Harbor Freight's Pittsburgh Vs Pro Tools: Which Is Best For You And Your Needs
Harbor Freight's hand tools usually offer the same competitive pricing as their power tools. There are four different brands. Although there's some overlap, Icon is mostly aimed at auto enthusiasts, with Doyle for contractors, Quinn for quality hand tools, and Pittsburgh for DIYers watching their budget. If you're looking for basic Harbor Freight hand tools to help with any job around the home, Pittsburgh tools are often the answer.
A little confusingly, some hand tools are sold under the Pittsburgh Pro name. There are over 750 Pittsburgh tools but only around 50 sold as Pittsburgh Pro. These are mostly wrenches and sockets, though there are a few hammers and other bits and pieces. So how do you know which is best for your needs? Given the name, you might expect the Pro range to be a step up from the standard Pittsburgh models, but is that really the case?
If you're looking for multi-purpose Harbor Freight tools for a variety of home projects, then the standard Pittsburgh range will suit you best. There are pliers, files, screwdrivers, chisels, clamps, levels, hammers, floor jacks, tire inflators, etc. — it's a comprehensive selection. However, when it comes to Pittsburgh wrenches and sockets versus Pittsburgh Pro versions, the decision is not so simple. Historically, Pittsburgh Pro tools were thought of as noticeably higher-quality products. So if you wanted durability, they would be best for your needs. Is that still true, though? A comparison of similar tools produces some interesting answers.
Is there really much difference between Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Pro?
When browsing the Pro vs. regular Pittsburgh options, it's not always easy to see a clear difference. For example, there is just one wrench set under the Pittsburgh Pro brand — a 22-piece SAE and metric combination set made from chrome vanadium steel. It costs $19.99. The standard Pittsburgh 22-piece set has an almost identical specification and the same price tag, and it's just one of several dozen different wrench sets under the ordinary Pittsburgh brand.
It does get more complicated when it comes to socket sets. Pittsburgh Pro offers an 11-piece high-torque lug nut set, whereas the standard Pittsburgh option has just seven pieces. Pittsburgh Pro offers some sockets as singles. On the other hand, Pittsburgh has a set for oxygen sensors and diesel injectors that you might expect to be a specialist item under the Pro brand. Looking at the two ranges can be confusing to say the least. It's hard to see why Pittsburgh Pro exists as a separate name.
More recent comments from some online forums suggest that the quality is very similar or that the difference is in name only. Hand tools from both ranges are covered by Harbor Freight's lifetime warranty. Focusing solely on pricing may be one thing that everybody does wrong when buying Harbor Freight tools, yet Pittsburgh Pro models are seldom more expensive than the standard ones. The bottom line is that finding the best tool is not about the brand name but about which offers the specification you need at a price you're happy to pay.