5 Harbor Freight Tools You Can Only Buy In-Store

With the luxury of online retailers delivering whatever you need directly to your doorstep, shopping in-store has gone out of style for many people. After all, why take the time to drive somewhere when you can have the tools for your next project shipped right to your home? However, as convenient as shopping online is, there are some advantages that are unique to brick-and-mortar stores, such as getting assistance from employees while browsing and being able to see the tool you're shopping for in person to confirm specifications. 

When you're shopping at Harbor Freight, there are also a variety of highly-rated, budget-friendly tools that you can only find in-store — they're listed on the retailer's website, but you can't purchase them there. For example, there's a tool set that's perfect for keeping in your vehicle for emergency tire repairs, an oscillating multi-tool that's built for both purpose and ergonomics, a cordless jet fan blower that can turn landscaping chores into a breeze, and more. These five in-store-only products are worth the drive to your local Harbor Freight.

If you're building your tool collection for the first time, one of the best things to buy is a multi-piece tool set. These sets allow you to pick up a range of compatible tools without needing to pay for each piece individually, and you can even pick up kits that are designed for specific purposes. Take the Pittsburgh 53-piece tool set from Harbor Freight, which comes with a variety of sockets, making it perfect to keep in your vehicle for emergency repairs on the road.

The Pittsburgh tool set includes 35 sockets, a drive ratchet, various hex keys, a spark plug socket, screwdriver bits, and wrenches. Each tool is made from heat-treated steel for added durability, and they neatly fit within the included carrying case for portability and easy storage. This saves you from needing to buy an additional box, although there are various magnetic storage products at Harbor Freight that could help. Despite including various steel pieces, the tool set itself is overall lightweight, with its shipping weight being only 4 pounds.

Although this is an in-store-only tool set, there are plenty of online reviews that can help you decide if it's right for you. It has a 4.2-star rating out of over 700 reviews, with 86% of customers recommending it. One reviewer who left a 5-star review had this to say: "Worked for a simple repair. Carrying case was nice, just wish I could see the socket sizes [without] taking each one out. But for the price, well worth it!"

If you happen to be a fan of carpentry or woodworking DIYs, then you know just how important a compound miter saw is for creating clean, perfectly angled joints and edges. At Harbor Freight's brick-and-mortar locations, you can pick up the Chicago Electric Power Tools 10-inch sliding compound miter saw for just $149.99.

This sliding compound miter saw is useful for creating precision cross, bevel, and miter cuts. It has a 45-degree tilting blade, and the rotating table is lockable, making it perfect for a variety of projects around the home. It can reach a maximum speed of 5000 revolutions per minute (RPM) with a 15-amp motor. However, it is important to keep in mind that this listing is for the saw alone — blades are sold separately.

Most customers are satisfied with the Chicago Electric Power Tools compound miter saw. According to Harbor Freight's website, 90% would recommend this saw, which has received a 4.4-star rating across more than 5000 reviews. Many positive reviewers said that they have owned the saw for several years. One anonymous customer, who had the saw for two years at the time of the review, wrote: "Probably not quite 'professional grade', but, overall, for the occasional user this is a good saw for the money. I have several HF power tools and this is one of the better ones."

A drill is an essential tool for many people, whether you're looking for a way to sharpen lawn mower blades without a bench grinder (you can do it with a blade-sharpening attachment) or just need something as simple as a screw secured in place. The Baur 20-volt ½-inch cordless drill/driver comes with the power tool, battery, and charger. It has a ½-inch keyless chuck, and it includes an LED spotlight to make it easier to see your projects in darker work spaces. It weighs less than 3½ pounds and has a two-speed selector. And, because it serves as both a drill and driver, it can help free up space in your tool bag by condensing two tools into one.

The Baur drill/driver is listed for $54.97 on Harbor Freight's website, although it is currently both a clearance item and a tool you can only buy in-store. It does appear to be well-received by customers: With more than 6000 reviews, it has received an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. The vast majority of reviews are 5 stars, and 96% of buyers recommend this affordable drill/driver from Harbor Freight. One reviewer with the username UnderToadNW, left this review: "Really glad I bought this, it worked out very well. Works fine as a drill and great driving screws!" Another reviewer, Tiffany, said that the Baur cordless drill/driver is "Great quality, lightweight, [and] perfect for around the house maintenance."

Just like the Baur drill/driver, the Hercules 20-volt brushless cordless variable-speed oscillating multi-tool can help reduce the number of tools in your storage by accomplishing multiple jobs. It has six speeds, and its keyless blade-changing system allows you to switch out the blade easily to continue your project. And, just like the Baur drill/driver, the Hercules oscillating multi-tool also includes an LED light so you can see better as you work. This can be an important feature for nailing those perfect cuts that your DIY or repair project relies on. The tool weighs just over 2½ pounds and has an ergonomic design that's designed to reduce vibrations during use, which some people may find to be more comfortable.

As far as reviews go, the Hercules oscillating multi-tool has earned a 4.7-star rating from more than 300 reviews, with 94% of customers recommending it. One reviewer, username evilrado, noted in their review that they would buy this tool again while also stating that it will "cut about anything." Another anonymous reviewer left a 5-star rating and said that they had used it three times at the time of their review for different materials, "once to cut plastic and twice for cutting wood."

If you want to make yard clean-up easier without spending a fortune, you may be interested in the Baur 20-volt jet fan blower kit. This kit includes fan blower with a max flow rate of 338 cubic feet per minute (CFM), as well as a battery and charger. The fan can reach its full throttle in less than one second, and it has a two-speed control for a little more flexibility in how you use it. If you're left-handed and struggle to find handheld tools that work for you, then you'll be glad to know that this jet fan blower is designed to work for both left- and right-handed users since the air intake is mounted on the rear. Also, if you happen to have other cordless Baur tools, the battery included in this kit is compatible with them as well.

The Baur jet fan blower kit is currently listed at just under $100 on Harbor Freight's website, although exact pricing depends on your local store and any deals or promotions. It's received a 4.6-star average across over 600 reviews, and 94% of customers would recommend this blower. One reviewer, LDee, notes that this blower has "lots of power with the 5AH battery," adding, "have used mine blowing leaves and the battery even at high speed lasts quite a while." For a better picture of just how long the battery lasts, another reviewer says it's enough "to do the deck, driveway and front sidewalk/porch with a little left over to mess with the dogs."