Harbor Freight Tools Reviews

Name: Harbor Freight Tools
Rating: 1.68

1.7 Rating 285 Reviews

15 %

of reviewers recommend Harbor Freight Tools

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Metrics

1.7

Based on 285 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Courier, Own Driver
Accurate And Undamaged Orders	Greater than 70%
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Under An Hour
Customer Service	1.5 out of 5
Returns & Refunds
Refunds Process	Difficult
Returns Process	Could Be Better

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Harbor Freight Tools 5 star review on 13th March 2025

Luftwolf

Harbor Freight Tools 1 star review on 28th December 2024

"BUYER BEWARE! Be careful buying tools from Harbor Freight. They have initiated a ridiculous return policy for defective tool. I bought a Pop Rivet Gun Air Model. It tells you to fill with Hydraulic Fluid. It took 2 people and a vise to open the casing and 30 minutes. Filled it up and closed it. After hooking up the air, it shot the fluid all over my shirt, pants, & part I was working on along with the floor. Not Good. Then I figured out they shorted me the smaller 1\/8\" tip. So when I went to return it, I was told I could only exchange it for another one. so to check it out, the 27 year old manager tried to open the lower filler cap and could not get the cap off another brand new one. I explained that I had been shorted the smaller 1\/8\" tip. We verified that. I asked what was he going to do about the spraying fluid since the gun was identical. I told him I would need to drive 20 minutes back and if it didn't work, then 20 minutes back again each way. By again, even the bottom could not be opened, especially for me at 65 years old. He just shrugged his shoulders. I said I just wanted my money back sine he couldn't supply me a working one. He told me there is now still a 20% restocking fee, even though it can't be restocked. That's $14 of my hard earned money. He would not overwrite that. So I spent over an hour calling corporate only to have them tell me they were going to continue this foolish practice of stealing my money. Then after refusing and asking for a full refund they said they could only give me a gift card for the 20% to go buy more garbage in the store and maybe have another restock fee. I told them if you go to Costco, Walmart, Amazon, etc, they have no questions asked returns, especially when the item is defective and have no alternative. What I want them to answer is \"ARE THEY REALLY GOING TO RESTOCK THIS ITEM EVEN THOUGH IT DON'T WORK? And then sell more of them to some other sucker. I will be returning to the store 1 more time to cancel my membership and get a refund on that. And hopefully not have a 20% restock on that return? I've have been shopping there since they first opened their first stores in California many many years ago. PLEASE THINK TWICE BEFORE BUYING THINGS FROM HARBOR FREIGHT UNTIL THEY CHANGE THEIR WAYS! I am going to do a charge back for the $14 they stole from me. I will not use that stupid $14 gift card. I'll let Citibank deal with that. Money is tight and I have to work many hours to get that money just for them to steal it. THEY DON'T DESERVE MY BUSINESS OR YOURS.\r\nI have included the receipts for you to see."

Harbor Freight Tools 1 star review on 27th October 2024

Jeff Davis

Harbor Freight Tools 1 star review on 2nd September 2024

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Filter: Rated 1 None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“Horrible customer service. It takes weeks to get any kind of a response. I finally received my gift card via email only to have them cancel after I gave it as a gift! Worst experience! I will never buy anything from this company!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Only 1 cashier. The line was very long. They have really changed in customer service. No more going back there. This was congress and Lake Worthless.”

