Can You Really Save $20,000 With "Cheap" Harbor Freight Tools? U.S. General Series 3 Review
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- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
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Today Jared takes the first look at the all new Harbor Freight US General Series 3 tool box, along with upgrading his wrench collection from the original $1,000 tool box series.
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I have been following Adam Savage of Tested and Myth Busters and really took his advice to heart. He says buy the tool first at harbor freight, once it fails buy a better one. 99% of my tools are still the "first one" and have lasted and preformed quite well!
that's what I do when I can... unless I need a specialty tool!
I totally agree! Adam Savage also added that by the time the cheap tool wears out or breaks, you will know much more about what you need and can expect from the tool. You'll be a smarter shopper when looking for that more durable (and expensive) replacement.
@Cigars, Guns and Gasoline For sure. I picked me up some of those ICON long handle wrenches and as a bigger guy with big hands it makes some things so much easier.
@GrayRaceCat makes sense, I know the last name brand I got I put A LOT more research into!
That's good solid advice for tool purchases. Why spend 2x the cash on things like hammers. Is it really going to perform better because it say SnapOn ? Some will argue that but, come on. If it feels good in your hand and performs the way you want, then that is the right tool.
Take it from a professional Mechanic/bodyman/custom car builder with almost 40 years in the industry. Jared is telling the truth!!! I have 3 snap on ,One Mac, and 4 craftsman boxes.....BUT I also have 4 US General boxes and 5 US General tool carts in my shop. Had there been a Harbor freight around when I started back in 1984, I would be living in a much nicer house.
I started wrenching when Gearwrench and the internet tool brands were still pretty new. All the old school guys were so used to there being a huge difference between truck tools and everything else that they based their advice on that experience. Some tools are worth the price while you'll never know the difference with others, so if I'm not sure about something I go cheap and upgrade if needed
My 81 year old ex nhra father campaigned multiple racecars out of his craftsmans, I have some myself, also a snap on 54 /73 (this morning) and a Mac cart. He's happy, I'm happy. The things inside make the money, not the box. But nice boxes make me happy. END of "logic" lol..yeah: still drive a 99 chevy truck. Mostly reliable haha. But like my dad, bought it new, treats me well, why upgrade. So there's that "logic" too...
Professional at a high volume body shop, still using my dad's Craftsman boxes. Get the first one cheap, upgrade as you find what breaks.
😮 yea I hear brother.
Facts sir thanks for spreading the wisdom
Harbor freight has stepped up its game. Case in point, my son went to a tech school for automotive. The recommended tool list from the school with the usual tool companies, snap on, Mac, matco, cornwell etc came out more than a basic beginner set. Projected cost through the tech school with their "discount " was 8-10 thousand dollars including the price of a tool box. I went to harbor freight got everything on the list including the suggested optional tools and more that I knew he would need with a us general 46in tool box for 2800.00 total. He still uses them everyday since he got out of school two years ago.
Plus if something brakes you literally just go into harbor freight find what u need on the shelf walk up to the front counter be like hey this broke and you walk out with the new one.
No waiting for the truck, no dealing with the driver who doesn’t want to warranty your shit or wants to play 20 questions
I like this box. What I really like most is the advice to young mechanics. This happens in any other field; you think the best brand is what you should have to be good.
If a person is entering their 30s with a tool debt or expense of more than 100k, well then, the future looks stressful.
Great job on this video. Hopefully, many can learn a thing or two.
Yeah how much are name brand tools really worth when you're in debt to then. Not worth anything in my opinion.
Having a manufacturer tell you here is our stuff and be honest when you show it to your audience, speaks volumes about them. Another excellent episode sir, quite possibly my favorite to date. Thank you.
China, Inc. is crashing right now in their domestic stock market. The better stuff comes from Taiwan at Harbor Freight!
I really like adam savage's system hes talked about. Buy the cheap ones when you first start out. You dont know what you need, whats going to get abused, whats goign to get broken or just not be sufficient for your job. Once that tool you use daily breaks, upgrade to a better brand. Spend a bit more money where its actually needed. Or if you find yourself getting frustrated because you dont have a tool, and it happens weekly, or monthly... just go out and buy it. Youve saved so much money by NOT buying everything that you can afford to buy more specialized tools over time. Eventually your tool set will be entirely customized to you and what your needs are. And you can be damn sure its going to be different than everyone else's needs.
I second this! I have followed this piece of Adam’s tool advice for years and love my customized setup. I still find out about tools I want…who doesn’t?…but I rarely find myself without a workable option on any job.
