11 Harbor Freight Gas-Powered Tools Ranked By Customer Reviews

Gas-powered tools are generally considered to be more powerful than electrical or battery-powered equipment. They're also more convenient for jobs far from the electrical outlets of your house, or for those that you're unlikely to finish on a single charge of a cordless battery. If this sounds familiar, and you're in the market for a gas-powered solution, then Harbor Freight might just have what you need.

In fact, there's a wide array of gas-powered tools available at this popular hardware chain. If the increasingly powerful winter storms are starting to wreak havoc on your trees, then a gas-powered chainsaw will help you keep the farthest reaches of your yard in ship shape. Areas prone to flooding can be easily managed with a gas-powered waste water pump, and when you've finished with your chainsaw, a gas-powered chipper and shredder will help you cut those branches down to size.

To help you narrow down the list and make it easier to find what you need, we've compiled a guide to the best gas-powered products from brands owned by Harbor Freight — according to those who've used them. Each has been reviewed by at least 200 real users, and each is rated at least four stars overall. The products are featured in order of worst to best, and in case you'd like to know more about how we chose and ranked them, we've included a detailed methodology at the end of this article.

Designed to assist with weeding, fertilizing, and aerating soil, Predator's 9-inch, 43-cubic centimeter, 2-Stroke Gas Cultivator is ranked as one of the best lawn care tools at Harbor Freight. It's made for homeowners who need to make light work of tough, compacted soil. It can be adjusted to till swathes between four and nine inches, and can till to a depth of between two and six inches. In other words, it's designed to be versatile, and for the most part, customers agree that it lives up to the product description.

It's rated 4.3 stars overall, with more than 580 reviews to-date, of which 67% give the cultivator 5 stars. A further 16% give it 4. For the most part, it's praised for being a useful tiller and cultivator, and as one user says, "I'm really happy with my Predator tiller. It makes quick work out of my raised flower beds." Unfortunately, the tool loses out on a higher rating due to a pattern of issues in the 1-star reviews. There are lots who have questioned its longevity, and plenty more who've said that the product gave up after just one or two uses. As one user put it, "For a one-time use it's great but anything more, it's terrible."

Built to help empty bodies of clean water, like your pool or koi pond, the 1-inch, 79-cubic centimeter Gasoline Engine Clear Water Pump from Predator is capable of shifting 35 gallons per minute. That's good to know, and is certainly more than you're likely to manage with just your trusty bucket. But before you get carried away and add one to your cart, it's worth noting the product's spot in this guide. It's rated 4.5 stars overall, which is good. In fact, out of more 695 users, 77% have awarded it 5 stars. Many agree that it's a great pump, that it does precisely what it's designed to do. As one user put it, "This product works well and has the power needed to do the job."

The reason it lands in second-to-last place is that, like Predator's gas cultivator, users occasionally report problems in their reviews. For example, some have had issues trying to prime the pump, while multiple others have been let down by the unit after surprisingly little use. Some even said that the product refuses to pump water. "Problem one: did not pump water," said one frustrated user. "Problem two: motor quit."  That said, only 7% overall gave the product just 1 star, so the majority of feedback remains overwhelmingly positive.

While it's rated 0.2 stars lower than the previous product, Predator's 6.5-horse power Chipper Shredder nevertheless earns a higher spot in this guide. Why? Firstly, it drops just 0.2 stars despite being rated by over 2,100 more users than the pump. In fact, it's been rated by over 2,800 users overall, and of those, more than 85% gave it at least 4 stars — including 60% who gave it 5.

There are a few who have cited issues with their tool not lasting, including one who said that theirs exploded. But for the most part, buyers agree that it's one of the best tools for tree removal available at Harbor Freight. It's rated as tough and reliable, and it's praised for making yard clean-ups and a variety of landscaping projects easy. As one user put it, "I have had this chipper for over 6 years. I have left it out in all kinds of weather. It has never not worked. After 4-5 pulls it starts. I would gladly buy it again."

