It's something of a 'dirty little secret,' but I know several frequent ECN contributors who have some Harbor Freight / Northern / cheap China import tools in their trucks.
The cheap tools have their uses. For example, I bought the HF version of the 'roto-zip.' I was not sure if it was worth keeping such a tool (a small router) on the truck. Well, the tool proved it's worth rapidly - especially when a wall had a wood layer to it! This $20 experiment persuaded me on the merits of spending six times as much on a 'real' one, plus some accessories.
Some tools I've had excellent luck with. These include their versions of the 'porta-band;' the pipe bender NJ mentioned; their roto, demo, and jack-hammers; their angle grinder; and their saber saw.
The angle grinder is a good case in point. When I recently replaced it, it was not because the tool went bad ... rather, my use had shown me that I really wanted a 'paddle' switch, rather than the usual thumb-operated switch. Paddle switches are much harder to find, and often need to be ordered. I might very well have purchased an expensive model, with the wrong switch, had I not tried the HF first.
HF tools that have proven to be pure junk include their cordless tools (the batteries and chargers) and their version of the 'Sawzall.' Let's see ... HF for $20, top of the line brand name for $200 .... maybe there IS a difference
The example of that saw aside, HF tools tend to sell for 1/3 the price of a comparable brand-name tool.