I bought a bunch of the Bauer battery tools. They work great for the amount I use them. Recently got the lawn mower. That works great to for my 0.17 acre lawn.
Also jack stands. I have a harbor freight Pittsburgh jack and if you jack it up it works great but leaks out over time which is fine since I use jack stands. I bought some harbor freight jack stands at the same time and took them back as part of the recall. Was trying to convince my wife to let me buy some expensive US Made jack stands when they came out with their new line that has steel bars that keep it from going down once you have the height set.
As a former ford technician working day to day at a dealership my home shop toolbox and tools are same as what you just showed. Us general box with a mix of tools. The old reliable, some new icon and others. Thank you for showing up and coming technicians that they don’t need to go in deep debt to buy quality tools to make a living. HF is changing the game in a big way.
I'm just a farm kid around 44 now but I lucked out around the mid 90's I acquired a Kennedy mechanic series tool chest 11 drawer with the center square drawer top, and the 2 inch riser and the bottom roll around tool cabinet with the Factory door on the bottom it has three deep drawers the whole thing is power coated orange factory color and it has been a very good tool box I believe it was made in the mid 80's to early 90's but it is a USA made tool box made in Ohio, and even I like the idea of upgrading to the series two us general 26 inch top tool chest and the single bay bottom cabinet I may eventually pick them up used and add on to the ends of the Kennedy Box but I don't see me replacing or getting rid of the Kennedy Box set to get the us general boxes so who knows....
I'm 29 years old and have been In a shop for 7 years. Soooo glad I've never step into the tool trucks. They stop at our shop and I watch the same few people go in EVERY week. I just shake my head and open my 800$ box. That thing has been opened and closed a million times and works as good as day 1. 😂
I'm 92 years old and have been in a shop for 72 years. (Ever since I was trapped by this falling Thunderburd) Soooooooooooooooo glad I never stepped into a truck tho. They stop at our shop every single hour, and I watch the same few hundred people go in. I just shake my head and look at my 16 dollar tool box. I've looked at it a million times, and it still looks like day 1.
I'll get pulled outta here eventually.
@QUE_N_NON lmfao that was the funniest shit I've heard in a while. I just shake my head and count my peanuts... I wish the tool trucks took peanuts
Once a toolaholic always a toolaholic.......
We have this 25 yr old that works with us, he owes the tool truck 15k. Not only does he buy everything Matco from the truck he got a 79" Matco for 15k and it's only 11k online (mind-blown). So yes he never learned the trucks sell way over priced tools and Amazon nowadays has an insane amount of tools to select from, all with reviews, and even cheaper than HF, it's my go to now. But I did buy the 72" Series 3 Slate Grey US General toolbox recently on sale for 1350.00 from HF($450 off for the WIN!!).
@overdosed51
You mean the, “yOuRe NoT a ReAl MeChAnIc If YoU dOnT bUy SnAp On!!!!11” guys? Yeah, I’ve worked with a bunch of em over the years. Usually glorified parts changers at best.
I love harbor freight! Tools are priced like they know everything comes from China and don’t try to hide it!
A tool that makes you money is a good tool 👌sweet looking box too. Great video!
I don't comment on videos often. I feel like this is one of the most genuinely honest and helpful tool reviews I have seen on UA-cam. My wife even said to me that was really good review. Thank you for your honesty.
China, Inc. is crashing right now in their domestic stock market. The better stuff comes from Taiwan at Harbor Freight!
I really liked those Icon snap ring pliers when I was using them but I had a tip break off as I was putting in the last snap ring to close up a 722.6 Mercedes transmission and had to tear it back down to fish it out. It didn't cost me that much time but if I didn't notice it it would have cost me my reputation because that vehicle wouldn't have made it out of the parking lot. I replaced them with Knipex after that and love them. Pretty reasonable cost and much better form factor than the Snap-on snap ring pliers.
Mad props to you my friend. I generally despise when my favorite UA-camrs dedicate an entire episode to an ad, but you knocked this out of the park. Straight forward, perfect advice for the young guys and seemingly from the heart. Good on you!
Yes it's an ad, but it's also education. So many people think they must buy the tool truck stuff that having someone show what they can get for a better price is very important too. For years I have said that there is little reason to buy the top tier tool when you use them once or twice a year.
@@docgiggles130 it’s not an ad, as he isn’t paid to promote their product. If he was paid, he wouldn’t be allowed to say anything negative about it
@@chm1atalmao okay dude
@@chm1ata he is paid they sent him the tools, and he disclosed in the beginning that the only thing they asked him to do in turn for the payment was be fair which he did.
Sound is distorded and/or damaged from time to time.
I had him loud and clear throughout.
