The Niche Harbor Freight Tool That Comes In Clutch For Any DIY Project

If you're an avid DIYer, you know the right tools can make a major impact on the efficiency and final outcome of a project. While you probably have a slew of saws, drills, and maybe even a favorite hammer, when it comes to cutting, your toolkit may be lacking. If you're tired of struggling with a utility knife or scissors and want to make your cuts straighter and your job easier, a super niche tool we found at Harbor Freight might be exactly what you need: the Warrior 120-watt Hot Knife.

This Warrior knife features five heat settings and reaches temperatures up to 840 degrees Fahrenheit, enabling it to cleanly slice through compatible materials such as foam, concrete insulation, nylon rope, plastic, webbing, and synthetic fabric. It also has a depth-adjusting sled, allowing you to make precise cuts. Plus, a dual-use blade makes it suitable for line or groove cutting. With its versatility, we think it might just be one of the tools and supplies that every DIYer needs to own.

Warrior is one of the brands of tools that are owned by Harbor Freight, and the ratings for its hot knife are pretty good, with a 4 out of 5 stars from 80 reviewers. Many customers echo the same sentiment: It's a handy tool for cutting through foam and other materials. "I've used this often to cut styrofoam and shape foam panels for insulation. Great results but honestly not very challenging, right? Today I needed to break down some 1/8" thick plastic for it to fit the recycling bin. Five minutes later I was done. This tool is awesome," said one user.

However, not every tool is right for every DIYer, as evidenced by the negative comments. One of the most common complaints? A handful of users reported that the heat stopped working after only a few hours or uses. Some also had negative experiences with the knife's cutting abilities. "Unfortunately this product was very underwhelming. It wouldn't cut in the way I understood it was supposed to. All it did was melt the material just enough to stick all over the blade and make a big mess," reported one reviewer.

Even though there are a few negative reviews, this tool can come in handy for those looking for an easier way to cut through foam, rope, synthetic fabric, or other compatible materials (especially when the cutting is repetitive). With mostly positive ratings and an attractive price point, we think this might be one of the Harbor Freight tools under $50 that are worth buying.