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Posted 1 year ago

“In Nov. of 2020 I purchased a Viking lithium battery car jumper and charged it as the instructions stated. It stayed in the car until last month when I needed it. It would not work at all! I then charged it (it had lost all charge in less than a month). I tried to return it but discovered that I was out of luck because 90 days had long gone. The store would do nothing at all except say I'm sorry. I would have accepted a lot less than I paid in store credit. DO NOT BUY A VIKING PRODUCT!!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Bought a generator it didn’t work 2 hours after purchase took it back manger wouldn’t replace, charged me 160.00 restock fee.i called corporate and got no where. No more gift cards or purchases from these guys unless they contact me and replace my generator, tell all buyers beware!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“I was at harbor freight 2931 West shore drive Holland Michigan and a elderly woman with blonde hair gave me a wicked look as soon as I entered the store. Then she was standing around check out with Olivia the girl that rang me up and neither one greeted me said thank you or anything..... although they were whispering to each other....so I will NEVER shop at this store again!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“This specific location is hiring. Do NOT apply, don't waste your time and energy even thinking about it. They offer you big bucks so they (Elle) can abuse you. This job will effect your home life no matter how you approach your ethics. They (elle) gets satisfaction in bullying grown people. They(Elle) like to create tasks in their job description in order to set her employees up for failure. She carries an attitude problem daily that she projects onto her employees and customers. She causes too much unnecessary drama that mentality unstablizes her employees. She will pick a fight with you even when there's nothing wrong. She does not protect her employees from sexual harrasment or aggressive customers. Truly not worth the medical help you'll need while working here. I promise you will absolutely be taken advantage of just like every single current employee is now. Be safe, and choose wisely.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“THEY GOT ME!!!! Beware of their "policies"! They aren't there for the best interest of the customer! I've been a prepaid customer of Harbor Freight in Muskegon for years! Done thousands of dollars of business! I bought a 9500 watt generator (around $2,200). I was told when buying it that it would work at my house. My electrician then had a heart attack and couldn't install it to my electrical system for months. Once he was able he came then told me this will not work for my house because I had a well and pump. It wasn't big enough! This Generator was never used, no tags or brochures or stickers were ever removed from it. It is just as it was the dsy i bought it! It never had any gas put in it and never even tried to start it! It was new and never used. I also bought their warranty! (the warranty didn't however cover any bad business practices by Harbor freight)! I tried to exchange it for a bigger one but they didn't have anything and couldn't order anything! I had no choice but to return it and to their liking! It was barely out of the box! They charged me $440.00 for a restocking fee and took kept the warranty that I bought. They said "sorry it our policy"! A policy designed to rip off customers, imo! They had this on the floor when I bought it. It was not ordered in for me. Im sure their cost was less when they originally bought it for their inventory. They will undoubtedly put it on the floor and sell it for today's price as brand new! I feel like I was ripped off and it really bothers me, especially when I think of all the business I did with them! Now, I know who they are and I see how they operate! They are not on your side and seem to care about only the $ (and their "policy that they quickly hide behind") then the customer and doing what's right! I would suggest doing business somewhere else where they respect their customers and appreciate the business you give them! This is just wrong! This "policy" should be illegal! Don't get caught up with the apparent crooks at Harbor freight! Go somewhere else!! Just look at the other reviews, that should tell all! Most complain about the poor service. Actually, Had no prior issues with Harbor freight other than I had to return items that broke or didn't hold up! Only the big ticket items they'll fight you on apparently! I've been a business owner for over 40 years! I can't believe they did this to me! It won't ever happen again!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“I am a life long loyal customer if harbor freight tools along with most of my family and friends and I've always had great customer service and help when I needed questions answered and no hassles when having to return a faulty item for a new replacement. I typically don't purchase an extended warranty unless the item is a big ticket item and there has only been a few over the year's. I purchased one of the 7X10" mini metal lathes a couple years back and paid a lot for it so I opted for the extended warranty. I now have a non working mini lathe that's no better than a paper weight without the replacement part's. I was under the impression that everytime a made a purchase and gave the clerk my phone number that it would be as good as any proof of purchase receipt. Now that I actually need to use my warranty for replacement parts Harbor Freight can't seem to find my warranty. I paid a good bit of money to have that protection for what? I feel cheated and ripped off. They have lost a life long customer and many other's i know will not give them their business . I hate to sound so negative, but I feel very let down by them.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Worst service and employees next to Walmart, ask them 'are you aware of the company scam through email', most will say No. if you use CC of any kine you will be scammed, your email will be hacked and HF will not acknowledge. I tried using cash, and It's just as bad, they pretend it doesn't exist. I call corporate and none seems to be aware, HF full of BS.”

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Posted 1 year ago

“concerning harbor freight lawrenceville ga they ask too many personal questions .. company IS UNFAIR TO POOR PEOPLE AND SENIORS WHO DO NOT HAVE A PHONE. I WILL NOT BUY A WASHER FROM THEM STEVE N”

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Posted 1 year ago

“Reading through some of these reviews, I see that I'm not the only one who got clipped for a 20% RESTOCKING FEE for a pressure washer with a defective design, that was falsely advertised. AVOID THIS SLEAZY COMPANY!!!”

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Posted 1 year ago

“They have an employee at the Neosho store that sleeps with married coworkers.”

Harbor Freight Tools 1 star review on 21st August 2023

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Worst company I've ever dealt with, will never buy anything at all from them ever again. Delivery time sucks, peoples attitudes suck.”

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Posted 1 year ago

“They have scams going on and not alerting the customers bad business”

Harbor Freight Tools 1 star review on 24th July 2023

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Won't let cashiers scan in coupons for customers that may have forgotten their phone or don't have access to the internet super cheap and a bad policy in my opinion.”

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Posted 1 year ago

“Bought a new motor electric from Council Bluffs store got it. Home opened it and realized it was way too big to fit where I needed it so I returned it the next day and didn’t even remove it from the box and was charged a 20% restocking fee, which I believe is completely ridiculous. How was a person supposed to know the size of the motor prior to opening it?”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Don't buy predator power equipment from harbor freight .They sold me a defective power washer then charge me 200.00 to return it 20% restocking fee on a defective machine is unbelievable. 4400lb pressure washer didn't last 2 min before it shutoff and would not restart”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“If You Buy Your Tools Anywhere Else, You're Throwing Your Money Away! No Hassle Return Policy 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed This quote from Harbor Freight is 100% a lie! The generator was defective, thus when I returned the generator and battery I was charged a RESTOCKING FEE for something that I hope was NOT RESTOCKED! Don't trust this company when you buy high dollar items and they arrive defective! They try and force you to take a replacement! There were two generators I considered, one from this company, the Predator 9000, and the Westinghouse 9500 unit, comparable in price. I chose the Predator, major mistake, it arrived with no negative battery cable, that did not bother me much, it was the LOUSY CUSTOMER SERVICE! When I called to see if I could get it replaced, I got a 3 hour run-a-round before finally being told that it came that way and I had to but the negative post! It was at that point I knew I didn't want to deal with this company and any product! Then I met the Sales Manager at the Conroe Harbor Freight Store, in Conroe, TX right off I-45, this person told me it's company policy to ALWAYS charge a 20% restocking fee defective or not! I showed him in writing where it says "May Charge", he said no, Harbor Freight ALWAYS charges the 20% restocking fee even on DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT! I recommend going somewhere else, it's safer!”

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Posted 2 years ago

“I was in the Burleson store and saw a fan being sold as an open box. I wanted to plug it in to make sure it worked. I asked for the location of an electrical outlet and a lady told me where one was. Before I could get to it with the fan, another female employee told me that their policy is to not let people plug things in, because it could throw a breaker!!! First, if this fan throws a breaker, it’s defective and shouldn’t be sold! Two, if it throws a breaker, a tool store should be able to reset it! I left the store…never coming back!”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Poor customer service and cheap quality tools”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

Harbor Freight Tools is rated 1.7 based on 285 reviews