Sounds like it has been modified with AI, most definitely to remove background noise and to make audio clearer
This is exactly the process that is spelled out in "The Innovator's Dilemma". It shows how upstarts destroy established brands. Come in to the market, and make cheap bad things, and sell them to folk with few options. But keep improving. All the time. The established brand won't lower themselves to compete with your bad things, and you'll hollow out their market while learning to build something good. You'll start to build adequate, and have earned a customer base. Then you expand and move upscale based on your new customers. Honda did it to GM, then Hyundai did it to Honda. Andy Grove of Intel read the book, and hired the author to teach Intel how to fight it. That's how they came out with the Celeron, and fought off AMD in the very early 2000s. It's exactly what Harbor Freight is doing to the last US tool companies. Pittsburgh is a laughable alternative to Snap On. But folk who couldn't afford Snap On bought em and made do. Then Harbor Freight's producers learned, and are now selling viable alternatives at a steep discount.
Here in Venezuela, Craftsman were the tools to have when I started in 1995. They were still made in the USA and I couldn't afford them, so I bought a then-new brand (Lobster) from China that were widely avaiable around here. As it turns out, they were good enough for most jobs, and I bought special tools for those special applications. Right now, I have a mix of those 28 years-old Lobster ones, Craftsman, and very few Snap-On wrenches.
The new Lobsters are very similar to current Craftsman, due to the Chinese being improved while Craftsman have been made cheaper. Too bad.
You know Jared is charismatic when I hang out for toolbox and tool videos when I have no plans or no where to store a box or tool set like this. I still hangout to hear his thoughts and laugh and any jokes he drops. It amazes me how far harbor freight has come.
People buying LV don’t need LV
When I started industrial maintenance over 40 years ago, it was five and $10 a week and the only thing I could afford was good old craftsman. I made a living with it and supported my family with just craftsman tools.
Harbor freight in the last 5 years have really come up with quality. I love the icon brand.
No they haven't, they made it look like quality, icon chrome was trash for almost a year, do you know how many 100s of people destroyed those sockets? The open end spreads like a mere, they're ratchets are not even ok, you'd get a better ratchet with kobalt or husky
I've been rather impressed by how much HF upped their game in the last 20 years. Back then I was growing my set and went with a 56" Clarke top and bottom bank plus the side locker. Later I did a bunch of welding to the side box to make it old what I needed. Then I outgrew it and bought a 41" roll cart from SnapOn as an add-on.. Still outgrew that. I still have the Clarke box full of Snap-On and Matco. If I were looking for another box I'd buy the Icon. As far as the tools, well they aren't going to work for you if you wrench in the rustbelt. The tool truck stuff does it in WI where HF fails. But if you are a DIY guy or a new tech I get it. As far as the debt trap of the truck, yeah Jared is spot on. I'm 41 and just paid them all off last year. Did help my credit rating though.
There's nothing wrong with some of the Pittsburgh Pro stuff. $20 breaker bar to $30 dual 3/8 to 1/4 flex head ratchet. 2019 prices.
As an aircraft mechanic at a major airline every tool I use every day came from harbor freight. Only problem I’ve ever had with them is with the number of close tolerance bolt heads in aviation that you have to deal with…Harbor Freight’s sockets and boxed wrenches are heavily beveled more than other brands which means it’s very easy to strip out close tolerance boots because their heads are at least half as tall as other bolt head types.
I fixed the issue by grinding and repolishing the ends of all my sockets and wrenches with a bench grinder…and I didn’t hesitate one minute about it because they were all harbor freight.
Tell every one I can to buy HB tools.
I'm ready to start an aviation job in 5 weeks. I'm sitting pricing things currently.
one of my biggest complaintes with harbor frieght sockets and wrenches is they all come in sets. Most of the sets skip a size or two and they dont sell singles so you have to go find one else where. I always end up at Homedepot looking at the husky line of sockets when i need a single. They carrier basically every socket in a single and makes replacing a lost or broken tool that much easier.
Ohhh I’m glad you got Icons! Vouching hard for them! Great value, but they will not break! Also made in Taiwan. I work with the US Navy, and have gone to Taiwan and worked with their Navy. Fell in love with that country. Taiwanese have insane work ethic and take pride with their work; and it shows. The Icon set we have have been awesome!
I love my icon tools
Yeah my ratcheting wrench set has been pretty good other then the 10 mm the inner teeth stripped on it within a few months but that’s why I just upgraded my 10 to snap on since I use it so often
Great boxes. I have the series 2 and love it. I have a lot of snap and other top brands and honestly my Pittsburgh pro ratchets are my go to.
