5 Icon Tools You Should Steer Clear Of (According To User Reviews)

With so much to love about the Icon range from Harbor Freight, it might seem like a fool's errand to explore the brand's worse performers. Icon receives rave reviews from tool users on a regular basis, and some of the brand's best tools for mechanics include its anti-slip wrench set and the Icon Master interchangeable puller set. The Icon series is built to give tool users a premium feel at a reasonable price. As a result, even the tools at the low end of the spectrum (across the lineup's 215 total tool and accessories) have great reviews on average. However, when digging a little deeper into why some buyers have criticized a few key products, it becomes clear that even Icon is not immune to mistakes and disappointments, even if it is a high-quality option for hand tools, diagnostic equipment, and workshop accessories.

Buyers who swear by Icon tools may ultimately purchase some pieces of equipment expecting the same great standard of quality, only to be surprised by a tool that doesn't perform as expected. These five picks from the Icon range still garner good review scores overall, but in reading into the features that place them down near the bottom of Icon's ratings scale, it's clear that each one is missing something. They all underperform on the promises made by the product specifications. As a result, it's perhaps worth exploring alternatives to these specific Icon finds.

Icon's T8 Professional Intelligent Diagnostic Scanner is the type of tool that many professional users might reach for when working on a car. The tool isn't cheap, listed at $900, but Harbor Freight notes that it's a steal when stacked up against the price of a comparable Snap-On model, listed at nearly $2,700 more. Users get a full-service diagnostic tool complete with connection wiring elements and a case. The scanner features coding reset functionality, verified repair suggestions from the Identifix Code-Assist software, and a two-year subscription to the plugin included. It can also operate with a wireless connection when addressing issues in some models.

The tool includes a quad-core processor with 4GB of memory, all sitting beneath an 8-inch, high-definition touch screen that's rounded out by the included stylus for consistent, smooth operation. As is the case with many scanners, this tool is compatible with nearly every car made from 1996 onward. All of these features mark it as something worthy of that $900 price tag. However, many reviewers report that the tool is buggy, and the scanner even experiences routine crashes. It reportedly fails to clear codes on some newer vehicle models, as well. While the solution gets a 4.5 star average rating from 152 reviewers, these issues should give pause to buyers considering this diagnostic gear. Many buyers note that older, far less expensive models that this purchase was designed to replace have provided better overall experiences, given the persisting issues.

The Icon 12-Inch External Straight Precision Snap Ring Pliers is a versatile grabbing solution that Harbor Freight notes "fits perfectly in the most commonly used snap ring." It's built with drop-forged steel and adds comfortable nonslip grips into the mix, for a durable tool that isn't a pain to use. The tool is backed by Harbor Freight and Icon's lifetime warranty, making it a reliable purchase that you can lean on for support across a lengthy career or hobby shop operation. The tool also features a precision joint to connect the two components, in an effort to create as little wobble as possible while operating the spring action movement.

Customers give it a 4.3 star average rating, with 144 reviewers providing feedback. Only 85% of buyers would recommend the item to others, and a notable amount of 1-star ratings has been collected on the product page. The tool has all the makings of a quality addition to a garage setup. However, a number of buyers note that the gripping portion of the tool flares out a bit too wide for comfortable use with one hand. One-hand use is a feature noted specifically on the tool's product page, but the actual object precludes that capability for some. More importantly, a large number of buyers found that the tip is actually too large, making the tool unusable in a variety of situations that it should be able to cover. Snap ring pliers must be a precise tool in your toolbox, and if the tolerance is off, then they lose much of their value.

A tool that unfortunately seems to have experienced manufacturing defects is the Icon 7-Inch Inline Wire Stripper and Cutter. This tool is listed at a clearance price of $15 and is an in-store only tool. The product's poor availability and low price are perhaps related to the many negative reviews it has received. It still earns a 4.5 star average rating, but the unit went through a period of seemingly poor quality control around the end of 2024 and into the spring of 2025. During this time, buyers offered a string of 1-star ratings that highlighted inconsistent sizing in the wire gauge holes and the grind on the jaws. This led to inaccurate cuts that tore into the wires beneath the outer sheath or didn't fully strip away waste material.

The tool features numerous strong points, though, so it's a shame that it doesn't rise to the typical Icon standard. It offers a 90-degree head that allows for inline wire stripping, limiting the contorting maneuvers required to get the tool into position. It's also finished with a black oxide coating and heat treating to resist corrosion and add long term durability. The spring-loaded handle also allows for one-handed operation. If this clearance product is replaced by an updated version, it's likely that the tool will become immensely useful to buyers. However, in its current format, too many question marks surrounding its quality control remain.

Workshop lighting tools are crucially important for users across different projects. Some of the best work lights for mechanics introduce a range of grabbing functions, magnetic elements, and adjustable components to make them usable in a variety of settings. The Icon 2,100 Lumen LED Rechargeable Magnetic 77-Inch Extendable Underhood Flood Light offers a number of these inclusions. However, it sports one of Icon's lowest ratings across the product line, with a 4.4 star average rating. The tool's 77-inch reach has been a point of contention for buyers. One user measured the tool and found that it could only accommodate a 57-inch span, nearly two feet shorter than promised. Other users note that, while the magnetic holding power is good on the tool, many newer vehicles aren't built with steel hoods, making this addition less useful in the grand scheme of things.

Those shortcomings mark it as a tool that might be worth passing on. However, it does still deliver good lighting coverage of your works area if those features aren't dealbreakers. The floodlight is moveable across the extendable arm, and can be swiveled to provide direct illumination to the spot you require with ease. The hooks come with cushioned edges to prevent scratching your vehicle. It should be noted that this is a single light, and that some reviewers found that the product packaging makes it seems as if there may be two included in the purchase.

The Icon Multispline Screw Extractor Set comes in either a 15- or 25-piece set. At the time of writing, Inside Track Club members can save 30% when purchasing the smaller variant. Both builds feature a carrying case and a range of screw extractor bits. These can be used to remove broken studs nuts, bolts, and screws. They feature spiral flutes that embed deeply into fasteners and are constructed from hardened steel alloy with a blast finish designed to provide increased durability. Harbor Freight notes that the tool set "stands up to the demands of the professional user," marking this equipment as something that might serve for a long time in your repair kit. 

There are numerous occasions where extraction tools are required to remove broken fasteners or stubborn hardware that just won't behave. However, while this kit features a 4.4 star average rating across 829 reviews, only 85% of customers recommend the item to others. It has received nearly 100 1-star ratings, and the vast majority of these poor reviews come from a single point of failure. Numerous reviewers say that the extractor bits snapped the first time they used the kit. The durability of these accessory tools just aren't up to the standard of a typical Icon product. The tool set is backed by Icon's lifetime warranty, but replacing one inadequate extraction tool with a replica that is likely to break just as easily isn't going to instill much confidence.

All of these tools are listed at the bottom of Icon's overall rankings, according to user ratings on Harbor Freight's product pages for each one. They each have received at least 60 reviews from buyers, with some collecting hundreds. They all suffer from at least one issue that many buyers have pointed out, leading to an ineffective tool and a high volume of 1-star ratings.