15 Harbor Freight Tools Under $50 Worth Adding To Your Collection

A budget of $50 won't get you all that much from many big-name tool brands, but at Harbor Freight, it's enough to buy a wide range of tools, sometimes with money to spare. Some of Harbor Freight's tools are even available for less than $25. Despite their low prices, the top-rated products don't compromise on performance or quality, and are backed by hundreds or even thousands of positive user reviews attesting to their value for money.

Some of those top-rated Harbor Freight products aren't tools, but we've already covered those in a separate roundup. Here, we're focusing solely on power tools, hand tools, and tool sets. These picks are all among the retailer's best-rated sub-$50 options, with an average rating of at least 4.6 out of five stars from reviewers on Harbor Freight's website. As such, they're well worth considering if you're looking to add to your tool collection but don't want to break the bank.

Rather than buy a cordless drill from a major brand, buyers looking to save money could look towards Harbor Freight's Bauer brand instead. The brand is known for its broad line of affordably priced power tools, many of which run on its 20V interchangeable battery system. The 20V ½ Inch Drill/Driver is one of the cheaper tools in the line, retailing for $39.99, but it still gets great reviews from buyers. At the time of writing, it has a 4.7 average rating from over 500 reviews.

One recent reviewer says that the "Bauer [drill] outperforms my 10-year-old DeWalt," while another calls it the "best drill I ever owned." Its low price is one of the most frequently mentioned selling points, with one reviewer commenting, "Where else can you get a 20V brushless drill for that price?" Buyers new to the Bauer brand and looking to buy a battery and charger alongside the tool could consider the 20V ½-inch drill/driver kit, which clocks in only slightly over budget at $54.99.

Another affordably priced Bauer tool with consistently strong reviews is the 8 Amp, 4 ½-inch angle grinder, which has an average rating of 4.7 over 1,000 reviews. At the time of writing, it's available for $34.97, and since it's corded, there's no need to consider the cost of batteries or a charger.

It gets the thumbs up from novices and pros alike, with one reviewer saying that they are "an industrial mechanical, welder, and fabricator," and that they've used "expensive Metabo grinders" for over a decade. Despite the price difference, they say they were "stunned by how much torque this eight Amp Bauer puts out."

The grinder's motor reaches a peak of 11,500 rpm, while a 10-foot power cord helps minimize the inherent portability disadvantage of corded tools. Like all other Bauer power tools, the grinder only comes with a 90-day warranty as standard, although an extended warranty is available for buyers who deem it necessary.

Aimed at occasional users or DIYers on the strictest budgets, Warrior is one of Harbor Freight's cheapest tool brands. Its tools might not match big-name brands or even other Harbor Freight brands in terms of performance, but it's hard to beat Warrior's prices. To take one example, its 18V ⅜-inch drill kit retails for just $27.99, yet it includes the tool itself, a 1.3Ah battery, and a charger.

A rock bottom price doesn't matter all that much if the drill isn't up to the task, but Harbor Freight reviewers confirm that it's still useful in a wide variety of situations. One reviewer says they "keep one in the garage, one in my RV, and one in my tool chest," while another notes that it has "reliable enough power for [a] woodworking shop." At the time of writing, the drill has received around 3,800 reviews, with an average rating of 4.6 out of five stars across them.

It's sold in tool-only form, so buyers who don't already have a suitable Bauer 20V battery pack and a charger will have to factor in the cost of buying them both separately. However, even then the brand's 20V corner/detail sander remains solid value for money.

Its motor can reach 11,000 OPM (orbits per minute) and it features an integrated dust collection system plus an adapter for vacuums. Bauer includes three pieces of sand paper with the tool, and the hook and loop pad design reduces the amount of time it takes to switch between them. In short, it ticks all the boxes for a simple, easy-to-use sander, and it only costs $19.99.

Buyers come away impressed with its capabilities, awarding it an average score of 4.7 over 250 reviews. One says it's "one of the best tool[s] I have in my collection," while another adds that it is "just as good as my corded [sander], if not better."

