What Kind Of Chop Saws Does Harbor Freight Sell & Are They Any Good? Here's What The Reviews Say
If you've visited your local Harbor Freight store lately, you know the family-owned tool retailer is stocking devices to help DIY home enthusiasts tackle just about any project that might come their way. But you may not realize that many of the bigger brand names found in the outfit's brick-and-mortar and online outlets are currently owned by Harbor Freight. And even apart from DIY amateurs, Harbor Freight also offers some products that are, arguably, better suited to the pro builder set, including a full range of metal and wood cutting chop saws.
By "full range," we mean that Harbor Freight and its in-house brands offer chop saws — often also called miter saws or cut-off saws — in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Not surprisingly, the company's offerings do indeed front name plates from many a Harbor Freight brand, including Atlas and Warrior, as well as Bauer and Hercules.
Among those brands, Bauer has the most chop saws available through Harbor Freight, with the brand offering a tabletop 14 in. Abrasive Cut-Off Saw, a hand-held 3 in. High-Speed Electric Cut-Off Tool, and a 20V Cordless 3 in. Cut-Off Tool. Meanwhile, Hercules has two chop saws available, including a tabletop 14 in. Abrasive Cut-Off Saw, and a handheld 12V Brushless Cordless 3 in. Cut-Off Tool. Elsewhere, Harbor Freight's budget brand, Warrior, also makes a 2 in. Mini Cut-Off Saw, with Atlas offering the most heavy-duty device, an 80V Brushless Cordless, 9 in. Concrete Cut-Off Saw.
Harbor Freight's Chop Saws are relatively well thought of by users
Those devices come with price tags as varied as their function, ranging from $34.99 on the low end (Bauer's 3-inch electric saw) to $399.99 on the high end (Atlas' 9-inch concrete Saw). While need will surely play a major role in your decision-making, if you want to factor in customer satisfaction, you'll be happy to know Harbor Freight's chop saws are relatively well reviewed by users, with each rated four stars or better in the Harbor Freight web store.
The Warrior and Bauer 3-inch rechargeable handheld tools are the lowest rated at 4.1 stars each. While many users are happy with the price and function of both saws, some of the negative reviews bemoan them for functionality and durability. Of the other Bauer chop saws, the 3-inch electric handheld is rated higher, with fans praising it for its price point, power, and ability, and negative reviews largely claiming it is underpowered. The tabletop abrasive saw boasts a 4.5-star rating, with fans noting it's quite capable in most capacities. However, some feel the saw is not good for cutting precise angles.
As for the Hercules devices, users like the size and feel of the 3-inch handheld, though many claim it's prone to overheating. At 4.6 stars, Hercules' table-top abrasive cutter is the highest rated chop saw in the Harbor Freight Store, though some question its power and precision. That brings us to Atlas' 9-inch concrete saw, which, even at almost $400, earns solid notes from users for its power and value, even as one user noted theirs was prone to stalling.