I have an unhealthy relationship with Harbor Freight. I can waste hours in that store just window shopping. I kinda laughed when they first came out with their higher end brands, and to some degree I still do but nevertheless I wound up buying some of it. There were a lot of reviews when the stuff first came out saying "It'S mAdE bY sNaP On" or "iTs tHe sAmE JuNK iN a dIFfeReNt bOx". Now that these higher end lines have been out a few years I think most of us have determined both of those statements to be false. Here's my take on the tools I've got now that I've used them for a year or more, feel free to share your own experiences.
The Doyle pliers. I have the slip joints, the Knipex Cobra copies, and the precision pliers set. I like them all. I use the precision pliers for working on saws, carburetors, small stuff. They are really tight and have no wobble. The Knipex knockoffs are great too. They are functionally as good as the real thing. The slip joints are tight and the teeth are sharp. I like that they don't have those stupid oversized comfort grips either. Just basic, smooth dipped grips in a normal color.
The Bremen locking pliers are also really good. Modern Irwin vise grips are trash as are Kobalts. I've stripped the jaws on both. I've have 2 pairs of Bremens and they are holding up very well.
The Quinn sockets are nice, I have 2 sets of the deep well sockets in 1/2" and 1/4" drive. They are 6 point, nice chrome, Cr-V, made in Taiwan, not China, no skip sizes, and the sized are stamped, not laser etched. The only issue I have with them is they are identical to the Pittsburgh sockets right next to them other than the stripe. So if the stripe matters to you, pay a few bucks more for the Quinns. Personally I like the stripe.
I've got one of the Diablo Hybrid PVC Rubber air hoses and its been working fine for 2 years, maybe even a bit longer. I've got it hooked up with the Merlin Brass couplers and they have been good too. No leaks or issues.
I don't own any of the Icon stuff, not sure if I'm missing out or not. I've heard their flank drive wrenches are meh. I'm curious what the ratchets are like as some of the Pittsburgh Pro ones aren't bad.
The Doyle pliers. I have the slip joints, the Knipex Cobra copies, and the precision pliers set. I like them all. I use the precision pliers for working on saws, carburetors, small stuff. They are really tight and have no wobble. The Knipex knockoffs are great too. They are functionally as good as the real thing. The slip joints are tight and the teeth are sharp. I like that they don't have those stupid oversized comfort grips either. Just basic, smooth dipped grips in a normal color.
The Bremen locking pliers are also really good. Modern Irwin vise grips are trash as are Kobalts. I've stripped the jaws on both. I've have 2 pairs of Bremens and they are holding up very well.
The Quinn sockets are nice, I have 2 sets of the deep well sockets in 1/2" and 1/4" drive. They are 6 point, nice chrome, Cr-V, made in Taiwan, not China, no skip sizes, and the sized are stamped, not laser etched. The only issue I have with them is they are identical to the Pittsburgh sockets right next to them other than the stripe. So if the stripe matters to you, pay a few bucks more for the Quinns. Personally I like the stripe.
I've got one of the Diablo Hybrid PVC Rubber air hoses and its been working fine for 2 years, maybe even a bit longer. I've got it hooked up with the Merlin Brass couplers and they have been good too. No leaks or issues.
I don't own any of the Icon stuff, not sure if I'm missing out or not. I've heard their flank drive wrenches are meh. I'm curious what the ratchets are like as some of the Pittsburgh Pro ones aren't bad.
