5 Tools Home Depot Sells That Harbor Freight Doesn't

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There's no reason anyone needs to confine themselves to a single hardware retailer for all their tool needs. You could make a case for prioritizing one because it's closest to your home or you're racking up the most loyalty points, but tool shopping isn't like pro sports — you don't have to pick a team. For example, in Los Angeles — in the heart of Hollywood, in fact — there's a Harbor Freight just a few blocks from a Home Depot. Because of this, anyone living in the area has no shortage of options when it comes to tools, lawn equipment, home improvement products, and more.

Another advantage to shopping at multiple retailers is that, if one chain doesn't make or offer what you're looking for, another chain might. Even though there are some Harbor Freight products cheaper and better than Home Depot's and vice versa, each also sells wares that the other does not. If you find yourself in need of a very specific item and don't see it on the shelves of one, there's a decent chance you may find it at the other. Here are five tools Home Depot sells that Harbor Freight doesn't, which everyone from plumbers to ice fishermen may find useful.

Cross-linked polyethylene, or PEX, has increasingly become the go-to pipe material for plumbers and contractors. It's also easier to install, making it a popular choice for DIYers. There are a number of pros and cons to consider when debating PEX versus copper pipes, but one thing is for certain — you won't find any PEX tools at Harbor Freight, including crimpers or expanders. You can find expansion tools for PEX-a from multiple brands at Home Depot, though.

The Apollo PEX-a Expansion Tool, for example, is a manual expander using heads that are compatible with any ASTM F1960 PEX-a cold-expansion standard fittings, which are sold separately. It costs about $65, making it one of Home Depot's cheapest options — however, if you're willing to pay a lot more money, you can get a power tool that will make working with PEX significantly easier.

DeWalt sells a motorized PEX Expansion Tool for $400 — over six times the cost of Apollo's hand tool. The DeWalt 20V Max 1-inch PEX Expansion Tool uses the same interchangeable batteries as its more basic power tools and other gear plumbers will find handy — though those batteries aren't even included with the tool. The device utilizes an automatic rotating head capable of up to 60 strokes per minute and is controlled by a trigger, making it easier to use in tight spaces than if you had to manually expand tubing yourself. For $99 more you can get Milwaukee's M12 ProPEX Expansion Tool Kit, which includes two batteries among other accessories. The Milwaukee PEX Expander Tool works the same as other motorized expansion tools such as DeWalt's, compatible with pipes ⅜-inch to one inch.

Harbor Freight has an entire section of outdoor tools and equipment but, somewhat surprisingly, it only offers a single push mower — an Atlas 80V 21-inch model. That's literally the only option for lawn mowing that Harbor Freight customers currently have, because the retailer doesn't offer any riding mowers, either. Home Depot, on the other hand, has many different models from a variety of manufacturers available, including some of the most reliable gas riding mower brands on the market.

This includes Cub Cadet, which sells its CC30H mower among others at Home Depot. The Cub Cadet CC30H is a 30-inch rear-engine riding mower powered by a 10.5-horsepower Briggs & Stratton engine with a hydrostatic drive. Since it's one of Cub Cadet's compact models, it's a popular choice for those with smaller properties. Plus, it includes a mulch kit, which not all mowers do. Home Depot also sells John Deere riding mowers, including the company's S120. The John Deere S120 has a 42-inch deck size closer to typical riding mowers, with a 22-horsepower V-twin engine built in-house to move it. Its 2.4-gallon tank holds enough fuel to cut an acre of land in a single go.

More maneuverable (and more expensive) zero-turn mowers are also available at Home Depot, including from the aforementioned brands. These include both gas-powered and battery-powered machines. For example, the Warrior Cruz 42-inch Zero Turn Mower has a 540-cc EX1900 Briggs & Stratton engine with dual hydrostatic drive that's capable of 19 horsepower. The Ryobi 80V HP 42-inch RYRM8021 is a cordless electric zero-turn mower powered by two 40V batteries that can generate the equivalent of 31 horsepower and are compatible with many of the brand's other tools and lawn equipment. Ryobi says the mower can cover 3 acres in a single charge.