$250K is a paid-off house in a lot of places. It is a pretty damn healthy amount of money to have in a 401K by age 40. There is absolutely nothing the tool trucks are doing for a tech/mechanic that is worth giving up the opportunity to have that money working for you for when it is time to put the wrenches down and retire. It's an antiquated model that has now evolved to the point of being predatory. Great video!
But so many techs out here will go to the mat and fight to justify their love for their tool truck purchases and insist on the fact that non strap-on, matco, et all tools are inferior junk. They go on social media posts and belittle any who dare to offer alternatives.
It's really sad! But I think their ego's won't let them give credit where it's due...
The only thing u didn't mention was warranty. My snap on tool chest is from the 90s. Snap on still replaces the drawer roller rails for free. Not sure what harbor freight would do.I do, however, buy mostly harbor freight now as they are 2 miles from me.
so what! also my snap on paint would wipe right off . my US GENERAL is way better
Jared- I really enjoy these videos. I’m very much an amateur mechanic (mainly on bikes) from the UK, and I can fettle bits but usually stop when things get scary.
I’ll never be as good a mechanic as you or probably the majority of your viewers - but your vids do give me a bit more confidence to go that little bit further on my projects.
Thanks for the inspiration and being a general good guy.
Lots of us are learning. Last month I welded for the first time with an on sale HF titanium flux 125 machine I got for $160USD. I welded nuts on broken bolts. Replacing my Minis front struts. Overall saved like $400USD labor doing it myself over the weekend including the tools which of course I’ll be able to use again. I was pretty nervous about what to do when they broke but I thought “well go for it”, I’ll weld a nut on like I’ve seen everyone else do how hard can it be? It’s not as easy as it looks but it can be figured out for sure. Trick was turning the heat to max.
I also learned that a wire brush on a drill goes a long way getting those rusty bolts clean enough to get the nuts free without breaking things.
The biggest upside besides the cost savings is, I don't have to wait or search for the tool truck when I need a replacement or fixed tool.
I can walk into Harbor freight, Lowes, Home Depot and they'll swap the tool no questions asked as long as it has a lifetime guarantee.
I bought a set of Kobalt wrench's/sockets in the early 00's and broke a ratchet a couple years ago, took it in to the store, ZERO hassle exchanging it. Same with Harbor Freight, I've broken my fair share of their tools and never had an issue exchanging.
My Dad started off at the tool truck and stayed with them until he realized the department store ones offered the identical lifetime warranty at a fraction of the price. Who cares if they looked less expensive. The Snap-On ones began to downgrade in appearance over the years too - just never came down in price.
Home Depot has the Husky version of that bottom box for a little less. I bought the one with the stainless work top for $1500 a few months ago and love it.
Great video Jarod! I'm a retired mechanic and too bought mainly SnapOn, Mac & Matco tools. Occasionally a rogue Craftsman would make it in. But, when I was turning wrenches that's all that was available that would hold up in the daily use of professional work. Boy I wish these new tools and Harbor Freight existed back then! Mechanics today have such a great selection of cost effective and efficient tools available to them that they can get into the trade so much cheaper than when I was doing this. Love that tool box!
Great video Jared… Hope this helps people make more informative decisions on their tool purchases. I have found out over the year’s expensive is NOT always better.
Even my Leatherman can pick up a dime by the raised edge, a crankshaft is actually impressive!
Awesome to see that cheap not always means bad, hope this brand was here in Colombia because here there are a lot of China made tools that are expensive and just rust like crazy and the top brands here are stupid expensive with the economy here so pretty sure this brand could do great here!
GREAT Video!! I was diehard Craftsman back in the day & I can't count the number of tools I've broken in recent years and "upgraded" to HF's "lifetime" warranty tools. I know Craftsman had a lifetime warranty, but it's a pain now to get Lowe's to honor it if you didn't actually buy it from them.
Back in the day we'd send the lube tech to Sears once a week to get Craftsman replacements also back when they were decent
Thanks for the honest and in-depth review. I’m setting up a new shop for my channel next month and this was golden content.
Too bad these boxes weren't around 20 years ago when I started wrenching. I do love my snapon box though. I've seen the us general boxes and the icon boxes in person and they are really nice. My only issues with them are the hight with the hutch and the depth. My snapon box is a master series so it's super deep. I can a lot of tools in a 54" wide box because of the depth and that's pretty handy when floor space is limited. I would still tell a young tech to go to harbor freight before going on the tool truck though.
I built my apprentice a nice start-up set by filling the 30" roll cart with HF tools. 5 years later and I've replaced a locking extension... That's it!
