5 Useful Harbor Freight Buys If You've Got Wiggle Room In Your Fall Budget

Harbor Freight has a solid selection of outdoor power tools that always come in handy every fall. The obvious ones that come to mind are the essentials: leaf blower, electric shredder, and pressure washer. And if you've been on top of your fall chores for years, you probably already know which Harbor Freight chainsaw works for you. And to save you the cost of hiring professionals every time you need to trim tree limbs or tidy up overgrown roots, you may have picked up a pole saw. You may have even discovered how to use a lawn mower instead of a rake to pick up leaves.

But outside those essentials, there are a few other tools that might not be top of mind yet come in clutch when you're in the middle of your tasks. For instance, you may suddenly realize you need a ladder to reach the gutters before they get clogged. Maybe you have one, but it's not sturdy and tall enough to reach the roof. Or your chainsaws are getting dull after all that cutting. Maybe you're just tired of dragging loads of firewood and yard waste back and forth across the yard.

So, what we've done is to think through the typical fall cleanup routine, from gutter clearing and tree trimming to wood splitting. Then we picked out five Harbor Freight tools that'll make your work even easier, from Chicago Electric's chainsaw sharpener to Harbor Freight's 1200-pound capacity utility cart. The best part is that these tools will remain useful around your home even after fall passes.

For all the cutting you might find yourself doing this period, you definitely don't want a dull chainsaw. Now, a good number of people enjoy filing their chains by hand and actually find the process satisfying. However, if you're looking to save yourself some time and effort, and you want to see what all the hype is about electric sharpeners, the Chicago Electric Power Tools Electric Chainsaw Sharpener is a good place to start.

It costs $34.99 and currently has over 5,000 customer reviews. It comes with a built-in chain vise that's adjustable. You can mount it to a bench, wall, or vise, and the chain rotation rollers move the links forward while the vise stays in position. Now if you haven't used one before, it might take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, makes the process of sharpening multiple chains at once relatively faster and easier. And you just might find yourself wishing, like one customer, that you'd bought this decades ago. Several customers using this on old chains say it cuts like new, and once sharpened, the chains stay sharp for longer too.

That said, this product is not perfect. One customer reported that the motor died after sharpening about six chains, and they weren't sure they'd buy it again. And for some, since it's made of plastic, it's just too flimsy for use. However, other customers say theirs have lasted them for years, and they do sharpen multiple chains regularly. Either way, it's not an Oregon or a Stihl, but for some, it's worth having around.

Now, this one isn't for everyone. But if you've got hedges, fence lines, vines, or overgrown trails that need attention, the Atlas 40V Cordless 24-Inch Hedge Trimmer is worth picking up. It's listed as a tool-only product for $57.99, which means you'll need an Atlas 40V or 80V battery and charger, which are sold separately. If you already own one, you're good to go. Across 720 reviews, it currently holds a 4.8-star rating, and much of that comes down to the fact that it's cordless, has a pretty decent runtime, and is easy to handle.

Because it's battery-powered, it is noticeably quiet. However, customers would tell you it packs just enough cutting power. Multiple owners confirmed that it handles dense brush and thick hedges pretty easily. In fact, several reviews mentioned it feels just as powerful as a corded model, only lighter and easier to maneuver. Plus, they don't just have to worry about an extension cord constantly getting unplugged as they work.

Another feature that customers find pretty helpful is the swivel handle, which rotates 90 degrees in either direction. That makes switching between horizontal and vertical cuts easy. So, you don't have to angle your body or arm awkwardly, which is especially handy for shaping tall hedges or trimming along fences. For most people, that singular feature combined with the overmold grip makes it relatively easy to use for an extended period of time. And as one customer puts it, "it sure beats swinging a machete for hours."

At $329.99, the Central Machinery 5 Ton Electric Log Splitter is one of Harbor Freight's pricier tools on this list. But for homeowners who heat with wood and can't swing an axe, it's worth every cent. With over 2,000 reviews and a 4.6-star average rating, this splitter has built a reputation for being efficient.

