Yes, Harbor Freight Sells Sandblasters, But Are They Any Good? Here's What Users Say

At this point in its existence, it's far more likely that you know of Harbor Freight than not. The popular retail chain has, after all, been providing consumers all over the country with tough, reasonably priced gear fit for use at home or the work site for several decades now. The company is continuing to build out its lineup of offerings, as well, and you may not realize it, but it now counts many of the notable manufacturers found in store as in-house brands.

Among those brands is Central Machinery, a more heavy-duty focused brand that produces pro-grade gear like cement mixers, compactors, and a well-priced bench top metal lathe. You can also add pressurized abrasive blasters to Harbor Freight's list of Central Machinery gear. Those devices are, of course, sometimes referred to as Sandblasters, as the coarse material is often the abrasive of choice for those with blasting needs. If you're unfamiliar with Sandblasters, they are used to strip paint, rust, or contaminants from hard surfaces.

At present, Harbor Freight offers four different blasters through its online storefront, including a 110 lb model, a 20 lb model, a 50 lb portable build, and an 18 oz handheld blaster gun kit. Those devices are currently selling for $169.99, $89.99, $39.99, and $24.99, respectively. While those prices are likely not deal breakers for many, you'd still be wise to read up on the devices before you consider buying one. Here's what real world users like and dislike about Harbor Freight's Sandblasters.  

At present, only two of the four Central Machinery Sandblasters available through family-owned tool retailer Harbor Freight Tools have reviews posted by real world users. The 110 lb model build is relatively well reviewed by owners, and currently holds a 4.2 stars out of 5 rating on the site, with 5-star users praising the abrasive blaster for its power, ease of use, price-point and durability. Of those who were less than impressed with the blaster, several noted that the compressor may be prone to clogging during use.

Some users also noted that an industrial sized compressor is required for this blaster to operate as intended. As for the 50 lb and 20 lb devices, while there are no reviews posted through Harbor Freight, the general opinion in Reddit-land is that they both work well enough, but may be prone to similar issues and are, perhaps, better suited to smaller scaled jobs. Likewise, their function may depend a lot on the air compressor powering the abrasive through the nozzle.

Meanwhile, the 18 oz. portable blaster is rated less favorably at 3.9 stars out of 5. That rating is based on 185 user reviews, with fans noting its powerful and perfect for small jobs. At $24.99, they are overwhelmingly pleased with the price point as well. Complaints about the device take issue with its size, with some noting the 18 oz model blows through abrasives at a frustrating rate. One user even claims they've spent more time reloading it than using it. Others also complained of clogging issues, and that the blaster wasn't powerful enough to handle even smaller jobs.