Gardeners shopping at Harbor Freight can find earth augers, but fishermen looking to hit the lake before it melts will be dismayed to find the retailer doesn't have any ice augers. The tools, while similar, have different designs, with the latter built to drill through ice and withstand freezing temperatures. You could use a cordless drill as an ice auger alternative, though it's not as easy as it sounds. Home Depot sells dedicated, heavy-duty ice auger bits that can fit with the right tools, though.

What Home Depot doesn't sell is actual hand ice augers, which allow you to cut through ice by turning the blades manually. Fortunately for those looking for the easiest possible solution, the retailer does have several motorized ice augers, though. Like hand augers, they're designed to do one specific job without third-party accessories such as auger bits. Like using a cordless drill, you don't have to actually put in the hard work to rotate the blades yourself.

The Ryobi 40V HP Ice Auger is a cordless electric tool with an 8-inch bit that's able to make 25 holes per charge. Ryobi says it delivers 30% more torque than typical gas-powered ones — it comes with two speed settings and a reverse mode. It's also built to be lightweight with less vibration for better control and more comfortable use. Those looking for larger holes could opt for the Eskimo E40, which is also sold at Home Depot. The tool has a 10-inch steel bit and weighs less than 20 pounds. In addition to a reverse mode, the auger is equipped with a variable-speed trigger for precise drilling.

You've got options if you're looking to pick up a digital torque wrench at Harbor Freight, but you and your wrist are going to need to put in all the work tightening fasteners if you want to use any of them. They all require manual arcs, which is pretty standard, but Home Depot offers a power tool that can perform nearly all the labor for you with just the push of a button — something people with arthritis or those who have a lot of fastening to do at once may find particularly useful.

Like the digital torque wrenches available at Harbor Freight, the Milwaukee M12 Fuel Motorized Digital Torque Wrench allows you to set a target torque and notify you when that torque is reached with a small display screen. Unlike those other models, though, Milwaukee does all the twisting for you in between — you'll just need to manually give it a few turns to make sure it's as exactly precise. Milwaukee's digital torque wrench is accurate within 2% clockwise and 3% counterclockwise.

The Milwaukee M12 Fuel Digital Torque Wrench with One-Key comes in both ⅜-inch and ½-inch models, though both are hundreds of dollars more than what you'd typically pay for a manual torque wrench, even those with digital target features. It features a large, clear display and four different ways of telling you it's reached target torque — LED, LCD, vibratory, and an audible alarm. It can be used with four different measurements, including ft-lb, in-lb, kg-cm, and Nm, and features six pre-programmed written languages.

One tool you might be surprised to find out isn't available at Harbor Freight is the simple, tried-and-true wheelbarrow. The retailer does offer a few different wagons, including one that can hold over 1,200 pounds, as well as a trailer cart, but not a single wheelbarrow is to be found in its catalog. That's bad news for those who need to dump what they're transporting, such as farmers moving dirt or construction workers pouring wet cement.

Home Depot, by contrast, offers a multitude of wheelbarrow options with either 4 cubic-foot or 6 cubic-foot capacity. These wheelbarrows come from a handful of different brands, including Gorilla, True Temper, Jackson, Anvil, and Husky. Husky is one of several tool brands owned by Home Depot and has two different 6-cu-ft models available — a traditional single-wheeled barrow and a dual-wheeled option for greater stability. Both have 8-inch flat-free tires but are made from different materials, with the single-barrow option constructed from steel and the dual-wheel barrow built of heavy-duty polypropylene.

The Gorilla Pro Heavy-Duty Steel Tub Wheelbarrow rides on a larger, 16-inch pneumatic wheel and features steel braces and handles to hold up to 6 cu-ft of material. The tool is built to be very durable and is compatible with a Dual-Wheel Axle Conversion Kit that costs $18 and can add a second wheel to the barrow. For carrying smaller loads, Home Depot sells the True Temper 4 cu-ft Poly Wheelbarrow, which is made of lightweight plastic with a steel undercarriage. Its seal-coated hardwood handles and compact size make it easier to maneuver within smaller yards and jobsites.