Replaced broken Matco and Milwaukee cordless tools with Hercules and the same, I had one bad charger and ZERO fails from about 8 different power tools
I think US general basically owns the market for above entry level tool boxes that you can actually afford. They are substantially better than what you see at home Depot and Lowe's, better than Craftsman and just a little bit more money. The series 2 blowout deals recently were one of the best buys I've ever seen in my life on toolboxes
I have a series 2- 44" top & bottom & its high quality, no complaints. However, I really like the idea of a hutch for power tools. With that being said, does anyone know the weight of this new series 3 setup? only asking because I will be relocating my tools within the year, want this new one👍
I never understood mechanics buying the tool truck tools. I have a Hodge podge of old craftsman, husky, some harbor freight and some northern tool. Now I will admit all my cordless power tools are Milwaukee except a few "legacy" tools. There is a quality difference with the cordless tools, but even so the HF power tools are pretty good. And my air compressor is a big 60 gallon Ingersoll Rand so I do put money into some things that I find important.
Now I'm not a professional mechanic but I have built a few cars. Even if you buy into the but if you break it its your income at stake... well at the price difference have 2-3 of everything and swap the broken tool out after work (and maybe pick up the better version) I bet it would still be faster than the tool truck.
I did destroy the teeth on a craftsman socket this weekend ... need to find out if one of the carriers will still warranty that.
Now am I the only one with a 5 gallon bucket of old cheap sockets and wrenches for the ... I need to make a tool or weld the socket to the nut situations.
I don't even have $10K in my whole tool collection yet because I buy everything budget or on sale. There are very few jobs I can't do on a car. It's wild to me how much some people spend on tools.
mine started 25yrs ago id say its probably close to 10k
Tool allowance is the reason I can get the gucci stuff warrantied by the tool trucks. Otherwise, I would be getting the budget stuff, too.
Harbor Freight has really upped their game the past few years. I have been impressed with their tool offerings for awhile. They have something for any price point. Going to use and abuse something once? They have it. If you have a project or something going to need some time to work on that needs more tool investment? They have it too. Heck, some of their shop type equipment despite any flaws is dang good.
Years ago I worked in an arcade. My bosses always bought the Craftsmen tools (American made version) because of the warranty.I pointed out that the Harbor Fight line was much cheaper, had the warranty, and reminded them that the most common reason for buying new tools was because the employees were losing them, not breaking them. I got a thank you bonus a year later when they saw how much was saved that first year. Store managers were happy because they didn't get as much grief when they had to replace a missing tool.
Still to this day, my tool kits are filled with HF tools. If I break one, I buy the next level up. If I leave one in a car in the wreaking yard, I shrug and buy another. I have saved a ton by doing this.
You can use the icon toll box light on this box. I like to use the blow molded cases but looks like you ran out of room fast.
I discovered harbor freight a couple years ago and I love the fact that they have different product lines for different frequencies of use. For tools that are not use regularly Pittsburgh does great and if you need a tool for frequent use you just go for one of their upper lines. Still saves you a lot of money I completely agree.
I just recently bought a set of Pittsburgh tools from them, just basic sockets, ratchets, and wrenches to be able to do the simple maintenance on my car myself. Oil, brakes, and that's basically it. For the $150 it cost I'll get that back in no time being able to avoid paying someone else to do very basic tasks. It's super nice have a cheap option when I'm not going to be using them very often.
Just starting out, there is NO WAY in hell I'd buy tools off the tool truck.
Probably the only thing I'd like to see with the Series 3 is some removeable protective rubber sheeting in the drawers. You're putting tools in there, and on a smooth surface they are going to slide and bang and scratch. I'd pay the considered fair price for that little bit of protection inside. When they get filthy with grease and oil and dirt, take em out, do a quick pressure wash and dry, then put em back in.
Edit: So after looking back through I had somehow missed that there are indeed protective sheets in some/most of the drawers. (Whoops!) Guess that makes the above part kinda void, though I'd argue that for the drawers which didn't have them, it'd still be great to get them. Could even have them as a silly addon. "Toolbox Gaskets"
They sell uncut drawer liner at HF.
The Questionable Garage.. I would like to get one to compare to my Matco 6s triple bay toolbox. The only things I don't like about the US General Series3 toolbox is it is not 30 inches deep and it doesn't have a lifetime warranty like the tool truck brands.. Even the Icon box isn't deep enough although it does have the lifetime warranty.. I have a couple different Icon tools and so far they are great. I hope to get some more.. Harbor Freight has definitely stepped up their game for sure.
