6 Harbor Freight Tools Every Dad Will Want To Have This Summer

Summer is almost officially here. With its arrival comes long days spent basking in the sun, neighborhood cookouts with friends and family, and, for dads around the world, a lengthy list of home and garden projects to tackle. Whether you're an avid gardener and home improvement enthusiast, or someone who loathes the idea of battling weeds and fixing cabinets, it's impossible to deny two things: the jobs must be done by someone, and there's a certain level of satisfaction in completing these projects, whether you enjoy them or not.

But just because the jobs need to be done doesn't mean the experience has to be miserable. One of the most effective ways to make a project less odious is to use the proper tools and equipment. Luckily, you don't have to break the bank to get your hands on quality tools for summer tasks. Harbor Freight stocks a vast array of affordable hobby tools and more. The company maintains various in-house tool brands and sells products designed for virtually every type of project, job, and hobby. 

Whether you're a dad with a long summer to-do list or a DIY enthusiast with a penchant for budget-friendly tools, Harbor Freight could have a product for you. We searched the website and found six unique tools that may come in handy for summer projects, and we selected items based on things like utility, user reviews, and price. That said, we'll cover our methodology later. For now, here are six Harbor Freight tools every dad will want to have this summer.

Few things say summer is here like getting out in the driveway to wash the winter grime off your car. Washing your car at home is a great way to save some cash and catch some rays. However, cleaning your vehicle without the right tools can be a nightmare, especially if you drive a large truck or SUV.

For drivers who prefer washing their own cars, the 9-Pattern Car Wash Nozzle With Soap Dispenser from Harbor Freight could be a solid buy and a great way to increase efficiency. The tool features nine different spray patterns, including jet, mist, cone, and more, covering all your bases and allowing you to adapt to the demands of your current project. One of the coolest features of the Harbor Freight nozzle is its built-in soap dispenser, enabling you to skip the lathering process and jump straight into cleaning. Then, when you're ready to rinse, don't worry about disconnecting the soap dispenser. Simply switch the nozzle to rinse mode to bypass the soap and clear away the suds with ease. The tool costs $11.99 and features hundreds of positive reviews from customers who describe the product as a great value and an excellent tool for washing cars and pets.

Summer's arrival doesn't just mean cookouts and vacations. It also means there's a fresh generation of insects and weeds waiting to make us itch, eat our plants, and invade our gardens. Each year, homeowners around the country ready themselves for battle with these seasonal enemies. They arm themselves with rakes, pesticides, trimmers, and more, in an attempt to avoid itchy bites and have the prettiest lawn in the neighborhood. However, many of those tools — like bottles of bug spray or powdery pesticides — are inefficient, at best, or downright ineffective and dangerous, at worst.

Instead of exposing yourself to toxic chemicals or purchasing numerous bottles of expensive bug spray, you can grab a 4 Gallon Backpack Sprayer from Harbor Freight. The backpack sprayer allows you to skip the spreader, meaning no more handling toxic powders or breathing them in as you push a spreader around your yard. Not only can you use the backpack sprayer to kill weeds, but you can also fill it with insecticide and treat your home for unwanted creepy-crawlies. While you'll still have to buy the liquid, using a sprayer like this provides you with many more options. Instead of purchasing harmful chemicals, you can choose to make your own bug spray or weed killer using safe, environmentally friendly materials. Even if you don't feel like making your own spray, you can still save money by buying in bulk and filling your sprayer yourself. The tool costs $29.99 and customers praise its price and utility.

Summer provides us with a lot of great opportunities to get outside and tackle jobs that are uncomfortable or impossible to perform during cold weather. Cars aren't the only things we need to wash, and warm summer days give us plenty of time to freshen up our driveways, patios, and the sides of our houses. However, performing those jobs with a simple garden hose and some scrub brushes is challenging and time-consuming, to say the least.

Instead, you can pick up a Bauer 2,000 PSI Max Performance Electric Pressure Washer from Harbor Freight. With a max output of 2,000 PSI, the Bauer pressure washer provides enough power to handle just about any project you can throw at it. It includes a 25-foot high pressure hose and a 35-foot power cord, enabling you to work comfortably in various positions, while 10-inch casters allow you to move the tool around your yard or garage easily. The washer comes with a built-in detergent tank, a steel roll cage for protection, and a padded handle for enhanced comfort. It costs $199.99 and features nearly 2,000 reviews from customers who celebrate the product for its power, value, and features.

