6 Harbor Freight Tools Every New Homeowner Can Use

Moving into a new home looks different for everyone. The size of the home, the roommates, and the belongings you bring with you are just a few of the many variables that will determine what your future living space will look like. Of course, you’ll need a variety of high-quality home appliances to furnish your new home. But much like the unique homeownership experiences that come with every homeowner, your understanding of certain tools will likely differ from others.

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There are a variety of common home appliances that don’t require advanced knowledge to operate and that any homeowner can benefit from purchasing. One of the best places to find what you need is popular appliance retailer Harbor Freight. While Harbor Freight isn’t as well-known as major competitors like The Home Depot or Lowe’s, Harbor Freight’s compact presentation is far less overwhelming, making it easy to get help and find what you’re looking for.

While the chain does offer some more advanced appliances that you may want to think twice about purchasing, its selection of common appliances is more than adequate for the needs of most homeowners while remaining more affordable than the competition. We’ve rounded up six of Harbor Freight’s best offerings to help you settle into your new home. You’ll find the methodology for these selections at the end of the article.

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Extension cords are often overlooked and ignored until you need them. Whether you need to charge your power tools, lights, or appliances, extension cords are convenient and give you a versatile way to power your electronics from different locations in your home. Of the extension cord brands you’ll find at Harbor Freight, Vanguard’s are by far the highest rated. For many, the 10 ft. x 16/3 Gauge Indoor/Outdoor Extension Cord will more than meet their needs.

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The Vanguard extension cord is designed for medium-duty use and is suitable for most indoor and outdoor appliances. Whether you’re vacuuming your living room or trimming the hedges in your front yard, 10 feet of cord length gives you plenty of extra cable for most tasks. Its bold orange color makes it easy to spot anywhere, and its waterproof construction gives the cord extra durability.

Of course, those with particularly large spaces may benefit from a longer Vanguard extension cord, which you can also find at Harbor Freight. Still, the 10-foot variant has excellent reviews, with a near-perfect 4.9-star average on the site, and at just $6.99, it’s also one of the most affordable extension cords you can find.

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If you’ve just moved into a new home, you’ll most likely have some boxes to open. Breaking through the tape can be tricky. Luckily, Harbor Freight has a simple yet effective solution: the Doyle Professional Flip Utility Knife.

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Like similar utility knives, the Doyle knife features a squat blade that’s easy to replace when it gets dull. This design gives you a tool that’s sharp enough to cut through tough material like tape, plastic, rope, and drywall, but also short enough to not stick out too far and damage deeper layers. Sometimes you don’t even need the blade, because the Doyle knife has a built-in wire cutter and safety strap that lets you cut through conduit or wires without having to pull the knife all the way out. At 6.25 inches and ergonomically designed, it fits nicely in most hands.

With a rating of 4.8 out of five stars, this is another recommended purchase by most customers, with some even comparing its performance to more expensive brands like Milwaukee. You can currently find it at the dealer for $9.99.

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Whether you’re a new homeowner or have lived in the same place your whole life, a quality screwdriver set is essential for most projects. For those moving, these tools are essential for assembling any furniture that needs to be put together and for quickly repairing weakened doors, cabinets, or drawers in your new home. Given the importance of these tools, it’s worth investing in a set that includes everything you need and more, such as Harbor Freight’s Pittsburgh 70-Piece Comfort Grip Screwdriver Set.

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Pittsburgh is one of Harbor Freight’s most trusted and versatile exclusive brands, making everything from nuts and bolts to motors and generators. It should come as no surprise that this dynamic screwdriver set has been highly rated by shoppers and currently has a 4.8 out of five star rating on the site. Inside, you’ll find slotted, Phillips, star and precision screwdrivers, as well as a wide selection of bits and additional tools like a 45° hook pick and over a dozen Allen wrenches. It also features convenient storage options, including a storage rack and bit holder to keep everything together.