If you're trying to decide which Harbor Freight chainsaw is best for your project and need one that's powered by gas, there isn't a huge amount of choice. Portland's 42-cubic centimeter 18-inch Gas-Powered Chainsaw is the only one of its kind currently available, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. At least not according to the reviews.

This tool earns eighth place in out guide thanks to a 4.5-star rating. It's been bought and reviewed by over 320 users to-date, and of those, 71% have given it the full 5 stars. It's ranked higher overall than the product in ninth place because despite sharing a 4.5-star rating with Predator's clear water pump, it lacks the serious pattern of negative feedback. In fact, despite a small minority of users who cited anomalous issues like the chain popping off, most said that the tool is well-built, performs well, and offers excellent value for money. As one user put it, "I've been using this chainsaw for a year and it has worked great. Have cut many trees and it hasn't let me down."

Rated 4.6 stars overall and therefore earning a respectable seventh place in our guide, Predator's 20-ton, 212-cubic centimeter Log Splitter is the only gas-powered splitter currently available at Harbor Freight. It's built to split logs up to 16 inches in diameter and more than 23 inches long, and it's also highly portable. It can be hooked up to your tow bar and is designed to be stored easily whenever it's not in use.

For the most part, feedback is solid for this tool. There are a few who've warned that the splitter is prone to leaks and blown seals, and in doing so have stymied its bid for a higher spot in this guide. However, the 1-star reviews represent less than 5% of total users. 78% have awarded the tool 5 stars, and most of those agree that it's a fantastic tool, that it's tough, and that if anything, it works better than expected. "No split decisions with this one!" says one user, who appreciates how easily the splitter starts and how quickly it works through logs.

It's not the product description that earns this pressure washer from Predator sixth place in our guide. Although we'll admit that a commercial-grade axial pump and 3,200 pounds per square inch of water pressure both make for tempting reading. What earns it the sixth spot is that, out of more than 280 users, an impressive 94% have awarded the product at least 4 stars, including 82% who've given it 5.

Overall, this tool is rated 4.7 stars for its easy, reliable, and powerful performance. Sure, there are a small handful of users who've cited issues with breakdowns, including one who said they couldn't actually get the pressure washer started. But these feel anomalous at worst, and are unlikely to affect the majority of buyers. In fact, most users praise the tool. "This is a beast," said one. Another said that out of the many pressure washers they've owned, including several name-brand tools, "this one is my favorite."

If there's one Harbor Freight tool that you can trust when installing new fence posts, it's this gas-powered earth auger from Predator. To be fair, there are other augers available at Harbor Freight, and some of them are also highly rated. But if you're working far from the nearest electrical outlet, or you're installing lots of new posts and need a tool that'll keep going beyond the ability of a standard cordless battery, then this is probably the most suitable option. 

It's made to power through tough soil, and has several features that help to make long days of arduous yard maintenance easier, like an easy-view fuel tank, oil-lubricated gears, and drilling speeds up to 320 rotations per minute. However, the reason it earns fifth place, despite being rated 0.1 star lower than the pressure washer currently in sixth, is the reviews. We're not just referring to the fact that 75% of buyers awarded the auger five stars, or that it achieves an overall rating of 4.6. But these numbers are the result of over 5,600 reviews.

Of course, it's not without its 1-star ratings, and these include a few who've experienced problems with the tool not working or breaking down. However, such problems don't form much of a trend, and since more than 4,200 users have given the product five stars, we still feel fifth place is fair. "This product is AWESOME!!!" said one user, emphatically. Another, who said that the auger is "definitely a back saver," added, "What would have taken me all day with a post hole digger took a matter of minutes."

There are several reasons why you might need to invest in Predator's 2-inch, 212-cubic centimeter semi-trash water pump. You might be trying to prepare your home for a flood, or perhaps you're building a new house or an extension and need it to clear the worksite of groundwater. In any case, this product is capable of transferring water at speeds of up to 158 gallons per minute. And since it's gas powered, you can set it up just about anywhere you need it. It's designed for a long life of service, too: Key components are made with hard-wearing materials like cast iron and high-quality silicon carbide.