I learned a lot from this channel and hope the best for you Jared unfortunately in my country is hard to find good tools and if I find one the prices are spicy
I miss getting the free flashlights and the free batteries at harbor freight
I'm a hobbyist DIY guy. Most of my tools are from HF. I did buy the Husky tool box because it had the soft close drawers. I've been mostly happy with that box (the drawer rollers on the big middle drawer literally fell apart, but they replaced them under warranty).
I'm thinking my next tool box will likely be from HF.
I generally try to be a "buy once, cry once" kinda guy and therefore tend to try shying away from "budget" tools. That said, I've got a US General tool chest and its no joke. Its several years old and I'd not trade it for anything. Harbor Freight does sells some junk, but the US General toolboxes are not junk.
Buy smart, don’t cry it all
Firstly i did not need the same tools as any mechanic, I'm a retired coach builder but I still have all my tools in a very nice rolling cabinet. It's not snap on but it lasted me the majority of my working life. Some of the tools I bought during my apprenticeship and they are still in excellent condition. My planes are as sharp as they ever were. My snips, left and right hand still cut like new. They are not snap on but I earned my living with my tools my whole working life. My cabinet isn't as big and has a 4 drawer box on top, but everything Inc ratchets etc still works like new. I used to shudder when I saw some workmates paying a fortune and running up debt to buy snap on.
I’ve read comments on other videos from guys bashing HF tools and the people buying them. As far as I’m concerned they can piss off. I wrenched on heavy trucks for almost ten years until the arthritis in my hands said no more. The cheapest tools I had in my $8000 Cornwell box were a few USA made Craftsman screwdrivers and small sockets. All else were the big names. During those years I don’t recall NOT owing a small fortune to the tool vultures that pulled in our lot every single week. Even after I went into a different career, I had to sell most everything off to pay it off. Never again. And I mean never. I just bought a Series 3 56” box with a side cabinet to make it a 72”. It’s not perfect, but it’s great and a nice setup at home. The finish is flawless, unlike my Cornwell box that had to be sent back and touched up. And, it was about $6800 cheaper. The drawer slides are a little stiff, but I don’t have to worry about a heavy drawer creeping open that I may have forgot to latch. Overall, I’m very pleased with Harbor Freight. They’re really stepping up the game. 💪
I have to say, every time I'm in HF I am very tempted by the big Icon pick set. Looks legit and useful
I got it. Get it. It’s actually a very sweet set.
You may have covered this before, but what brand shop stools, rolling stools, and crawlers do you use?
Back in the day, the Snap-On or Matco truck was my go to for tools. I still use my old Snap-On (and other brand) tools a lot, but you're right Harbor Freight has really stepped up their game in tool quality.
Red Beard garage has one and his video was up last week.
Bet you dont have enogh 10mm sockets 🤣🤣
The Craftsman wrenches and sockets/ratchet/extensions that I bought from Sears in 1978 are still the ones I use today. Not one failure. The advice here is great - don't buy the $200 ratchet when the ICON (the new Craftsman level of tools in my opinion) will last a very long time.
I don’t have close to as many tools as you. I’m just a fix my own car when I can. And a diy at home. So I just have a husky large toolbox with a smaller one on the top. I think I paid $800 all ball bearing drawers
Jarrod and his addiction!
i like husky brand tool box, they come with soft close drawers. i got mine during fathers day sale. only paid 350 for mine and it is the best investment ever.
Great video! I have 3-4k of HF tools in my wishlist. Currently, the dirt floor isn't ideal, and having to move everything to the garage in the fall is space prohibitive :) I agree on the HF tools. Overall, great products, and of course you'll always have a need for some specialty tools.
my personal experience with tool companies is that with the top brands like matco and snap on and so on ive had tons of issues with although i do like them i would always suggest to newer mechanics to go with cheaper companies. yes the tool may fail quicker or the tool boxes may be a little cheaper but ive never had a hard time getting my warranty back on any tools for harbor freight or in canada at princess auto or canadian tire. im a diesel mechanic so my tools get beat to hell and i can tell you that my 300 dollar socket set is just as good as my 2800 dollar set from snap on. and most of the high end tools are built in the exact same place as the cheap ones and made with the same materials. if you want to get the expensive tools get the cheap ones first and save up because youre gonna be eating noodles for awhile if you go full out right away. i guarantee you most of those cheap tools will still be around when your back gives out and you hand em off to the kids
They literally fixed everything I’m not head over heels in love with on the series 2. More traditional drawer layout, full length drawer release, and black trim. I just hope they kept their word and made series 3 backwards compatible with series 2, kinda need a locker 😂.