Anyone who already has a suitable battery and charger won't need to spend much to add to their collection of Bauer tools. Some of its tools are particularly low-priced, such as the brand's 20V six-inch compact orbital polisher/buffer. It can be picked up for only $19.99, but like all the best Bauer tools, its low price doesn't mean it sacrifices performance. It's lightweight and durable, too, weighing 3 pounds and featuring toughened housing that's designed to withstand drops.

Reviewers at Harbor Freight have awarded the tool an average rating of 4.6 stars from more than 300 reviews, with one calling it "very inexpensive for what you get and a great value." A second reviewer says that it's "nice and compact [and] gets in places [a] bigger polisher can't," while a third adds that they "wouldn't wax a vehicle any other way now."

As well as broadening your collection of power tools, Harbor Freight is also a great place to stock up on hand tool essentials. The Portland Saw 22-inch hand saw retails for $11.99 and features a manganese blade that's designed to be both durable and to stay sharp for longer. When asked, 98% of Harbor Freight reviewers said that they'd be happy to recommend the saw, with its price and quality coming up as two of the most frequently cited selling points.

The saw has a 4.7 average star rating from 250 reviews. Buyers report that they've put the saw to the test across a wide variety of jobs, with one saying they'd used it to "section up an 8"-10" diameter dead aspen tree for firewood," while another said they "rip[ped] some walnut boards that were 5 ft long." They added, "This saw performed perfectly," calling it a "great budget saw."

The Bauer variable-speed oscillating multi-tool might end up being more useful than some buyers assume. The corded tool can be used for a range of DIY and home improvement tasks, from sanding to cutting. To make the most of its capabilities, buyers will need to purchase a comprehensive set of accessories separately, but given the tool's low retail price of $47.99, that's hardly a dealbreaker.

With those accessories in use, reviewers say they've used it "to cut and smooth natural stone," as well as "cutting through cement drywall" and "copper pipe, nails, laminate flooring and all kinds of other stuff with it." More than 1,300 reviews on Harbor Freight's website have produced an average rating of 4.7 stars. While that feedback should be enough to reassure most buyers about the tool's durability, those who still aren't convinced might want to consider an extended warranty, since the standard warranty only covers the first 90 days after purchase.

No DIY power tool collection is complete without a circular saw, and anyone who doesn't already have one shouldn't overlook the Bauer 7-¼ inch circular saw. Unlike many of the other sub-$50 Bauer tools here, it doesn't run on one of the brand's interchangeable battery systems.

As a result, it remains equally good value whether you're entirely new to the brand or are already knee-deep in Bauer products. Its six-foot power cord isn't overly generous, but with its retail price of $44.99, buyers will have just enough spare change left from their $50 to buy an extension cord if needed.

The saw is capable, with a 5,200 rpm motor and a 2-7/16 inch cutting capacity. It has over 250 reviews on Harbor Freight's website, with an average rating of 4.8 stars. One buyer called the saw "great for the price," while another said they were "extremely happy with [its] quality."

A common downside to many cheap Harbor Freight tools is that their warranties are shorter than those from big-name brands. However, the Quinn 15-piece premium screwdriver set's warranty is tricky to beat, since it covers each of the included tools for life. The set is available for $27.99 and is very well liked by buyers, with an average rating of 4.8 stars from over 900 reviews. A near-perfect 99% of customers said that they'd recommend the set.

One reviewer said that they "continue to be impressed by the quality of Quinn tools," and that they "would highly recommend these screwdrivers to anyone." Another adds, "As a mechanic for over 40 years, I have used about every brand out there. These Quinn screw drivers have some of the most comfortable grips that I have ever used."

At a retail price of $49.99, the Bauer 10 Amp variable-speed reciprocating saw just about squeezes in under budget. It's another corded Bauer tool, and so much like the circular saw above, it remains just as good value for money regardless of how many other Bauer tools you already have. The one caveat is that the tool is not sold with a blade, which will need to be bought separately at an additional cost.

That hasn't dented the enthusiasm of reviewers, who have given the tool an average rating of 4.6 stars over some 1,000 reviews. According to one, it "does what you need it to without breaking the bank," while another calls it "a two-handed monster that gets the job done pronto."

