5 Harbor Freight Finds To Whip Your Yard Into Shape During Spring
Yards get messy over the winter. Most of us tend to avoid outdoor projects during the rain and snow, but the bill comes due in spring, when the weather subsides and the sun finally starts to peak from behind the overcast sky. Then you suddenly find yourself looking at a yard that's in dire need of attention. Lawns need to be mowed, trees need to be pruned, and hedges must be trimmed.
Getting the right tools can make these tasks significantly easier, but power tools are expensive, even at the big box stores. Those who are looking to save some money while prepping to tackle their yard might want to consider a more affordable option. Harbor Freight has been around since 1977, and it has built a reputation for offering budget-friendly tools to help you get the job done. The company has a decent return policy, and it often has special deals that can help you save even more money. Those who are looking to gear up for their spring landscaping will be hard-pressed to find better deals than those available at Harbor Freight.
The company has a fairly large inventory, however, so it can be difficult to pick out exactly what you need. We've found that one of the best ways to choose power tools from a retailer is to examine those on offer, choose the highest-rated tool in each category, and then take a look at the reviews. Here are five of the best tools you can find at Harbor Freight to get your yard back into shape.
Atlas Brushless Cordless 21 Self Propelled Lawn Mower
Finding a good day to mow the lawn can be tricky in winter, especially if you live in wetter climates. One of the first things many homeowners are going to want to do when the sun comes out is tackle the shaggy grass that's taken over the ground outside.
Gas-powered mowers were the standard for a long time, but cordless battery-powered mowers have come a long way lately. Harbor Freight sells a Brushless Cordless 21" Self Propelled Lawn Mower made by Atlas that runs on the manufacturer's proprietary 80V batteries. The mower can actually operate at full power on a single battery, but it has the option to house a second battery, which it uses in reserve to deliver double the runtime.
On top of all that, it has an automatic electric starter, and it's self-propelled, taking much of the manual labor out of pushing the machine across your yard. It comes with a mulch bag and has an automatic load sensor built in, which is designed to adjust the motor's performance on the fly when dealing with thick, tall, or wet grass.
This mower has a 4.6 out of 5 on Harbor Freight's website. Users liked that it is light, powerful, and easy to use. Their biggest complaint is that it won't run for very long on a single battery. YouTuber AJ Starch also said that while the blade quality isn't the highest, the performance is good over-all and the dollar value is difficult to beat.
Atlas 80V Brushless Cordless 16 String Trimmer
Once the lawn is mowed, you'll probably want a string trimmer to clean up the edges and get rid of any pesky weeds that your mower wasn't able to reach. There are a few different models available from Harbor Freight, including a cheaper electric one from Portland, but that's only recommended for those on an extreme budget.
The highest-rated option is once again made by Atlas, (a theme that will come up a lot on this list). The 80V Brushless Cordless 16" String Trimmer has a brushless motor that runs on the same 80V proprietary batteries as the Atlas mower. It has an instant electronic start and stop functionality, a variable speed trigger, an adjustable 14"-16" cutting width, a rapid reload dual-line head, a bump feed line control system, all metal housing, and a 43.5" straight shaft with an adjustable auxiliary handle. It can run .080"-.095" line.
This tool has a 4.7 out of 5 on the Harbor Freight website. Buyers reported that the string trimmer was powerful and easy to use, with some even claiming that it was the first one to convince them to make the switch from gas-powered trimmers. The primary complaints that came from the negative reviews were that the bump feed line system doesn't work well and that stringing new line can be difficult. YouTuber Williamson Ridge Outdoors did a review where he stated that he was impressed with the performance and how much it managed to cut on a single charge.
Atlas 40V Cordless 10 Pole Saw
If you have large trees on your property, then you'll probably need to trim them at some point. Overgrown trees can be unsightly and even dangerous. You could always climb a ladder with a chainsaw to prune dead or overgrown limbs, but a much safer and more convenient option is to use a pole saw.