I’ve been told everything will work with older series boxes
I lkve my Snap On tools. But as much as it pains me to say it, my Icon tools are 90-95% as good. They are a FAR better value.
I'd rather see some wrenching instead of a QVC commercial lol.
@@BringerOfDearth facts lol ✋️ .
The commercial pays for the wrenching. While it was a commercial it is very good advise for a lot of people. Don't like the video then just skip it.
To all new mechanics tempted by the trucks, remember the box does not make you money it sits there and holds tools, the tools are okay to spend a little on but your box is not what you should go drop $10,000-$20,000 on, I will never say a snap on box isn’t super nice but they’re just too much to make sense
Its cool to actually see it outside of a trade show! I hope they'll start offering the ICON boxes in more color and trim options
This will pretty much phase those out. They were too expensive out the gate to really compete with pro boxes
What's the point with color options? If the tools work, they work.
@@ronaldjohnson1474I like colors. I got a Mac macsimizer roll cart, white with black trim. an I seen the series 3 72” the same color config an I had to have it.
With respect to 0% financing, make sure that you get it paid off at least ONE MONTH prior to the end of the term, otherwise you'll still get jacked with that interest from day one. Read the fine print or call the financing company to get a complete understanding.
What is up with the audio it's terrible
I'm just curious what is difference between yours and Red Beard Garages. You said you're the first person with it but he released a video 8 days ago with the same box. I still love the video and your content. I just have questions lol
This is a great series. I have 2 of the starter sets you recommended. One for my garage and second I added big rubber tires to for my mobile work. This one is still a little big for me but I love it. If I had the room I could see getting one.
7:10 There is no available "US General" light solution for this hutch, and there never will be, HOWEVER, HF has confirmed that the optional light fixture for the Icon hutches, which sells for roughly $100, will fit inside of their US General counter parts.
That US General Series 3 box is super nice for that price point. I was looking at getting a Craftsman V-Series tool box/hutch setup for a little cheaper than the US General Series 3 but the US GENERAL SERIES 3 is bigger and just nicer for my home garage.
Snap on is a scam. The "quality" difference is marginal nowadays.
Don't be paying for the CEO retirement and the expense of yours.
I really do like the Pittsburgh ratchets, but when I'm working I go on auto pilot and the reversed switch doesn't work so I have them at home. I use the Quinn digital torque wrench almost daily though and it's been great. Very happy with the Doyle pliers too. I started out in the business across the street from harbor freight, so I've had plenty I didn't like as well
Thank you for sharing… I been planning on getting the 72 top chest and bottom roll cabinet as soon I get rid of 2 roll boxes into one. I’ve never buy snap on box being so expensive. Now HF is probably the best choice. Once I grab the sale price.
I was in the trade for just over 30 years. Owned several different boxes. When I retired I sold my 20 year old SnapOn box to an apprentice. It was immaculate really. But I had no more room. With the money I sold it for, I bought 2 Chinese 72inch boxes, upper and lowers. For home use they are perfectly fine. If your working out of them 40-50 hours a week, a good box is paramount. Those HF Icon boxes look pretty damn good for the money. I would buy one of those over a SnapOn in a second. I don't like the hutches. Every person I've ever seen with one , it's just a trash collector. Instead of putting tools away properly they get thrown in the top in a huge mess. I just think it's wasted space. I would rather a bank full of drawers. I don't feel so bad now. I have a bit of a wrench fetish myself. Every shape, every style. In SAE and Metric of course. Just a word of advice, flare nut wrenches and crows feet, buy good brand name. I have SnapOn for those. I started out with cheaper ones, Craftsman possibly, whatever they were, just junk compared to SnapOn. Some things you can cheap out on, definitely not flare nut or crows feet. Especially when you're using them all the time. That's how I based all my tool purchases over the years. Don't spend a boat load of cash on something you might use once every couple of years. Or buy it just because it says SnapOn or Matco or whatever. I've seen so many guys over their heads in tool truck payments because they want to look like a professional. It's sad but oh, so true. Especially young guys just starting out. I think Jared has given a lot of good advice for tool purchases.
That is a very admirable toolbox! Wish I had the space for it in my garage. I really like the Quinn tools and have had really good luck with them. I think the Icon tools are out of my price range. I have been a dedicated fan of the Dewalt and Husky tools. It probably will take a little more convincing for me to cuddle up with Harbor Freight. After all I am 64 and I was around during the good ole Craftsman days when they were made in the USA and not in China like they are now. Stanley tools is trying to make money off the name rather than trying to improve upon them. Back in olden days Harbor Freight was all Pittsburgh junk that I constantly kept breaking and having to return to Harbor Freight for replacements.