Each screwdriver tip is magnetized so each screw stays securely in place when tightening or loosening. The handle features TPR padding for a strong yet comfortable grip. The set is currently available at Harbor Freight for $29.99.

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Before you move any furniture into your new home, you’ll want to have an idea of ​​how much space you’ll need for it. The easiest way to do this is with a sturdy tape measure, which, as you can imagine, is easy to find at Harbor Freight. There are plenty of them, but for our list, we’re using the Bauer 16-foot x 3/4-inch Slide-Lock Tape Measure.

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Bauer sells a variety of tape measures ranging in length from 6 to 30 feet. The more the merrier is the motto for some when it comes to finding the right tape measure, but for most areas, the middle option works well. It provides accurate measurements, with the end marked at 1/16 inch. It is made of heavy-duty steel and has a matte nylon coating to give it longevity. This durability also carries over to the casing, which is made of thermoplastic rubber for added comfort when holding.

Aside from a few features typical of most tape measures, the Bauer tape measure doesn’t change anything in the game world. But it will certainly satisfy the needs of most homeowners, as was the case with the numerous Harbor Freight buyers who rated it an average of 4.8 stars. It can currently be purchased for $8.99.

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You’re bound to make new discoveries as you settle in. Some of them are welcome, others – like realizing that the light in your basement isn’t working – are the opposite. Power outages and unexpected dark places aren’t the most important thing, but it’s a good idea to be prepared with a flashlight. Even better than a traditional battery-powered flashlight is one that’s rechargeable, like the Braun 1800 Lumen Tactical LED Flashlight.

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This handy little device comes with a 12-inch micro-USB charging cable that will charge your flashlight in three hours. Once ready to use, it can emit up to 1800 lumens of light over 700 feet. It’s packed with a number of high-end features, such as a twist-focus zoom, spot and flood options, and power settings of low, high, and a 30-second turbo mode. The flashlight’s aluminum body is durable and is both IPX7 waterproof and shockproof. Whether you’re looking for something under your sink or walking your dog late at night, this flashlight will get the job done.

Customers praise the brightness of the light, the battery life, and the lightweight design. The product has an average rating of 4.7. You can get it for $29.99.

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Anyone who thinks they don’t need a power tool has never laid their hands on a quality cordless drill. Let’s face it, even the highest quality conventional screwdriver takes time to do its job effectively. That may not be a big deal when tightening a screw or two, but when it comes to heavier tasks like assembling furniture, it’s a different story. For tasks like that, the Hercules 20V Brushless Cordless Drill is one of the best cordless drills you’ll find at Harbor Freight. Over 300 customers have rated it 4.7 out of five stars.

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Even if you don’t consider yourself a power tool fanatic, the Hercules drill is easy to use, thanks largely to its two-speed transmission and 14 clutch settings that allow you to adjust the power levels to suit both the job you’re doing and your comfort level. When you need extreme power, the Hercules drill lives up to its name. With a torque output of up to 1200 inch-pounds, it can handle tough jobs while still delivering speed and precision. Other features like a strong 1/2-inch ratcheting chuck, removable side handle, and built-in LED light add to the tool’s usefulness.

Although you can buy the drill separately, it is better to invest in the set, which costs $97.99 and includes the tool, a 2Ah battery, a charger, and the side handle. In addition, the battery comes with a three-year warranty, while the tool has a five-year warranty.

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Harbor Freight has a wide selection of home appliances and tools. Selecting this list presented challenges, but since we consume these products ourselves, the process was relatively smooth.

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Since this list is for new homeowners, we wanted to be as comprehensive as possible in our selection. We chose tools that we think will be suitable for as many moving situations as possible and will be useful beyond that.

Price was another point to consider. We looked for reasonable prices that would suit every budget, with the most expensive item here costing just under $100. Finally, we made sure that each product received good ratings and reviews to ensure it had a good reputation among buyers.