These 2 Harbor Freight Icon Tools Have Near-Perfect Reviews, But They'll Cost You

Over the past few decades, Harbor Freight has transformed itself from a small-time dealer in the consumer tool arena to one of the bigger retail chains in the market. You may not realize it, but Harbor Freight has assembled a pretty impressive list of exclusive, in-house brands, too, with ICON ranking as one of the most notable names in the company's ownership portfolio.

If you're unfamiliar with the brand, ICON has been around in some capacity since the early 1990s, with the company bent on developing innovative, professional-grade tools for the consumer masses. Harbor Freight introduced its ICON offerings in 2018, and in the years since, it has generally been regarded as one of the retail faction's more legit premium tool brands. That, naturally, means that Harbor Freight's ICON tools tend to be on the pricier side of its offerings. Many of those tools are also among Harbor Freight's best-rated, including a pair of ICON pliers that boast as close to a perfect user rating as you can get.

Those tools are ICON's 11 in. Long-Reach Pistol-Grip Needle Nose Pliers, and the 9 in. Long-Nose Slip-Joint Pliers, both of which currently show a 5-star rating out of 5 on their respective product pages. But if you visit those product pages, you're likely to notice that they are hardly cheap, with price tags of $19.99 and $27.99, respectively. Prices like that are sure to leave many wondering if these ICON pliers are worth the investment.

The 5-star user ratings for each of these ICON pliers would seem to confirm that they are worthy of adding to your tool kit. In fact, the long-nose pliers have become so popular that Harbor Freight is reportedly having trouble keeping them in stock. Yes, that tool is also backed by a lifetime warranty, as are the pistol grip needle nose pliers. While they might seem overly pricey, we should also point out that the long-nose and needle-nose pliers are far cheaper than their Snap-On counterparts.   

Regarding the long-nose pliers, of the 223 reviews posted on Harbor Freight, 213 are 5-star in nature, with the tool earning a recommendation from 100% of owners. Those 5-star reviewers praise the pliers for their size and design, with many noting the step-joint feature offers added versatility, while the precision tip grip bolsters control when in use. One user even notes they now use these more than any other pliers in their tool kit. Of the 10 4-star reviews, the complaints are few, though one user noted unwelcome "play" in the joints, and another claimed they were prone to rusting.

The pistol-grip needle-nose pliers earn much the same praise by the way, with reviewers rating them no lower than 4 stars through Harbor Freight. Many of the 5-star reviews deem the pliers tough, precise, and extremely well-designed, with one user even tagging them as "Life Changing." Of the complaints, they are few and far between, with only one user lamenting the fact that these needle-nose pliers may be too big for certain small space access.