Can You Really Save $20,000 With "Cheap" Harbor Freight Tools? U.S. General Series 3 Review

I have one of these with a hutch and two sides and the guys at the shop get mad at me cause mine is literally filled with Milwaukee tools. I got mine in white

Yes

I'm down with what you're doing here. But for me and my garage i like the stocky workbench top toolboxes. I do have a 48" wide bottom box + upper box that's taller than I am. I have 4 sons and someday they can each pick a box and fill it up wit their choice if the Old Man's tool inventory. I'm a Inside Track member and HF card holder which I pay off in full every month. And for my loyalty I get special early access to sales and other spiffs plus HF dollars to buy more tools. Now, they just need to build a store closer than two hours away from me.

Is it just me or is the Grey look like it has a blue tint ?

Ok I was a home garage"mechanic"
And engine builder when I was a kid . And now been a truck driver for 36 years and will be returning soon so I decided that I need a new tool box and a new collection I realy did not know where to start... WELL I JUST FOUND OUT! you gave me some great ideas on a new collection and storage.. thanks for a frank conversation with no BS .. I have been looking around, asking my tech friends they all say the Harbor freight is the way to go. One more thing every one of them told me the same thing and I did ... join the inside track club and save even more...
Ok gone on long enough...thanks again

i only have a cheap 500 dollar box and iam using that fore 3 years nothing broke and everything stil works

What is your opinion on the Hart brand? Would really like to know.

My first video of yours and I’m subscribing. Good stuff . Sold me on this box when all my friends are getting mad at me when I go to HarborFreight and send them pictures of this box.

idk if its something wrong with the microphone, but this almost sounds like ai

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.

Hey those spot welds got me 65% off a floor model husky box manager said it was damage and I wasn’t going to argue

I would love this. It beats storing my tools in milk crates and wire shelves (which is my garage setup right now). 😂

Love the video but the audio being just slightly out of sync is driving me crazy! I will still be watching because the content is good.

There is something coming to mind with harbour freight boxes. There is a difference between "cheap" and "inexpensive"

Yeah the boxes in harbor freight are honestly better than my Jamestown Cart from matco, I got that tool truck bug and now I'm paying for it now. I'm going to save some money up to replace the box with the us general 72 inch and sell my cart or give it to my dad.

My 72" Us Gen 2 was $1K(+$60 state tax) after $200 off. I sold my 25 year old Craftsman (I got as a Xmas present from my FIL) for $360. Total cost $700. Love this thing. Green to match my JD backhoe.

I've had my HF tool box for about 15yrs. Fell off the wrecker once when i changed jobs and still going strong!

The flies are a sure sign that you have squirrel feces somewhere in your garage

They got one at our HF and its a impressive box .

At that price you get one for SAE and one for Metric and still be ahead of what snap on offers.

Don't forget the 20% off coupon?

The hutch is too short for me and im not that tall, its WAY too short for taller guys like yourself. Wish they offered a taller hutch.

honestly buying those dumb snap on tool is part of the reason repairs are alot more expensive because they have to make alot of money with how much debt theyre in

Guys, see the deep pain in this mans eyes saying those numbers. This man could be retired on a yacht had he invested what this can save a mechanic. Point that tool truck to the exit when it comes around, it'll cost you your future otherwise.

Don't know why you didn't mention the depth of the drawers. 24 inches is better than some. If you're getting something this size, you would think that if this version was this size, then the icon box would be 30 inches deep . It doesn't seem like a big deal, but if you have a lot of tools, the added depth makes a huge difference

I have a Matco box. bought it years ago. paid for it 3x due to buying on a tool truck! dont put tools on a payment plan !! These Lowes, HD, HF boxes, are nothing to sneeze at!. if i was starting over, In this day, get one of them. OR even better a used quality brand. My craftsman lasted me years till I outgrew it. Plus if you find any file cabinets at a garage sale. BUY THEM. perfect for big tool storage. saws, drills, ect. Save the $$$ for the tools :)

This tool chest sucks. I was 90% on board for buying it then I went to a store and the latch they engineered made me not want it at all. Back to the drawing board.

I’m not a mechanic, more of a DIYer. A retired paint contractor more specifically. My cousin is a retired mechanic. 45 years in his trade. Had his own shop. Only bought and used Snap On tools. He was an “old head”. I’m all for good tools, parts, paint and equipment. I could never 👎🏽 see Snap On as the only option.

I don't know you and I don't know Matco Tools (until now). Yet after 5 seconds of thinking about it, why wouldn't they address the paint issue (on your $25k box)? I would think Matco would send out a pro paint tech for $1k or $2k at most and repaint your box to your satisfaction. Cost them very little, you're satisfied and hence provide good word of mouth instead of what you experienced.

So which pliers did you throw??

You can buy a pos Hyundai too but it’s not a Lexus

ive been a mechanic for over 10
yrs and i dont own a breaker bar.. lol

Great review! You are a really likable guy.

Sir How fuggin tall are you?! The fact we could see you over the hutch is wild

lets give our money to china.....

25k for a tool box is absolutely insane.

commenting to comment

I like the HF boxes. What I'm not a fan of is their locking system. No softclose on the drawers. If u just spend right in between the US General and SnapOn as example and get the Icon boxes you'll get a top tier quality box imo. The US General are still good boxes though. There will still be lots of those mechanics that will say Icon tools are junk, when in reality they are lying to themselves. Harbor Freight has brought high quality tools to their stores with the ICON brand.

Just bought that same set of icon flush cutters, and they're the nicest set of flush cutters I've ever used. I've got Knipex, Snap-On, Wiha, etc, and these Icon ones are my favorite by far.

Haven't tried any icon pliers but I really like the doyles I have

Snapon is made in Taiwan and so is Icon

Us general is good for diy/home icon is better for everyday professional use

Harbor freight needs a tool truck

HOBO Freight always trashing Snap On to try and justify your cheap tools.

HF buys from major manufactors in bulk at a reduced price and have them branded with their various HF names like Radio Shack use to do with electronics.

Horbour freight garbage tools and boxes support china

Im an industrail electrician by trade, I will always buy Klein, Fluke, Wiha, Knipex for my work truck. Im a shade tree mechanic at home and buy mostly harbor Freight and always figured if I broke it Id just but another. My 3/8 Earthquake cordless ratchet, Pittsburg ratchets, extensions, combo wrenches, sockets (impact and standard) have never failed me. I do all of my families maintenance and repairs, multiple lift kits on different trucks and Jeeps, they've never failed me.

How much to come over to my garage with everything in this video, unbox and organize it for me?

I’ve had my 72” Series 3 roller cabinet, top chest and side cabinets for about 18 months and they have been awesome! Sure the drawers will shake from side to side more than a SnapOn or Matco box IF you deliberately shake them from side to side, but be real, who deliberately shakes their drawers from side to side. The drawers work great and they hold my tools and best of all, the cost for the Series 3 leaves more money for tools to put in it.

I think what us general and icon do well is the market for the average diy guy…if you are a pro, and you are working every day, get the best you can afford…

I think there is room for all…

I myself have the 72” us general, but i dont even change my own oil…