5 Chicago Electric Power Tools That Will Come In Handy Around The Job Site
Power tools aren't just about forcefully demolishing stuff with outrageous horsepower, fun as that is. A good suite of power tools handles not just the obvious tasks, but even unexpected ones which can vary depending on the exact nature of your job and job site. By keeping the right tools on hand, you eliminate the need to go hunting around the job site for either a suitable replacement tool or someone who can help you, which helps to maximize work efficiency and get you home on time.
If you're looking to build out your arsenal of power tools, you should consider paying a visit to your local Harbor Freight hardware store and browsing its selection of Chicago Electric power tools. Chicago Electric may be one of Harbor Freight's in-store brands, but it's no generic knock-off brand. The tools offered by Chicago Electric meet an excellent middle ground between functionality and affordability.
We've got five Chicago Electric power tools to recommend for a variety of different work settings, each available now at Harbor Freight either online or in-store. More information on our selection methodology will be available at the end of this article.
18 gauge Metal Shears
When you think of cutting implements, you probably think primarily of saws for relatively softer materials like wood. However, wood isn't the only thing that could do with a little off the top now and then. If you work in a metal shop or automotive garage, there will be plenty of sheet metal that needs to be cut down to size, which is too thick for even a saw to handle. In such a case, put the saw down and bust out the metal-slicing shears.
Chicago Electric's 18 gauge Metal Shears utilize the power of a 3.5 amp motor to cut into and through solid materials like sheet metal, plastic, and aluminum, making them invaluable for automotive repair and metalworking DIY alike. Just flick the thumb switch, and the high speed steel blade and cutters whir to life, delivering cuts up to 18 gauge in size. The construction of those tungsten carbide cutters helps to ensure that this tool has a nice, long shelf life.
The Chicago Electric Metal Shears are available at Harbor Freight for $39.99, where they have a user rating of 4.3 out of 5. YouTube channel Quick Speed Shop had high praise for these shears, which sliced right through a sheet of tin with little difficulty and could handle curved cuts as well.
1/2 in. Impact Wrench
Whether you're loosening the bolts on a car's wheels in the garage or securing the bolts on a burgeoning construction project, you need a wrench. Traditional, hand-operated wrenches are kind of old news, though — they work fine for quick and simple jobs, but they can slip off and wear out your wrists. You need those wrists for the rest of your job, so why not take the pressure off and let technology pick up the slack?
Chicago Electric's 1/2 in. Impact Wrench provides all the securing and breakaway muscle you could need in any bolt-adjacent situation, and thanks to the 7 amp motor, you don't even need to plug it into an air compressor. Flick on the handle rocker switch, and the impact wrench delivers up to 600 ft. lbs. of breakaway torque and 230 ft. lbs. of fastening torque. The cast aluminum nose helps the wrench to stand up to frequent and intense usage, while the high impact housing helps to absorb vibrations.
The Chicago Electric Impact Wrench is available at Harbor Freight for $44.99, where it has a user rating of 4.3 out of 5. Andy Phillips of YouTube channel Phillips Vision rated this tool a 10 out of 10 for its fastening and unfastening prowess, recommending it highly for those looking for an entry-level impact wrench.
Handheld Dry-Cut Tile Saw
Similarly to cutting metal, you can't use a traditional saw to cut through solid construction materials like stone, marble, and masonry. You need a specialized saw that combines powerful cutting action with superior resilience to chop through the kind of materials you regularly encounter during construction and renovation projects. You need a tile saw, and Chicago Electric just so happens to have one.
Chicago Electric's Handheld Dry-Cut Tile Saw is remarkably small in stature and light in weight, but beneath that compact body whirs a beast of stone-slicing action. Squeeze the trigger to spin a 4-inch saw blade up to 12,000 RPM. For more precise jobs, you can manually adjust the cutting depth to get your ideal slice, while the cast aluminum gear housing maintains the device's structural integrity.
The Chicago Electric Handheld Dry-Cut Tile Saw is available at Harbor Freight for $39.99, where it has a user rating of 4.4 out of 5. Users of this saw have praised its impressive cutting power for its size and price, with the only sticking points being the lack of an included saw blade and no blade guard.
Electric Chain Saw Sharpener
When it comes to woodworking, a chain saw is supposed to be the be-all and end-all of cutting implements. With its rotating chains, a chain saw should be able to seamlessly gouge through any unsuspecting tree. However, even a chain saw can wear out after a while, losing its cutting power and wearing out its chains. The idea of a chain saw that can't cut things is downright depressing, so give your chain saw a little extra care.
Chicago Electric's Electric Chain Saw Sharpener is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a wall or workbench-mounted station for getting your chain saw back into tip-top condition. The sturdy vise holds fast to chains of any shape and size, while the chain rotation rollers move the blades. Just hold your chain saw blades in the vise for a few minutes, and just like that, they're razor sharp and ready for work once again. Don't worry if your chains aren't receptive at first, as the sharpener handle lets you adjust the tension of the vise for a more intensive sharpening without you needing to take your hand off of it.
The Chicago Electric Chain Saw Sharpener is available at Harbor Freight for $29.99, where it has a user rating of 4.5 out of 5. Woodworking YouTube channel BuildALot Acres highly recommends this tool, saying that it's powerful and reliable.
3/4 HP Concrete Vibrator
When working with raw construction materials like liquid concrete, you can't just dump a truckful of the stuff into the ground and expect it to solidify all on its own. Untreated concrete can develop air bubbles and uneven waves, weakening its overall structural integrity and just making it look lousy. To prevent this from happening, you need a specialized power tool to stir up that concrete.
Chicago Electric's Concrete Vibrator is the tool you need for clearing and evening out freshly-poured concrete. Just jab the tip into a pool of wet concrete and flip the switch, and it delivers up to 13,000 vibrations per minute to really swirl it up. If it's an especially large pool of concrete and you need to stand next to it for a while, the switch has a lock-on button you can activate so you can take your finger off of it. Don't worry — the body is made of lightweight materials, so it won't strain you even if you have to hold it for an extended period.
The Chicago Electric Concrete Vibrator is available at Harbor Freight for $99.99, where it has a user rating of 4.3 out of 5. Multiple users have praised the tool for its resilience in the face of regular usage, with one user saying that they've vibrated 100 bags worth of concrete and the tool is still going strong.
Selection methodology
The preceding products were chosen from Harbor Freight's catalog of Chicago Electric-branded power tools. Preference was given to products with at least a 4 out of 5 user rating and/or positive feedback from tool review YouTube channels with at least 5,000 subscribers.