It delivers 5 tons of splitting force and handles logs up to about 10 inches in diameter. For hardwoods, you may need to rotate the log or make a second pass, but most owners agree it gets the job done. What really stands out in the reviews is how durable this thing is, even after years of heavy use. One customer wrote that theirs has lasted over 12 years, splitting roughly five cords of wood annually with only minor maintenance.

The design is practical, too. It features a grip handle and 6-inch wheels, making it easy to move across the yard. And it's compact enough to store without taking up half your garage. Some owners do have to raise it on pallets or tailgates for a more comfortable working height. The two-handed operation, though, which involves one hand on the lever and the other on the power button, is a safety feature that a few find slightly awkward, but most consider a fair trade-off. It's not built for commercial-scale logging, but for most homeowners, it does exactly what they need it to do: split wood safely and efficiently.

After splitting all those logs, you could make multiple trips back and forth or just load them into the 1200 lb. Capacity Steel Utility Cart with Removable Sides. You can either pull it by hand or hook it up to an ATV or tractor. And even if your lawn isn't perfectly level, don't worry — the pneumatic tires are designed to handle uneven terrain. Of course, it's not just for hauling firewood. You can toss in overgrown limbs, fallen branches, and bags of leaves.

You can even use it for fun fall activities like piling it with hay for the kids to ride around in. As long as both leaves and children stay under 1,200 pounds, you're good to go. The sides are removable, so you can customize the setup based on what you're hauling. If you don't need the sides at all, Harbor Freight also sells a 1,000-pound version from One Stop Gardens for $89.99. With an average 4.6 star rating, many customers note that this $169.99 steel cart is sturdy, convenient, and pretty versatile too.

One customer says this cart saved their back, as hauling chicken feed, dog food, soil, and peat moss from the truck to the shed is much easier now. Others say they use it for everything from yard cleanup to taking out trash. So, it might start as a fall purchase, but judging by the reviews, it's one of those tools you'll end up using all year long.

Whether that's to clear the roofline so leaves don't clog the gutters or to hang decorations, you just might find yourself needing to reach up there with the help of a ladder. One that'll definitely come in clutch is the $159.99 Franklin 17 ft. Type IA Multi-Task Ladder. However, at the time of this writing, you can take advantage of the Harbor Freight's Inside Track Club membership to get it for $139.99. And that's just one of the many ways to save money while shopping at Harbor Freight.

That said, this Franklin ladder is the tallest ladder you'll find on Harbor Freight's website. Plus, it has a 300-pound carrying capacity. So, most people find it sturdy enough to use without the fear of falling off. It's also pretty versatile. You can configure it up to 23 ways, including as an A-frame, extension ladder, or even scaffolding, depending on what the job at hand requires.

That's probably why it's been able to score a 4.8-star rating from over 10,600 reviews. It's useful even beyond fall for most household projects, from painting the deck to replacing a light bulb. And because it can be adjusted in several ways, it beats having different types of ladders. When you're done, it collapses down to about 4 feet, so it fits neatly even in garages or sheds with limited space.

Instead of recommending another leaf blower or chainsaw, we looked for Harbor Freight tools that you might not immediately consider but you'd actually find useful once you get into the thick of yard work. To narrow the list, we started by reviewing Harbor Freight's top-rated outdoor tools. We focused on items with at least 700 customer reviews and an average rating of 4.5 stars or higher. We read through both positive and critical feedback to get a sense of how each tool performs over time.

We definitely considered pricing and how easy these tools are to use and set up. But customer satisfaction was the most important factor in our selection. We made sure to confirm from the bulk of customer reviews that every item on our list provides consistent results and is relatively easy to use for the average homeowner, not just professionals. Of course, there are a few people who were not satisfied with their purchase. Although the ratio of bad reviews is much lower than the good, it's worth reading through a few of them before deciding if the tool's right for you.