Bauer's standard warranty is far from the most generous on the market, spanning only 90 days. To get a longer warranty from a Harbor Freight tool, buyers will have to step up to a higher-quality tool brand like Hercules.

A rotary tool isn't very useful without the correct accessories, but no matter the job, you should be able to find the correct accessory with Warrior's 276-piece accessory set. Among other things, it features sanding drums, drill bits, buff pads, and flap wheels, all contained within a compact carry case. At a retail price of $18.99, that works out at less than $0.07 per set piece.

As well as being cheap, it's also well-reviewed, with over 1,300 customers leaving their thoughts on Harbor Freight's website so far. Across those reviews, it has received an average of 4.7 stars, with 97% of customers saying that they'd recommend the set. One reviewer said it was "definitely one of the best purchases I have made at Harbor Freight," while another claims that the Warrior accessories "do the job as well as the Dremel brand."

The motor of Bauer's 2.8 Amp random orbit palm sander is capable of reaching a peak of 13,000 OPM, or orbits per minute. That's a useful number for comparing the tool to other, similarly priced sanders, but it's not all that useful if you just want to know how well it gets DIY tasks done. Thankfully, Harbor Freight's reviewers have left plenty of feedback in the latter regard, with more than 1,800 reviewers using the phrase "easy to use" and over 1,000 reviewers saying that it "gets the job done."

The message from those reviewers is pretty clear, and it's backed up by the tool's average review score of 4.6 stars from more than 4,500 total reviews. Sure, you could buy a sander from a big brand like Ryobi, but there's arguably no point spending the extra money if you only need it for a few jobs. Bauer's tool is hard to match in value for any brand big or small, since it costs just $37.99.

Whether it's a gift for a family member or a backup set for yourself, there's plenty to like about the Pittsburgh 60-piece tool set. It includes a range of common everyday hand tools such as pliers, a hammer, a hex key set, and a measuring tape. Pittsburgh also throws in a handy carry case to stop any smaller set pieces from getting misplaced in transit. It's a lot of gear considering it costs just $27.99, and that's exactly why it gets such good reviews from buyers.

One reviewer calls it "great value for the apartment dweller in your life," adding that the kit has "all the basics they need for fixing stuff or simple car repairs." Another reviewer says "I carry one in each of my vehicles," since the kit "has most of the things you could need on the road or in your house."

A small 4V battery is included with the Bauer cordless stapler, making it a time-saving alternative to manual tools. At $39.99, it comfortably fits within our $50 budget to boot. Bauer says that the stapler will be able to power through as many as 700 staples on a full charge. Harbor Freight reviewers are largely won over by its power and price, returning an average 4.6 rating from 800 reviews.

Reviewers detail exactly how useful the stapler has been to them. According to one reviewer, the tool is good for "install[ing] baffles in an attic over a cathedral ceiling," and a second reviewer says they've used it to "staple fabric to wood" while they were "covering several chairs." Even for buyers who don't have such a specific intended use for the stapler, it might still come in handy, with a third reviewer reporting that they bought it for their elderly parents, since they suffer from arthritis and find using a manual stapler difficult.

With a 4.7 average rating from over 5,100 reviews, the Warrior 1500 Watt dual-temperature heat gun has amassed the most reviews of any tool here. The fact that it maintains such a high average rating across so many reviews is impressive.

Buyers frequently highlight the value offered by its $14.99 retail price, with one saying they weren't "sure how often I will need it in the future, but the time savings alone on one project paid for it." Another buyer deems it "an excellent tool for the price," while a third adds that "for the money it's tough to beat." Overall, 96% of reviewers reported that they'd be willing to recommend the heat gun. However, while durability isn't a frequent concern in buyer reviews, anyone looking for ultimate peace of mind might find its short 90-day warranty less than ideal.

To ensure our picks reflected the experience of real-world Harbor Freight customers, we whittled down the tools here using reviews on the retailer's website. Each tool has a rating of at least 4.6 out of five stars from at least 250 reviews at the time of writing. All prices listed here refer to retail prices at the time of writing, and do not account for promotions or temporary discounts.