to you for many weeks. But, much like this current ad, you will benefit from having seen the ad and being alerted to certain products that are on special.

I gotta say, I went back and forth for a long time before ever purchasing from Harbor Freight because of all of the mixed reviews. I finally decided to try it out with something where quality would be instantly obvious on delivery: a new tool belt. WOW! It is such high quality, and was so cheap that I felt like I stole it. After watching your video (and realizing they just opened one about 45min away) I can say with certainty that I'll be buying regularly. Thanks for the info! Great stuff and well laid out. Just subscribed and I look forward to more of your videos.

Sears tools craftsman closing down changed a lot

A few years ago I purchased a small drill press. When I was at the counter the cashier kept telling me that I needed to purchase the extended warranty. I tried to refuse but he insisted. Finally, he showed me the price with the warranty was lower than without.

Purple tags I've see are the damaged missing items not clearance. And typically when I've seen them I can get the same parts cheaper with a coupon than the tagged price. Or the same price complete.

Part two would be awesome! 1 - For anybody looking at ITC, they offer 1 year for $29.99 or 2 year for $44.99. (Not sure why that was skipped?) 2 - You can still use regular coupons when you have an ITC account. Whenever they have coupons like "5 items - 30% off $10 or less" for non-ITC and "5 items - 30% off $20 or less" for ITC going at the same time, you can deny telling them your number to use the standard coupon. Then follow up with another transaction using your ITC in the same trip and place in line. Just need to mention your check-out will be more than one transaction and which items on what receipt. 3 - Always double check what coupons got applied and where. The cashiers are human too and make mistakes sometimes. I got double charged for a battery charger and had to "return" the item (I didn't even leave with). Super chill guy, honest mistake.

Air compressors and pressure washers were the 2 items I saw returned a few times. That was years ago. I used to go quite often, but I grew less concerned about price and more concerned about where the tool was mfd. Ex: I just purchased a few Channellock pliers - Made in America and probably double the HF price from something comparable. I like that they typically have a good - better - best option for many of their tools. I just wish that they would try to source more tools in the USA and charge accordingly. It is def a great option for that tool you expect to use rarely (if ever).

Yes, wait till you want to buy a big ticket item before you join the club membership. I'm a Harbor Freight club member maybe 1 year out of 3. P.S. Well done Dave.

I will say I have never watched a video that gave me better advice about a store that I tend to purchase from. Dave a "tip of the hat you" to you sir. Well thought out presentation. I never heard a sentence that did not have my attention. Yes I subscribed. Thanks Dave.

I’ve bought many many tools at harbor frt in the past and all the the tool that I broke are replaced like now . Now to tell I own my own semi and work on it myself so there tools work very well for me and my truck and tele thanks you harbor frt I save a lot of money

I've had success with dumpster diving. I don't do it routinely, but will check one out if I'm there. For instance, went to Tractor Supply to fill propane cylinders. Went to their dumpster to get rid of some trash in the jeep. Pulled out a chainsaw that was returned for throwing chains (said so on the tag). $400 chain saw that just needed a chain. I imagine it was a 'weekend rental' kind of deal.

One thing i found with HF is that the "as is" table is not always the best price. Found a 1/2 air impact marked on one not too long ago at $68.99. After wandering around the store for a few minutes i stumbled across the same exact tool new in box on clearance shelf in the back of the store for $59.99. same tool, new for cheaper. Always be sure to be thorough when bargain hunting. Also, most retail stores have 2 dumpsters, one for trash and one for recycling. It appears the the ones you took pictures of are for recycling. Try the smaller dumpster next to it. Most stores have a larger recycling dumpster due to the amount of boxes and such. Also check enclosures, fenced in areas and corrals nearby if there are ones. They're usually a bit of a catch-all for discarded larger products

YES … more please! You do an excellent job!!!

Harbor Frieght is great, they won me over when they replaced a broken tool I bought 2 years ago with no questions or hassle.

Yes, I think Part 2 would be fun to see and will educate us on how HF operates. And if it saves us money all the more reason to do a Part 2. Thank You.

My wife and I bought their floor nailer about 15 years ago. We were putting in hardwood floors in our house. We ended up using it to replace 5 floors over the years, just take care of your tools and they will last. last.

I’m building a pressure washing trailer, so I opened a Harbor Freight credit account, and caught a $50 off coupon on a Predator 459 engine, and used my 10% discount on my entire first purchase. I bought the Predator engine and a Predator 1400w generator, and saved around $100. So far I’ve been pretty happy with them.

It's the common problem we all have when we're entering the store as we're saying to ourselves that I'm not spending a lot of money here on shit I don't need right now. As you're sitting in the first aisle and looking and thinking in your head saying damn I haven't even gotten to the 2nd aisle, and it's already been a half an hour. Then what I think and then convince myself to go ahead and buy it cuz one day that neat little gadget may come in use when I need it. DAMN YOU HARBOR FREIGHT

Definitely more more... PART 2 For sure! The handiest tip I learned from that was the warranty trade up. That's sweet! I will use that from now on when I feel like I need the better tool after all. The receipt pic was great also! Thanks.

Thanks, and yes please do a part 2. ITC member here, and it paid for itself the day I signed up for it, because I needed so much stuff and the discounts are often pretty steep.