However, it's really the user reviews that make this tool most worthy of your consideration. It earns fourth place in this guide with a 4.7-star rating — the result of more than 1,900 customer reviews. 94% of those said that they'd recommend the product, including an impressive 82% who awarded it 5 stars. Just 4% gave it 1 star, and while it's worth bearing in mind the issues they raise, like out-of-the-box product failure and blown seals, it should also be noted that they are far from the norm. Instead, most agree that the pump provides reliable performance at a price that's hard to fault. "Almost too powerful," said one user. Another who used it twice to clear filthy floodwater from their tornado shelter said, "Worked like a charm both times."

Delivering up to 12 hours of run-time when used with gasoline, Predator's 13,000-watt Tri-Fuel Portable Generator offers a versatile solution for those in need of extra power, be it at a job site, for back-up power during a storm, or even on the campsite. As "tri-fuel" suggests, the generator can run on propane, gasoline, or natural gas. And it shuts down automatically when dangerous levels of carbon monoxide are detected, and it can be started remotely from up to 100 feet away.

700 users have taken the time to review the product so far. Of those, 84% have awarded it 5 stars, leading to a 4.7-star rating overall and third place in this guide. Some have cited issues with the generator failing — some out of the box, others within just a few uses. However, the single-star reviews account for just 3% of all ratings. Most others agree that the generator is absolutely worth the money, that it's easy to set up and use, and that it's unlikely to let you down. Take it from one customer who shared, "I purchased this generator as a home backup solution, and it has exceeded my expectations. The build quality is excellent."

Predator's 9,000-watt Gas-Powered Generator is another versatile power solution. While it packs slightly less of a punch than its 13,000-watt cousin, it retains the same shut down feature when it detects carbon monoxide, has a large fuel tank for long periods of use, and promises up to 13 hours of run time per tank of fuel. Despite only being gasoline compatible, it remains a worthy runner up in this guide with an overall rating of 4.8 stars.

Some users have suggested that the generator is not worth the money, including one who said that it broke down after just six hours, and another who said theirs blew up. However, out of over 1,000 reviews, just 38 of them have awarded the product 3 stars or less. 840 others have awarded it full marks, and among those, the consensus is that the generator is reliable, well-built, attractively priced, and that it delivers excellent power and performance when it's most needed. One user, who describes it as an "excellent generator" captures perfectly why you should consider buying an emergency generator for the winter: "The generator truly saved my family during a real emergency. Last year, a tree fell on our home and the fire department had to remove our meter base, leaving us without utility power. For the next 4-5 days, this generator ran nonstop."

Earning 4.8 stars overall thanks to more than 4,500 customer reviews, the 6.5-horse power HV Horizontal-Shaft Gas Engine is a worthy, if not unlikely, candidate for the top spot in this guide. You could use it to keep your gas-powered lawn mower going, or to add some oomph to your trusty log splitter. As the manufacturer says, it can be used with dozens of different machines, and it's precisely that versatility that's earned it such a solid reputation among buyers.

Out of 4,500 reviews, 81% — over 3,990 — have awarded it five stars. There are those who've cited issues with starting the motor and a small few who said that the engine failed to last. But these are overwhelmingly in the minority. In fact, reviews of 2 stars or less make up less than 2% of total customer ratings. For the most part, the engine is praised as a worthy replacement for an array of outdoor tools. One buyer even used it to power their grandson's snowmobile. "Really awesome motor for a really good price," says one particularly happy customer, who says they've bought several of these engines over the years.

To create this guide, we focused on products rated at least four stars and with at least 200 user reviews. We sought to cover as wide a range of products as possible, and in cases where there were several of the same kind to choose from, we opted to cover the one with the most customer ratings. To ensure a balanced appraisal of each product, we included both positive and negative customer feedback. Finally, while each product's overall star rating was the primary scoring factor, the number of reviews for each product was also taken into account. This explains why some products rank higher in the article than others, despite lower overall ratings.