Atlas makes a 40V Cordless 10" Pole Saw which is sold at Harbor Freight. This is a 10" bar and chain battery-powered saw which comes fixed to a pole that starts at 6 ft. and can extend up to 9 ft., for a total potential overhead reach of 15 ft. It has an angled head with a built-in branch hook for easy pruning as well as an automatic oiler with a viewing window and a comfort forearm rest to help reduce fatigue. This tool can either run on Atlas' 40V or 80V batteries, giving you options for power output and making it easier to pair with batteries you may already have in your collection.
The Atlas pole saw has a 4.7 out of 5 on the Harbor Freight website. Reviewers found that it was powerful, durable, and extremely useful for pruning smaller tree limbs. There were a few reviewers who mentioned trouble keeping the chain on, though these were a small minority. Mastering Mayhem made a review video demonstrating its use on a larger log. They claimed that it was a great pole saw and that it did any trimming jobs he needed it to do.
Atlas 40V 24 Hedge Trimmer
Once the grass and trees are done, it's time to take care of the hedges. Of course, you can always clip them back bit by bit with a pair of manual shears, but a much faster and more efficient way to trim back and reshape them is with a good electric hedge trimmer.
The Atlas 40V 24" Hedge Trimmer is rated to handle branches up to ¾" thick. It has a rotating soft-grip handle, instant electric start functionality, and a dual action blade that cuts on both the fore-stroke and the backstroke. Like the pole saw, this tool can also run on Atlas' 40V or 80V batteries.
The Atlas 40V 24" Hedge Trimmer has a 4.8 out of 5 on Harbor Freight's website. Reviewers have claimed that it's easy to use, and one stated that he's been using the same trimmer for over five years with no issues. The only recurring complaint seems to be that some users have found it to be a bit heavy for their taste. Myrtle Beach Motorsports Salvage did a review of the Atlas hedge trimmer on their YouTube page. The reviewer praised its efficiency and claimed that it saved him a lot of time and trouble compared to his previous trimmer.
Atlas 80V Brushless Cordless 150 MPH Blower
Once everything is mowed, cut, and trimmed, you're going to need to do some cleanup. You'll have to pick up the bigger branches and collect them by hand, but unless you're a big fan of combing over every inch of your property with a rake, you'll probably want a good blower to help you gather all the smaller leaves, twigs, clippings, and mulch.
The Atlas 80V Brushless Cordless 150 MPH Blower is a great option. This is a 605 CFM blower with a brushless electric motor that is powered by 80V Atlas batteries. It has what Harbor Freight refers to as a "Turbo Nozzle," which is designed to increase airspeed so that the tool can remove heavier debris. It comes with several other nifty features as well, like an electric starter, a turbo button for when you need a little extra power, a cruise control lever to reduce fatigue, a variable speed trigger, and an onboard hanger for easy storage. Harbor Freight claims that this blower can clear half an acre on a single charge.
The Atlas 80V Brushless Cordless 150 MPH Blower has a 4.8 out of 5 on the Harbor Freight website. Reviewers were impressed with its power and lightness. There are a handful of reviewers who think the battery life isn't long enough, but these are a relative minority. Leaf Blower Guide reviewed the Atlas 80V Blower and found that it was an affordable option that was significantly more powerful than the average blower, even if it wasn't quite the best in class.
Our methodology
I spent a couple of years in professional landscaping. In that time, I grew familiar with most products that you need to take care of your yard. To compose this list, I looked at the products that were available on Harbor Freight's website and chose five of the tools that, I believed, would be most useful for seasonal yard maintenance. I then looked at the various brands and models that were on offer for each of these tools and selected the highest-rated one in each category based on the customer rating system. I examined the specs and features on each of them to make sure that they were powerful enough for the average user's needs, and looked at both customer and professional reviews to ensure that there were no major flaws or drawbacks to each product.
None of these products were picked for their brand. The fact that all the tools on this list are made by Atlas is an unintentional byproduct of their generally higher rating scores from Harbor Freight's customers.