Nice video 📹 👍 nice tool boxes 📦 love the new one !!! Also the tools 🔧!!! The color is so cool 😎!!! How about a Chrome Box 📦!!! A Chromeie Chromeee box 📦
As a field service guy I have acquired a lot of cheap tools needing them that day and going to HF or a big box store. I use almost all of them daily in a professional setting and have zero complaints out of most of them. I will say when you get into specialty tooling like extractors or testing equipment it's worth it to spend money on quality stuff though
I will stick with my Epiq over that POS. You get what you pay for when it comes to a tool box. That being said there are more HF tools in my box than snap on. Icon sockets are unbeatable for the price and quality.
I have to admit, I've been a Snap-on sheep for over 15 years now (and still really like them) but realize that there's cheaper, good quality options out there. I'm with you on the Pittsburgh stuff from back then. The tools were basically garbage but they have come a long way. Those tool boxes too...
Great video!!! Thanks for posting that series 3 is exactly what I’ve been eye balling everytime I walk into harbor freight. Just need more input before I pull the trigger 🤘😎🤘
I'm getting ready to go get a 56" for a new job as an aviation airframe tech apprentice. If I could do one thing for me specifically when I get ready to have to shadow everything in foam. Maybe the 2nd drawer down a little deeper OR do like the tool trucks and give me the option of an add on toold drawer for the same cost as a side cabinet. For space savings I'll stand more things upright and the 2nd drawer is iffy. I set an icon combo wrench set in the 2nd drawer and it's OK in the case but they're laid back at an angle.
Great video! Good message, not just for the new guys. I might try to sell my snap on boxes and "upgrade" in size to harbor freight
Amen you are 100% honest with that. When harbor freight started around where I am I had to drive a hour 1 way I have Pittsburg impact sockets I bought 17 years ago and I have not broken 1 on them. And now they have really stepped up their game. I definitely would not have a snap on tool box if they had these boxes when I bought my snappy box
Tools are on of the few things young men, especially those with aspirations, should invest in early and itll never be a bad investment.
Remember- when it comes to tools, an some other things, being cheap never pays off and its gonna suck when ya have to be LOL
I like harbor freight, but there's somethings to buy at harbor freight and there's somethings not to buy 😊
I have their ICON toolbox and it has been great, also got the top box and locker. After a year one of my coworkers got the same set up, but in blue. I also have had good luck with their ratchets and digital angle torque wrench.
I have been a professional mechanic over 40 years and these are the Best Buy in the tool box market right now.
I got the gen 2 72 inch us general lower at 0% interest for home and im not disappointed at all. Im a mechanic in a factory and we get all us general boxes if the company buys. I have a stationary craftsman i bought and my roller cart for moving around the plant is us general and so much nicer of a box. Probably at some point in the next year or so upgrade my stationary to a US general also. For the money they are hard to beat.
The full length lock on the handle is awesome, my 34" cart has that and it is awesome quality
and i love the detent in the drawers for when you remove the lock and it doesnt open itself from the weight of 300 sockets😂
I also have their credit card and it always says "0% interest with equal monthly payments" so youre right, they probably will charge you the full thing randomly, i always pay those off way early anyway. I'm 21 i am not getting into credit card debt
Take it from a guy that had a 300.00 a week Snap On habit. Don't do that until money is no problem. One other thing, over the year, at least in our area, Snap On service has gone to pot.
As a former tech, late 90's, there was no knowledge of manufacturers. We had tool trucks and cheap tools. Fast forward to today, there is so much information on who actually makes the tools so the trucks can rebrand. Along with better competition from overseas manufacturers.
In conclusion, the overseas brands are 1/10 the cost and do the same job with same warranty.
Thanks for the review man, this looks like a helluva deal. US General has come a long way in a short time, my box at the house is a 2-3 year old US General and I'll honestly say it's kinda trash. That one is laid out right at least, I'll be interested to see how the slides and corrosion protection hold up.
That said... a few years ago all my tools were stolen, and I bought a Pittsburg setup since my car was apart and I needed tools fast. I have never had a single purchase cause me as much grief and hardship as those shitty tools. It will be a cold day in hell before I spend another dime on anything with theor name on it (no matter what brand pliers I pick that dime up with).
I love that you tell it how it is Jared, I was lucky when I got my first job at a dealer the master tech told me exactly what you are preaching right now. Buy harbor freight or craftsman, if you break it buy better. I only own roughly 30 snap on tools still rocking 99% harbor freight and craftsman. More techs need to hear this I know far too many people who spent 70% of their checks on tools.