For many dads and homeowners, summer is the season to get outside and tackle yard work projects. Some of those projects include things like applying fresh mulch or gravel to flower beds, removing overgrowth and weeds, and transporting new plants to various parts of the yard. You can do all of that by hand or with a shovel if you want. But here at SlashGear, we're always on the lookout for products that help us work smarter, not harder.

One product that can help save you time and avoid a sore back is the HFT 1,200 pound Capacity Steel Utility Cart from Harbor Freight. The heavy-duty cart is built to handle nearly any garden project you can think of. It features removable sides, meaning you can transport large items like beams of wood or simply drop the sides to help you unload material like mulch or gravel. The near-zero turn radius means you can maneuver the cart in cramped quarters with ease, while the 13-inch tires are capable of holding up in even the most rugged terrain. It features a removable liner for when you need to transport finer material and a two-in-one handle that you can use by hand or tow behind a tractor or lawnmower. The cart comes with a price tag of $169.99 and features hundreds of reviews from customers praising its weight capacity, price, and stout construction.

Summer isn't just picnics and camping trips. As we mentioned earlier, summer is also the time when insects are at their peak. Most of us are familiar with the flying twin terrors — mosquitos and common houseflies — and many of us have probably tried various traps, candles, and sprays to keep them at bay. While those devices may all work to varying degrees, none of them are particularly fun to use.

Speaking of things that are fun to use, tools don't always have to be strictly utilitarian devices, and even if they are, they don't have to be miserable or difficult to use. One Harbor Freight tool that may be able to add a little excitement to your summer evenings while also helping to keep pesky flies and mosquitos at bay is the Electronic Fly and Insect Swatter. The device works using two D batteries and produces a powerful DC charge capable of eliminating unwanted pests quickly. It features an on/off switch and a power-status light, and you can use the electronic tool to battle flies and mosquitoes both indoors and outside. The tool costs $4.99 and features hundreds of reviews from customers who praise the device for its practicality, effectiveness, and enjoyable user experience.

There are few things as satisfying as raising your own fruit and vegetables and sharing them proudly with friends and family. Summer provides us with the perfect opportunity to get outside and get our hands dirty in the garden. Whether you're just starting to explore the world of small-scale gardening or you're an accomplished planter with years of experience under your belt, there are always new smart gardening gadgets to improve your efficiency and maximize your plot's production.

For dads and homeowners who have dreams of a bountiful garden, the Predator 2-Stroke Gas Cultivator from Harbor Freight could be a solid buy. It features a robust 43cc engine, providing enough power for small residential gardens, and a tiller that can adjust between 2–6 inches of depth and 4–9 inches of width. The hardened steel tiller blades are capable of turning various types of soil, including tough clay and dry, rocky dirt, while a set of 8-inch wheels allows you to move the tool easily around your garden and garage. It weighs roughly 32 pounds, making it relatively lightweight, and handlebar controls allow users to operate the device with ease. The tiller costs $219.99 and features hundreds of reviews praising its size-to-power ratio, durability, and value.

We selected the items for this list based on a few different criteria: price, practicality, and user reviews. First, we chose items that provide a great value to dads and homeowners with lengthy lists of summer tasks. Each of the products covered here costs less than $300, and most of them fall far below the $100-mark. Secondly, we searched for tools that offer not only a great value, but also real-world practicality for summer projects. Each tool discussed on this list can help you complete your hobbies and to-do lists in an efficient, enjoyable way. From saving, you hours of manual labor while tilling a garden to cutting out the lathering step while washing your car, each item covered here provides numerous benefits and time-saving solutions for summer tasks. 

Finally, we picked items that have excellent reviews from real Harbor Freight customers. Each of the products on this list has at least 4.2 out of five stars based on hundreds to thousands of user reviews. We chose to highlight items that customers describe as a great bang for your buck and exceptionally practical.

All of that said, make sure you do your own research before buying a tool off this list. You should understand your needs and the scope of your planned summer projects. Taking all of that information into consideration before making a purchase will help you decide the best product for you and knock out those summer tasks with ease.