Harbor Freight

The more I learn about being a man (read: a real man, a role model, someone you’d look up to), the more I appreciate tools. Tools facilitate mans ingenuity. Harbor Freight tempts man’s desire to build by offering a wide variety of tools at a heavily discounted price.
When I moved out on my own, I learned to appreciate craftsmanship. Fine craftsmanship, something I could trust in a jam to do the job. When considering a purchase at Harbor Freight, you should remember that what you are buying is a temporary solution. Harbor Freight offers a fantastic selection of items, but they are for the most part incredibly flawed. This stuff is not precision, often times products being hit and miss, and is unlikely to last you as long as its name-​branded counterpart. For those of you who decry «BUT I HAVE X AND IT’S LASTED FOREVER», congrats. You are the exception that proves the rule.
Harbor Freight is good for some things. Disposable tools, emergency tools, and shop resources. If you want to build a good home tool kit or outfit a workshop, try and remember this adage: «Buy the best, cry once.» From my perspective and experience, that is always the case.
Caveat emptor and such.
Now that my low-​down on Harbor Freight is done, I’d like to get into the specifics of this location. This occupies a storefront along the strip of 5^th Street Highway outside of Reading. You’ll find adequate parking, mostly because that area of the strip is a ghost-​town. This is an area you’d probably want to avoid at night.
The store itself is a mess. It’s a tool store, so I don’t expect it to be spotless but every once in awhile they should run a dust mop. The end caps are especially disasters. The employees are some of the worst mannered folk I’ve ever had the displeasure of doing business with.
As an example, I purchased a machine from this location. I had a specific need with physical examples. I spoke with the manager and got his approval to return it if it did not do what I needed it to do. After building it, it failed to do as advertised, so i returned it. I was asked to pay a restocking fee which was never discussed. I took my return to another register and had it returned without incident. I have not been back yet.
Expect to hear sailor talk while there. Twice on visits to this location, two different women with limited vocabularies that consist of a few salty 4-​letter words openly berated customers. This isn’t acceptable anywhere else, and I believe the only reason customers turn the other cheek is because they concede. This store is in deplorable condition, run by degenerates, and in a desolate stretch of highway, surrounded by abandoned and failing businesses. I can’t help but think that, given adequate time, you couldn’t save your cash and buy better quality tools from a more reputable dealer.

Bought a 14″ cement saw from Harbor Freight some time ago that was basically junk (cost $ 500).It worked maybe a dozen times then the springs inside the motor flew apart it started smoking then that was it (not fixable). Tried to get a refund but it was past the 30 day warranty. Tried to get another one (replacement) but was told they don’t make them anymore. Had s similar issue with some power tools like reciprocating saws and drills. Would not recommend trying to save a few dollars on their power tools!

Cheap tools! It’s actually frightening how cheap some of this stuff is. But it’s generally well-​made.
Not to be confused with Tractor Supply, which sells farm stuff.